THUMBS UP TO LOCAL BLOGGER

Let's give a round of applause to Nick DeLeeuw and his fine website www.RightMichigan.com.  Nick's coverage of the Michigan political scene in the run-up to yesterday's presidential primary was top notch, and even garnered the attention of the national punditry, including National Review Online.  Clearly, RightMichigan is becoming the go-to place in the blogosphere if you want the latest on the machinations of Michigan politicians.  Good work, Nick!

Comments

[Rollnggrnade]

Now I know where JuliontheWeb parrots all of her ignorant talking points from. Hilarious! I love the endless circle of right-wingers citing right-wingers citing right-wingers.

[The Executive Director]

Grenade,

I think you could be a little more gracious and give our local guy his due for garnering some national attention.

Bill

[Nick]

Thanks, Bill and Bridget. And don't worry about Rollnggrnade... I'm just happy he watches Juli on the Web! :)

--Nick
www.RightMichigan.com

[The Executive Director]

You're welcome, Nick. -- Bill

[Ted Van Kuiken]

Happy New Year Bill,

Hey, Just curious, What went on with the school board last night? Will you be blogging about it?

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Ted.

It's good to hear from you.

You can be sure I'll have a few comments about the griping of the GRPS teachers union.

Regards, Bill

[Ted Van Kuiken]

I finally got a little info in the Press last night..I was shocked that the GRPS are spending over 13,000 dollars a year per teacher for insurance. That's alotta cabbage. I don't see why public employees have coverage that is that much better(or more expensive, probably shave a couple grand just by putting it up for bid by private ins. companies, and quit lining the pockets of the MEA)than the what the citizens that pay for it are. I could go on and on with my opinions and ideas on this one.

[Ted Van Kuiken]

13,000 is more than half of what alot of people make in a year, with educations

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Ted.

I agree that the health benefits GRPS teachers receive are pricey. It's obnoxious of them to complain about contributed to the cost, when taxpayers are currently picking up the entire tab, most of whom have less generous plans and still have to pay more than teachers do for them. It boils down to a transfer of wealth from those who are making less to those who are making more.

Regards, Bill

[Ted Van Kuiken]

"It boils down to a transfer of wealth from those who are making less to those who are making more."

"from each according to their ability, to others according to need?"

Sounds like pinko stuff.

[The Executive Director]

Pinko! There's an excellent term of abuse I haven't heard much since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Well, I suppose, Ted, that the GREA isn't exactly the Red Menace, but they do organize and operate like light-weight Leninists.

Regards, Bill

[Ted Van Kuiken]

Well Bill, this nation is full of marxist-lite pinkos that think I should redistribute the wealth that I don't yet have, but would like to amass eventually. They give away my stuff to others who don't work as hard, and all it does is increase their constituency of people with their hand out and dilutes the constituents that I side with making our votes count less and less. I like the way Dave Ramsey talks about improving not only your own life, but the lives of everybody "downline" on your family tree, but if they(pinkos and red diaper doper babies) keep taking what is mine, it'll never happen. Work Harder, Millions with their hand out depend on you.

[RollngGrnade]

I'm curious; given that, when polled, the vast majority of the US population believes in "pinko" economic principles (like the progressive tax rate, Social Security insurance, aid to the poor and disabled, public education, public federal institutions that stabilize the economy, public subsidies of research and development in the private sector, etc.) - aren't,then, the people pushing for fundamentalist free market principles the marginalized segment of the population?

[The Executive Director]

Hello, Grenade.

I think you need to make a distinction between those Americans who actively support the welfare state and those who have acquiesced to it an enduring reality short of revolution. The former group are liberals who are ideologically committed to the welfare state as a means to improve the lot of their fellow citizens. Therefore they will generally press for its expansion.

Of the latter group, you'll find their support of "pinko economic principles" is restricted to getting from the government what they were promised in exchange for their taxes. Unlike liberals they are not ideologically committed and only want the bargain (a Social Security pension, decent public education, etc.) they have been forced to accept. They are not interested in a bigger welfare state. However, they will resist radical reform of the welfare state to the extent that they do not see how they get a better bargain (for which they have already paid) out of it.

Then there is a third group, laissez-faire conservatives and libertarians. They are ideologically opposed to the welfare state and welcome its radical reform or even elimination. These are the ones you identify as "marginalized". If by that term you mean the minority, I agree.

Regards, Bill