Links while hitting the half-century mark

by: Eric B.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 16:39:49 PM EST

I think I'm probably wrong in saying that today marks the first time this year we've hit 50 degrees ... something tells me we might have done this even earlier this year ... but it is somewhat heartening that it happened during what is supposed to be the coldest part of the year. As in, I really hate cold weather and can't wait until I can turn off the heater and grill. Them's is gonna be good times. Meanwhile...

Onward!

*--Thanks to Angela Wittrock for the love over yesterday's post. As for America's Shoutiest Mayor, he says that referring to a member of one of Michigan's Native American tribes as "Chief Chicken Little" isn't a racially-charged remark. Neither apparently were comments referring to "bows and arrows" and a target on Bernero's back.

*--One last item on the Lansing casino, this time also from MLive's Angela Wittrock ... the Sault Ste. Marie executive is okay with the disparaging remarks by America's Shoutiest Mayor. Reading this reminds me of that scene in Goodfellas where Joe Pesci gets killed and Ray Liotta through narration says that it was between the Italians, "real greaseball shit," and that they had to stay out of it. I mean, ultimately, this boils down to marketplace competition, just as marketplace competition is what motivated the Saginaw Chippewas to bankroll Prop. 1 back in 2004 to limit gaming in the state (they were chiefly going after the racinos, including one that would be built at the Mt. Pleasant horse racing track). The question for most people ought to be whether casinos in general are positive economic development tools, or whether they just take money from one pocket to deposit it in another. I think most everyone who's read this blog for very long is familiar with my feelings.

*--Tomorrow, Southfield mayor Brenda Lawrence will officially enter the race for the 14th District. Also, via press release, Gary McDowell is reporting $340,000 in fund raising for his campaign against the Teabaggin' Surgeon.

*--Flint's Emergency Manager may sell off municipal assets to pay the bills. This makes nearly as much sense as the state of Michigan selling off the Mackinac Bridge to balance the general fund.

*--The Muskegon Chamber of Commerce is told that Right to Work would be a pointless, counterproductive, divisive exercise. Last week, we heard the same from the state's business community. Will Republicans in the Legislature actually listen to the business community, or will they continue to lecture the business community on what it needs?

*--People think benevolent overlord Rick Michigan's education reforms stink.

*--Why would anyone take anything from the Heritage Foundation seriously?

*--Remember the Hutaree? A judge tells them that if they can't afford lodging where their trial is taking place, they can stay in jail. And, since they were arrested, we can presume them guilty, so when the sentence is handed down for it, at least they can apply the nights alread slept in the slammer as time served. And, so it goes in the Republic where you are presumed innocent until convicted based on a preponderence of evidence.

*--Teh Demas on the recurring disparaging of women down in Lansing. What has been most regrettable for me is to see the silence on the part of the Lansing press corps, and of the state's political press corps in general. There's been quite a lot of speculation in the last month that Rick Jones' "hooker" comment was made possible in an atmosphere of term limits. That might be, but they are enabled only where people don't believe they'll be held accountable for the things they say, that ultimately they'll be given cover by the press to say horrible things about other people.

P.S. Andy Schor officially files paperwork for the 68th House District seat today.