Michigan Politics Thread

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
1

Hey, let’s get a Michigan politics thread going. I know that there are quite a few T-Nation peeps from MI(thanks for helping me find a gym), so let’s post in here about MI political issues.

Some issues I think are pretty relevant we could discuss :

1- How Retarded Detroit Politics Are
2- The Mayoral Election
3- Michigan Education Laws(homeschooling, school of choice laws, etc)
4- The Economy in MI and what steps can be taken to lower the unemployment rate

Or any topic that you want to discuss. :slight_smile:

So, all of us Michiganders should sub to this thread.

2

Good grief; Michigan politics. Seriously, where should we start? I spent some time in Lansing this year as part of a firefighter lobby day, and I’m here to tell you, this state is in serious trouble financially. I’m hoping that we can elect a governor that looks to create a better environment for business, and actually bring more in. One thing I’d like to see is the representitives not getting a free medical ride for the rest of their lives just for serving one term. Seriously, WTF? And then they start talking like what will fix this state is eliminating the right bargain for police and firefighters.

I am seriously fearfull for the future of this great state. One thing’s for certain, our next Governor will need to be a dynamic, out of the box problem solver for sure. Good thread

3

As soon as it’s time I’ll fill you guys in on the duel to the possible death I’m about to fight with the locals here. It will either be a glorious victory or I will lose my house and go to jail. Seriously. The one thing that will not happen is my surrender to their gestapo-esque extortion tactics.

4

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
It will either be a glorious victory or I will lose my house and go to jail. Seriously.[/quote]

Just to be safe, make sure you read up on all the ‘How do prisoners train’ threads so you can git hyooj in The Man’s house.

Good luck, and watch yer corn hole.

5

I admit that I am not too keen on Michigan politics, but most everyone I talk to all agree that Granholm ought to be shipped back to Canada. A lot of them want to see government goodies like welfare and food stamps restricted for only those that truly need it (how many times have you gone grocery shopping to see some welfare queen and her 8 kids with three baskets of groceries paying for all of it with food stamps?) Some want drug testing for welfare recipients too.

It seems like the current administration wants to keep their voter base just comfortable enough in poverty to ensure that they will continue to vote for them.

Michigan is not business friendly as bigflamer alluded to. The ‘brain drain’ problem is getting worse too. Not only does this state LEAD THE NATION in unemployment, high-school drop out rates, and crime - but the number of college graduates leaving this dying whore of a state is increasing. I plan on leaving when I graduate as well, as do pretty much 90% of the other students I talk to.

It’s a big shit sandwich, but fortunately we all don’t have to take a bite.

One last thing. I have only lived in Michigan for 4 years, and the people here are among the rudest, meanest, and nastiest people I have ever encountered. I’m not saying that thats everyone, but most people here are abhorrently mean to one another. ANd it’s almost like they are proud of it! There is very little sense of ‘common man’ or ‘civility’ here, it’s all “Get out of my way! I want that! That’s mine! Fuck off! I’ll kick your ass! I’m better than you!”

I think this climate of hostility toward everyone else has a lot to do with the current situation. People here simply don’t like each other for completely arbitrary reasons, and I think it wholy contributes to the decay of this state. People here need to start being nicer to each other, not kiss ass nice, but dropping the “fuck off!” attitude would be a great start in rebuilding Michigan.

6

[quote]skaz05 wrote:
I admit that I am not too keen on Michigan politics, but most everyone I talk to all agree that Granholm ought to be shipped back to Canada.
[/quote]
I think she got screwed, personally. The state was in trouble before she came in, but the problems kind of got covered by both the housing and dot-com bubbles. Also, the tobacco settlement gave Engler a bunch of cash to throw around to make it look like he was some kind of infrastructure builder.

“Business friendliness” is a more complicated thing than just tax codes and labor laws. There’s also business networking ability, infrastructure, and education. MI does well at those, even with the brain drain problem that you mention. Which, holy shit, is true. Financial Times (I believe) did a business friendliness ranking, and MI was solidly in the middle.

Speaking of education, we really need to reinstate the college savings plan that Blanchard instituted. (They’re called 529’s, or 519’s I believe.) It gives the state some money to play with, and keeps young families in the state. Also, while you might lose them before college, it reduces the chance that people will leave for college, which helps the brain drain.

[quote]
One last thing. I have only lived in Michigan for 4 years, and the people here are among the rudest, meanest, and nastiest people I have ever encountered. I’m not saying that thats everyone, but most people here are abhorrently mean to one another. ANd it’s almost like they are proud of it! There is very little sense of ‘common man’ or ‘civility’ here, it’s all “Get out of my way! I want that! That’s mine! Fuck off! I’ll kick your ass! I’m better than you!”

I think this climate of hostility toward everyone else has a lot to do with the current situation. People here simply don’t like each other for completely arbitrary reasons, and I think it wholy contributes to the decay of this state. People here need to start being nicer to each other, not kiss ass nice, but dropping the “fuck off!” attitude would be a great start in rebuilding Michigan.[/quote]

Yeah, I’ll give you this, depending on where you are, and who you interact with. You said you’ve been here for 4 years…college? UM? MSU? Anyway, yeah. We got those people.

7

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
It will either be a glorious victory or I will lose my house and go to jail. Seriously.

Just to be safe, make sure you read up on all the ‘How do prisoners train’ threads so you can git hyooj in The Man’s house.

Good luck, and watch yer corn hole.[/quote]

Tonight it comes out of the bag. In a little while I’m going to a township council meeting where I will be informing them that at my court appearance on Thursday I will testify that I will die in jail before I will either take down MY shed in MY yard ( http://gregnmary.gotdns.com/pix/smithshed.jpg ) or pay their fines. And I will.

Later I’ll start another thread with details of my strategy which, like I say, will either get them off my back or land me in jail. No violence, all legal.

8

[quote]skaz05 wrote:
blah blah blah[/quote]

fuck you.

9

I can’t believe they are talking about government shutdown. Craziness.

10

[quote]bigflamer wrote:
Good grief; Michigan politics. Seriously, where should we start? I spent some time in Lansing this year as part of a firefighter lobby day, and I’m here to tell you, this state is in serious trouble financially. I’m hoping that we can elect a governor that looks to create a better environment for business, and actually bring more in. One thing I’d like to see is the representitives not getting a free medical ride for the rest of their lives just for serving one term. Seriously, WTF? And then they start talking like what will fix this state is eliminating the right bargain for police and firefighters.

I am seriously fearfull for the future of this great state. One thing’s for certain, our next Governor will need to be a dynamic, out of the box problem solver for sure. Good thread[/quote]

LOL. The same problems in every state.

11

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
SteelyD wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
It will either be a glorious victory or I will lose my house and go to jail. Seriously.

Just to be safe, make sure you read up on all the ‘How do prisoners train’ threads so you can git hyooj in The Man’s house.

Good luck, and watch yer corn hole.

Tonight it comes out of the bag. In a little while I’m going to a township council meeting where I will be informing them that at my court appearance on Thursday I will testify that I will die in jail before I will either take down MY shed in MY yard ( http://gregnmary.gotdns.com/pix/smithshed.jpg ) or pay their fines. And I will.

Later I’ll start another thread with details of my strategy which, like I say, will either get them off my back or land me in jail. No violence, all legal.[/quote]

You need to get a publicist and wage media war, Trib. You need to be thinking of ways of embarrassing the city council.

12

[quote]StevenF wrote:
I can’t believe they are talking about government shutdown. Craziness. [/quote]

It’s only a matter of time before that happens in the People’s Republic of California. We’re totally insolvent. Totally.

13

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
SteelyD wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
It will either be a glorious victory or I will lose my house and go to jail. Seriously.

Just to be safe, make sure you read up on all the ‘How do prisoners train’ threads so you can git hyooj in The Man’s house.

Good luck, and watch yer corn hole.

Tonight it comes out of the bag. In a little while I’m going to a township council meeting where I will be informing them that at my court appearance on Thursday I will testify that I will die in jail before I will either take down MY shed in MY yard ( http://gregnmary.gotdns.com/pix/smithshed.jpg ) or pay their fines. And I will.

Later I’ll start another thread with details of my strategy which, like I say, will either get them off my back or land me in jail. No violence, all legal.

You need to get a publicist and wage media war, Trib. You need to be thinking of ways of embarrassing the city council. [/quote]

Two of my fellow moderators on a local political forum did exactly this for their respective towns. They didn’t contrive anything, though. They simply got footage, posted meeting notes, and every newsarticle or written account of every town meeting-- mostly because the local papers weren’t doing their jobs. Just by creating a little transparency, they managed to get some folks interested in what ACTUALLY went on there and changed the face/makeup of the town officials… They simply let the town managers embarrass themselves.

14

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
SteelyD wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
It will either be a glorious victory or I will lose my house and go to jail. Seriously.

Just to be safe, make sure you read up on all the ‘How do prisoners train’ threads so you can git hyooj in The Man’s house.

Good luck, and watch yer corn hole.

Tonight it comes out of the bag. In a little while I’m going to a township council meeting where I will be informing them that at my court appearance on Thursday I will testify that I will die in jail before I will either take down MY shed in MY yard ( http://gregnmary.gotdns.com/pix/smithshed.jpg ) or pay their fines. And I will.

Later I’ll start another thread with details of my strategy which, like I say, will either get them off my back or land me in jail. No violence, all legal.

You need to get a publicist and wage media war, Trib. You need to be thinking of ways of embarrassing the city council. [/quote]

Waaay ahead of ya chief =]

15

At the town council meeting last night I gave them an 8x10 quality print of the link above and an envelope to each member with their names printed on it and a letter containing the following. I also emailed them a copy 15 minutes before the meeting started:

[quote]To the powers that be of Redford Township Michigan,

My name is Greg Smith, I live at ______________. Please bear with me as I know you are busy and will be as concise as possible.

I am being harassed by the ordinance people over a shed in my backyard. Before I go any further, let me say that I am fully prepared to go to jail before I will ever comply with the tyrannical and entirely unreasonable intrusion into private life and property being inflicted on my family.

Three years ago the personnel department of my company offered me an excellent much coveted position in Phoenix Arizona which would have brought me both job security and a corporate subsidized move out of the economic apocalypse that is present day Michigan. I turned them down telling them that I was born here and I did not want to be one of the many tens of thousands fleeing Michigan and that I would stick it out and try to do whatever small part I could to help her recover.

They laid me off 2 months later. Despite my very best efforts I have been unemployed ever since. Unemployment benefits are long gone and we are barely getting by with one bubbling nostril above water on whatever I can make with odd computer repair jobs. We have not had more than one hundred dollars in our bank account for any length of time in over two years. I drive a fourteen year old car, my wifeâ??s is twenty five years old and we are reusing tin foil.

Despite all this, my wife Mary, who you know as the women who maintains several public sites around the township including the Gazebo on Beech Daly, has still managed to produce for us a beautiful yard that was included in this years â??Redford Garden Walkâ?? production and for which we receive unending compliments. I wish I had a nickel for every person that has literally stopped their car and asked questions about it with some even asking for a tour of the back and if they could take pictures.

With all of this crushing pressure on my head, not to mention the deplorable state of hundreds of abandoned properties here, the townshipâ??s view is that what they and I should really be worrying about is a beautiful shed I bought for Mary for motherâ??s day five years ago that took me an entire weekend to assemble â?¦ on our cement drivewayâ?¦ away from the house like they told us. (I am including pictures). The irony is she keeps the equipment for the work she does for the township in this shed.

I will not remove this shed. I will not disassemble and reassemble it in some other location determined by bureaucrats who do not live here and cannot even make up their mind what they think is wrong with it. That is impossible anyway as this model can only be assembled once. It snaps together and unsnapping the parts will render it unusable. I will also not pay any fines in any way associated with this shed.

This is the internet age where unlimited publicity can be had free of charge by anybody with even a modicum of intelligence and skill. I promise you I am lacking in neither. I have all the components in place with my family and others instructed in detail on how to proceed once I am arrestedâ?¦ in a state and township that is hemorrhaging peopleâ?¦ has a fifteen percent unemployment rate and foreclosures through the roof, for the heinous crime of erecting a shed according to all known rules at the time. My arrest alone, never mind keeping me in custody and the rest of the process, will cost you many times more than the fines which I absolutely guarantee you will never see while I am still breathing. Yes, we would lose our house and my health would suffer as I am a diabetic on a very strict regimen of exercise and maintenance, but if you have ever believed anything in your life, believe that I will endure these egregious injustices before I will allow my wife and daughter to witness my surrender to this heavy handed abuse of authority.

The public will watch it happen and I know for a fact that there are others who have been likewise abused who will come forward. Knowing that I am doing something that may help shine the light on how some in township leadership treat itâ??s loyal citizens will allow me to sleep well even in a jail cell. Itâ??s not the shed. Itâ??s the principle. It must stop. Undoubtedly, standards and enforcement for residential upkeep are required. I will be the first to support such reasonable and civil measures, but clear harassment on a meticulously crafted and maintained property is entirely unacceptable and my foot is hereby down.

We will be going to the 14th district court on the 24th of this month, September, 2009, where I will be conveying these sentiments before Judge Wirth. I do apologize for my not communicating on this situation sooner, but it took me this long to make all the potential preparations.

If pursued to the point of either coerced payment or my arrest or both, a copy of this email, and recent photos along with other relevant documentation will be sent to dozens of local, regional and national news organizations as well as my own several means of publication. We are living in a contemporary environment where the struggling little guy unjustly stepped on by city hall draws immediate public sympathy. You will be treated to a masterful utilization of that fact in conjunction with all the applicable modern technology. Redford Township has strong armed me into a thoroughly authentic ready made chapter in that book.

There are not words to adequately express how deeply it grieves me to be forced to approach my local officials in this manner, especially now when it would be hoped that we could pull together and help each other through this very difficult time. I do not want to go to jail, but I would rather be visited there by a family that respects me and do my part to make Redford Township a more attractive place to live than simply surrender to legalized extortion, as others have in a cowardly effort to avoid further hassle.

You may view this as a somewhat overly loquacious bluff. I have been underestimated in the past and regretfully invite you to find out.
Sorrowfully yours,
Gregory Smith - A Hurting Redford Township Citizen[/quote]

There were about 100 citizens there including a group of high school kids on a civics project and the long standing senior staff writer of our local paper. I made my 3 minutes count expressing an impassioned condensed version of the above. There’s more backstory and some immediate response that I don’t have time to post at the moment.

16

Did you have someone film it?

17

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
Did you have someone film it?[/quote]

The town films all their council meetings, their crew was there doing it, and they are televised on local cable though I doubt many people watch it.

18

Trib- why do they want you to take it down? Too close to the property line? OR they wanted you to file for a permit?

19

[quote]skaz05 wrote:
I admit that I am not too keen on Michigan politics, but most everyone I talk to all agree that Granholm ought to be shipped back to Canada. A lot of them want to see government goodies like welfare and food stamps restricted for only those that truly need it (how many times have you gone grocery shopping to see some welfare queen and her 8 kids with three baskets of groceries paying for all of it with food stamps?) Some want drug testing for welfare recipients too.

It seems like the current administration wants to keep their voter base just comfortable enough in poverty to ensure that they will continue to vote for them.

Michigan is not business friendly as bigflamer alluded to. The ‘brain drain’ problem is getting worse too. Not only does this state LEAD THE NATION in unemployment, high-school drop out rates, and crime - but the number of college graduates leaving this dying whore of a state is increasing. I plan on leaving when I graduate as well, as do pretty much 90% of the other students I talk to.

It’s a big shit sandwich, but fortunately we all don’t have to take a bite.

One last thing. I have only lived in Michigan for 4 years, and the people here are among the rudest, meanest, and nastiest people I have ever encountered. I’m not saying that thats everyone, but most people here are abhorrently mean to one another. ANd it’s almost like they are proud of it! There is very little sense of ‘common man’ or ‘civility’ here, it’s all “Get out of my way! I want that! That’s mine! Fuck off! I’ll kick your ass! I’m better than you!”

I think this climate of hostility toward everyone else has a lot to do with the current situation. People here simply don’t like each other for completely arbitrary reasons, and I think it wholy contributes to the decay of this state. People here need to start being nicer to each other, not kiss ass nice, but dropping the “fuck off!” attitude would be a great start in rebuilding Michigan.[/quote]

Hahahahaha! LOL!!

When I read this, my first instinct was that you must be close to the east side of the state. I live in Grand Rapids over here in west Michigan, and I can say with confidance that they’re two completely different animals.

20

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
At the town council meeting last night I gave them an 8x10 quality print of the link above and an envelope to each member with their names printed on it and a letter containing the following. I also emailed them a copy 15 minutes before the meeting started:

To the powers that be of Redford Township Michigan,

My name is Greg Smith, I live at ______________. Please bear with me as I know you are busy and will be as concise as possible.

I am being harassed by the ordinance people over a shed in my backyard. Before I go any further, let me say that I am fully prepared to go to jail before I will ever comply with the tyrannical and entirely unreasonable intrusion into private life and property being inflicted on my family.

Three years ago the personnel department of my company offered me an excellent much coveted position in Phoenix Arizona which would have brought me both job security and a corporate subsidized move out of the economic apocalypse that is present day Michigan. I turned them down telling them that I was born here and I did not want to be one of the many tens of thousands fleeing Michigan and that I would stick it out and try to do whatever small part I could to help her recover.

They laid me off 2 months later. Despite my very best efforts I have been unemployed ever since. Unemployment benefits are long gone and we are barely getting by with one bubbling nostril above water on whatever I can make with odd computer repair jobs. We have not had more than one hundred dollars in our bank account for any length of time in over two years. I drive a fourteen year old car, my wifeâ??s is twenty five years old and we are reusing tin foil.

Despite all this, my wife Mary, who you know as the women who maintains several public sites around the township including the Gazebo on Beech Daly, has still managed to produce for us a beautiful yard that was included in this years â??Redford Garden Walkâ?? production and for which we receive unending compliments. I wish I had a nickel for every person that has literally stopped their car and asked questions about it with some even asking for a tour of the back and if they could take pictures.

With all of this crushing pressure on my head, not to mention the deplorable state of hundreds of abandoned properties here, the townshipâ??s view is that what they and I should really be worrying about is a beautiful shed I bought for Mary for motherâ??s day five years ago that took me an entire weekend to assemble â?¦ on our cement drivewayâ?¦ away from the house like they told us. (I am including pictures). The irony is she keeps the equipment for the work she does for the township in this shed.

I will not remove this shed. I will not disassemble and reassemble it in some other location determined by bureaucrats who do not live here and cannot even make up their mind what they think is wrong with it. That is impossible anyway as this model can only be assembled once. It snaps together and unsnapping the parts will render it unusable. I will also not pay any fines in any way associated with this shed.

This is the internet age where unlimited publicity can be had free of charge by anybody with even a modicum of intelligence and skill. I promise you I am lacking in neither. I have all the components in place with my family and others instructed in detail on how to proceed once I am arrestedâ?¦ in a state and township that is hemorrhaging peopleâ?¦ has a fifteen percent unemployment rate and foreclosures through the roof, for the heinous crime of erecting a shed according to all known rules at the time. My arrest alone, never mind keeping me in custody and the rest of the process, will cost you many times more than the fines which I absolutely guarantee you will never see while I am still breathing. Yes, we would lose our house and my health would suffer as I am a diabetic on a very strict regimen of exercise and maintenance, but if you have ever believed anything in your life, believe that I will endure these egregious injustices before I will allow my wife and daughter to witness my surrender to this heavy handed abuse of authority.

The public will watch it happen and I know for a fact that there are others who have been likewise abused who will come forward. Knowing that I am doing something that may help shine the light on how some in township leadership treat itâ??s loyal citizens will allow me to sleep well even in a jail cell. Itâ??s not the shed. Itâ??s the principle. It must stop. Undoubtedly, standards and enforcement for residential upkeep are required. I will be the first to support such reasonable and civil measures, but clear harassment on a meticulously crafted and maintained property is entirely unacceptable and my foot is hereby down.

We will be going to the 14th district court on the 24th of this month, September, 2009, where I will be conveying these sentiments before Judge Wirth. I do apologize for my not communicating on this situation sooner, but it took me this long to make all the potential preparations.

If pursued to the point of either coerced payment or my arrest or both, a copy of this email, and recent photos along with other relevant documentation will be sent to dozens of local, regional and national news organizations as well as my own several means of publication. We are living in a contemporary environment where the struggling little guy unjustly stepped on by city hall draws immediate public sympathy. You will be treated to a masterful utilization of that fact in conjunction with all the applicable modern technology. Redford Township has strong armed me into a thoroughly authentic ready made chapter in that book.

There are not words to adequately express how deeply it grieves me to be forced to approach my local officials in this manner, especially now when it would be hoped that we could pull together and help each other through this very difficult time. I do not want to go to jail, but I would rather be visited there by a family that respects me and do my part to make Redford Township a more attractive place to live than simply surrender to legalized extortion, as others have in a cowardly effort to avoid further hassle.

You may view this as a somewhat overly loquacious bluff. I have been underestimated in the past and regretfully invite you to find out.
Sorrowfully yours,
Gregory Smith - A Hurting Redford Township Citizen

There were about 100 citizens there including a group of high school kids on a civics project and the long standing senior staff writer of our local paper. I made my 3 minutes count expressing an impassioned condensed version of the above. There’s more backstory and some immediate response that I don’t have time to post at the moment.[/quote]

Very nice, well stated. Good luck to you in fighting these shitbags.