Tag Archives: threats to the middle class

City Manager Ralph Lange indicates that Ypsilanti is moving toward a hybrid police/fire scheme in which public safety officers will be expected to fight fires, save lives, pursue suspects and dispense lethal force

By Mark | March 11, 2013

It would seem that Ralph Lange, our new city manager, has made up his mind that we should merge Ypsilanti’s Police and Fire departments in hopes of further delaying landfall of the category-five fiscal storm gathering on the horizon. He’s admittedly in a tough spot, and I’m sympathetic. He’s trying to radically cut spending, in [...]

Posted in Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged Brian Robb, city income tax, city services, class warfare, consolidation of services, Emergency Financial Manager, Emergency Manager, hypocrisy, Karen Maurer, local income tax, mutual aid, perfect storm, PSO, public safety, public safety officer, Ralph Lange, redistribution of wealth, Rick Snyder, Steve Pierce, Stop City Income Tax, taxes, the concentration of wealth, Water Street, wealth inequality, Ypsilanti Fire Department, Ypsilanti police department | 43 Comments

Someone should tell Governor Snyder that a “perfect storm” isn’t generally considered a good thing

By Mark | January 8, 2013

The state of Michigan took out an incredibly-costly full-page ad in today’s Wall Street Journal, proudly announcing to the world not only that we’ve officially joined the likes of Alabama and Mississippi in becoming a so-called “right-to-work” state, but that we’ve finally put the embarrassing pro-labor legacy of the The Battle of the Overpass behind [...]

Posted in Media, Michigan, Observations, Rants, Uncategorized | Also tagged Battle of the Overpass, cheap labor, hypocrisy, Jase Bolger, labor history, marketing, Michigan House of Representatives, Pure Michigan, Rick Snyder, right-to-work, unions, Wall Street Journal | 34 Comments

If the Christmas carols being sung outside of Rick Snyder’s home don’t cause his Grinch-like heart to swell, let’s try shutting down Lansing…

By Mark | December 11, 2012

If I were a good blogger, I’d be standing in the cold tonight with those folks singing Christmas carols outside of the Governor’s Superior Township residence, but, instead, I’m here at home, where I’ve been all day, tending to the needs of my sick family… making chicken soup, fluffing pillows, and doing all of the [...]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Michigan, Politics, Uncategorized | Also tagged Christmas carols, Daimler, democracy protests, Detroit Diesel, Grinch, labor history, Lansing, protests, Redford, Rick Snyder, right-to-work, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, unions | 41 Comments

Joe Biden: “These guys bet against America all the time”

By Mark | October 11, 2012

God, I loved seeing Joe Biden put Paul Ryan over his knee and paddle him with facts. So, what’d you think? Here, if you didn’t watch it live, and can’t watch the above video in your cubicle, is a clip from the transcript. MS. RADDATZ: OK, on to taxes. If your ticket is elected, who [...]

Posted in Economics, Politics | Also tagged Bush tax cuts, debates, Detroit Tigers, job creation, Joe Biden, middle class tax cuts, Paul Ryan, Republican obstructionism, tax reform, tax the rich, taxes | 20 Comments

Obama’s brilliant speech on trickle down economics becomes exponentially more incredible with animation

By Mark | October 8, 2012

I have something for you to watch while I’m working on tonight’s post. It’s a short animated piece put together by a fellow named Lucas Gray, who, among other things, works on The Simpsons. I don’t know if he was hired to do it, or if he just decided to pull together some friends and [...]