Monday, September 18, 2006

Michigan - “A Liberal Failure”

I’ve lived in Michigan for a good number of years.  I haven’t always lived here, but I always seem to end up back in the state that boasts two peninsulas, those Great Lakes, and looks like a mitten.

Michigan, for too many years, has been over reliant on the auto industry, economically, and many Michigan employers have been, and still are, slaves to unions, especially the UAW.

Currently, Rich DeVos, son of the founder of Amway, is waging a campaign against the photogenic one, Jennifer Granholm, for the title of Governor, both desiring to play doctor to the state’s ills.

Rich Lowry, over at National Review, notes that Michigan is one sick state, calling it “a liberal failure,” and he is oh so correct.  Lowry has a piece posted titled The Sick Man of the Midwest which lists the symptoms which have dragged the State of Michigan to number 49 out of 50 for growth in its per capita gross state product.

The first paragraph of Lowry’s piece,

Liberals dissatisfied with the Bush economy have, through the wonders of federalism, an alternative. They can move to Michigan. The state represents a rough approximation of ideal liberal economic policy. It is heavily unionized, taxed, and regulated in a failed attempt to close its eyes to the dynamic forces of the market and globalization all around it.

Michigan is a liberal failure, but at least the flyfishing is good.

Posted by John Venlet on 09/18 at 02:29 PM
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Patriotism

Stopped by the website BadEagle.com for a moment this morning, and noted a short interview David Yeagley conducted with Ilana Mercer.

Yeagley asked the following question of Mercer,

What is your response to the idea of an American Indian being an American patriot? Is it impossibly contradictory? Is it disingenuous?

Mercer’s reply makes for interesting reading, but I particularly enjoyed this portion of her response to the question noted above.

So what is patriotism? Here’s what it’s not: it’s not an allegiance to the government of the day, or to its invariably wicked, un-American policies. It’s an affinity for your community; it’s an understanding of the great principles upon which this country was founded—which have been excised by successive governments, Republican and Democratic alike. And it’s a commitment to restoring the republic of private-property rights, individual freedoms, and radical decentralization.

The interview was originally published by FreeMarketNews, and can be read in its entirety here.

Posted by John Venlet on 09/18 at 09:51 AM
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TSA Skewering

I never figured I would read the following, coming, as it did, from the pen of Garrison Keillor.

The way to stop terrorists on planes is to encourage passengers to bring loaded firearms aboard: guys in orange vests sitting in exit rows with deer rifles on their laps, ladies with Mr. Colt in their purses, kids with peashooters. Somebody wake up the NRA. Does the Second Amendment say ‘‘The right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed except on commercial airliners’‘? Where is the right wing when you really need them?

The rest of the piece makes for entertaining reading, also.

Keillor: Coffee, tea or TATP

Via Wolfesblog

Posted by John Venlet on 09/18 at 09:40 AM
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Aussie to the Point

For someone with the title of multicultural spokesman (sheesh), Australian Andrew Robb spoke rather pointedly to a group of imams regarding Muslims’ responsibilities in this whole terror thing. Surprisingly enough, his words do not appear to have precipitated any temper tantrums among the followers of Islam.

“We live in a world of terrorism where evil acts are being regularly perpetrated in the name of your faith,” Mr Robb said at the Sydney conference.

“And because it is your faith that is being invoked as justification for these evil acts, it is your problem.

“You can’t wish it away, or ignore it, just because it has been caused by others.

“Instead, speak up and condemn terrorism, defend your role in the way of life that we all share here in Australia.”

Muslims read riot act

Via The Corner

Posted by John Venlet on 09/18 at 06:59 AM
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