Keep Local Governments

From time to time the topic of consolidating governments comes up.  Lansing Councilman Bud Shattuck has said he favors a county-wide government, and the idea of merging school districts was a favorite of former Lansing School Superintendent Mark Lewis.  Economy of scale is the argument that most people like when advocating a multi-municipality or school [...]

More on page 44

The Black Hole That Is Lansing (A Valentine)

I have been a New Yorker for 23 years, and a Lansingite for 22 of those.  Since last week’s ‘quality of life’ editorial I have been thinking about my own experience of Lansing.  In those 22 years I abandoned a career and had two others, married and raised a family, and got wider in the [...]

More on page 42

Those Stressful Zeroes

Things are getting out of control. Most people understand hundreds and thousands, and not long ago a million became a common number that it was possible, though unlikely, one could win on a television game show. I think most people would have been happy with millions, but our governments were dealing with billions.
Before government got [...]

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Ignoring Half of America

Uncategorized

I am confused by President Obama’s boycott of Fox News.  Wasn’t he the candidate that was going to reach across the aisle to bring diverse people with differing viewpoints together to find consensus and make change?  While it is true that Fox’s editorial programming is right-slanted, it is also true that CNN and the broadcast news outlets (and their cable offshoots) are left-leaning.  We all know that, and so what?  Isn’t the United States one country that encourages diversity of people, opinions, and freedom of speech?  Don’t all of us get one president? More on page 48

dveaner @ November 11, 2009

Blowing Up Clunkers

Uncategorized

Much has been made of the ‘Cash For Clunkers’ program that President Obama has been advocating.  The way I see it the government wants to give my tax money away to people who can afford to buy cars.  The excuse is that it will boost the economy, but experts have expressed doubt on whether it will actually stimulate the economy or simply steal sales from the future.

I prefer Conan O’Brien’s program .  The Tonight Show host is running a contest in which viewers write in or send videos arguing why their car should be blown to smithereens.  The winner will get to drive his or her car to Los Angeles to have it blown up on the air, and will also receive a brand new 2010 Lexus HS250h hybrid. More on page 46

dveaner @ August 6, 2009