Maddow on Benton Harbor EFM takeover

By Ed Brayton | 04.19.11 | 9:31 am

Rachel Maddow had a segment on her show last evening looking at the controversy over the Emergency Manager in Benton Harbor nullifying election results and forbidding elected bodies in that city from taking any actions whatsoever. She specifically cited the Michigan Messenger.

Maddow specifically mentioned the Jean Klock Park situation, a story that the Messenger has been following closely for years — and most of the media in the state have been ignoring. A large chunk of that park, deeded to the city on the condition that it remain a public park forever, was leased to private developers to be made into a golf course.

The land was swapped for land owned by Whirlpool, property that turned out to be highly contaminated; taxpayers are now paying for the cleanup of that land through a Brownfield redevelopment credit worth millions of dollars.

Though that situation took place before the new Emergency Manager law went into effect, this is exactly the sort of thing that an Emergency Manager would have the power to do. Faced with a deficit, the EM might decide to sell off public property to developers — and there’s nothing that local residents or their elected officials could do to stop it because, as this situation shows, the EFM can simply order the local elected boards not to do anything.

Local groups fighting privatization of the park here and here.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Comments

Anonymous

Let’s remember that the sacking of Benton Harbor began with Democrat Jennifer Granholm. The neo-liberals do not look at party affiliation as a problem. We need to understand that the public realm–our commons–is the booty here. Air, water, soil–they want it all.

Too few people cared about Benton Harbor when all this could have been stopped. Engler begat Granholm who begat Snyder. Dems and Rebups are both culpable. If you are a member of either party, take it back. If we cannot take them back we need new parties and fast.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TUNPCSGQPHES3Y22NL6D7ATMQE Bill

Not True ! Benton Harbor has it ills since the early 70′s and then the surrounding cities have annex the best parts. But I do agree we need a true third party.Too much big money is destroying the middleclass and making us third world America.The republican party has never care for the little guy and the democrats have no courage.

http://www.facebook.com/DonaldBraden Donald Braden

Democrats are Reaganites too, that is the root of the problem. Nobody represents middle class economic interests. No one. Dennis Kusinich maybe, but no one else. This is why the Democrats assign the budget process to 3 conservative Democrats and 3 right wing republicans from the Senate.

Anonymous

Even Kucinich is just a “maybe”? That’s the definition of hard to please!

Anonymous

bernie sanders is the only senator who cares about the middle class. he should be the pres.

Anonymous

Are you two from another planet!! It makes little difference what city is being taken over,,,,,This facist move is completely unacceptable. Read your history and weep — Martin Niemoller. ‘First they came for the communists,’ he wrote, ‘and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out.” If you think for one minute you are immune to Synder’s moves, then you are really really stupid! So sit back and let it happen because you think Benton Harbor needs a dictator for its own good….Trash our Constitution and God help us all!!!
Anonymous

Are you two from another planet!! It makes little difference what city is being taken over,,,,,This facist move is completely unacceptable. Read your history and weep — Martin Niemoller. ‘First they came for the communists,’ he wrote, ‘and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out.” If you think for one minute you are immune to Synder’s moves, then you are really really stupid! So sit back and let it happen because you think Benton Harbor needs a dictator for its own good….Trash our Constitution and God help us all!!!
Anonymous

You liberals are so ignorant and blind. I was fipping through the channels and caught this on this wacko’s T.V. show. Harbor shores golf course and development will do more to help that blighted part of Michigan than all the government programs and socialist reenginering would ever do. I vacation every summer in parts of Michigan to play the golf course the state has become famous for. Thousand of peole such as myself are what is keeping your union ruined state afloat!! Rachel Madwoman is the next” Keith Oberidiot”. THe beach was not ruined and , you got a wonderful jewel of a golf course. Maybe if some of those “unemployed workers” actually got off their rear ends and went and applied for one of the jobs that the course has created , the unemployment rate would actually go down. Oh yeah, they would have to go off welfare, what was I thinking.

Anonymous

You can string together a lot of talking points, sterotypes and pseudo insults but never do address the fundemental questions: How will a golf course that costs 5K every be beneficial to a community that has a per capita income of 10K? What will the few jobs the golf course creates actually pay? How can you justify taking/stealing a park that was given to the community exclusively for the enjoyment of the community and their children? Isn’t this actually social engineering with a capitalist face? The beach may not be ruined but the Benton Harbor community will never be able to use it again!
Anonymous

Wonderful! People that have used the park all their lives will now be faced with “No Trespassing” signs. Unless you can fork up the 5000 dollar club fee.Fascism is alive and well in Michigan.
Anonymous

I don’t golf, but I like to vacation in my state as well, walk along OUR beautiful beaches and enjoy the lake. You should try it sometimes. A quiet stroll along a naturally beautiful lakeshore, it is quite calming.
Anonymous

You are the one that is ignorant! Where exactly should those 10,000+ people who call St. Joseph their home go? Just anywhere, as long as you don’t have to look at them, right? 85% of those residents are black and while I am sure you, and the rest of your privileged, conservative, republican cronies, wouldn’t mind if a few dozen of them stick around to “fetch yeh gulf bawls, feh yeh,” and “take out da trash,” you certainly don’t want them just living there, in their self-induced poverty, on that prime spot of land that is just screaming to become yet another opportunity at capitalism, and marginalization of those “other” people. You make me sick with your “point another down politics.” So happy to hear that you are able to “vacation every summer in parts of Michigan,” that certainly makes you not only an expert on the state, but entitled to turn it into your personal playground, at the expense of people you don’t know, and don’t give a damn about. Where exactly are all the jobs at in Michigan for all those people that just need to “get off their rear ends?” You are out of touch with reality… that is what I was thinking.
Anonymous

this is “socialist reengineering” for the rich. this is a perfect example of socialism for the rich and the worst part capitalism for the poor
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YHOD6TFDZX7LV2SJVHFIQRZ5EM Mister

Rather than childishly hurling insults, it would pay to do a little research. Dig a little deeper. While Maddow brings up an important story, her take on it fits her political stance. She ignores crucial facts that tell a more complex, and more frustrating story. Rick Snyder did NOT dream this up himself, he’s had help from the other side of the isle. Citizens of Benton Harbor are NOT lazy. They’ve been marginalized by the death of industrialism in America, and the obvious prejudice of people like our friend “makesense1″.
For a closer look, go to:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0620/p01s04-ussc.html
Personally, I don’t think the privatization of everything on the planet will lead to a better world, just overlords and surfs. But that’s just my take.
Anonymous

You are obviously the ignorant one here- for several reasons. One- Rachel Maddow always does her homework very well. If she says it, yo can count on it to be true. She digs deep, she is very inelegant and speaks truth. Second- you obviously have no clue about liberals. Instituting governmental regulations is needed where business and industry proved they are incapable of self-governance. Left to their own devices they poison the land and air, enslave the working poor and refuse to pay decent wages necessitating regulations to ensure they change their behavior. Go back and read your history about why it was necessary to institute unions and protections for the people and the environment because your assertions prove you are the ignorant one here.

Taking a community, which is really what this is ultimately about, is surely not something liberals are pushing for either. The changed legislation that gave the governor complete control came under this governor- not the previous. But evidently they have started getting what they want; taking over the land the city and it’s residents own. From what I hear, Benton Harbor is one of the last land areas of lakefront properties and they want to develop it into properties only the rich can afford. They obviously can do anything they want to do and already have by trading the land that was supposed to stay a park open to all forever. They didn’t even make a good deal in the trade. They took a property the government will have to pay to clean before it can be used. No wonder Whirlpool was so anxious to give it in trade! Now they don’t have to pay the cost! That land would have cost them more than it was worth to clean it and now they won’t need to. Bet it isn’t lake front either!
Anonymous

So this is a public golf course. Where everyone is welcomed. Yes No Maybe?

Anonymous

If you have 5 grand and they approve of you, maybe.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jessica-Frey/100001413278568 Jessica Frey

your a fucking idiot…..how can anyone who can’t afford the $5,000 annual entry fee be able to enjoy a park that prior to this was open to the public. And even if you can afford the money You still have to be allowed by the club board…..love how a avid “fox news” watcher spews bullshit and lies. If I own land, and I am not using that land at this time. By your account, you should be able to come in and take it from me. Doesn’t sound like democracy to me..But a solid blueprint for a dictatorship. Tell me jack-ass, is this what you believe in. Because by standing up for Snyder and this shitty law. You have set yourself up to be called Da Fueher…..You go Mussolini, Hitler, Caeser……I’ll just call you ass-clown

Anonymous

I personally think Rick Snyder has the potential to be a world leader.I think he probably made the same first move as Milosivic or Kadiffi. He’s got to be considering sending in some troops soon. And a staff of personal body guards ought to be in his plans.I can see it all already. Ricky racing around the state in a convoy of big black SUV’s, guns sticking out of the windows.

Anonymous

Rick and Scott Walker, now that’s a team. Both cut out of the same cloth ..

Anonymous

I was wondering what they were after in Benton Harbor. It’s a land grab

Anonymous

Yes. And it’s an end run around Federal laws and courts (bankruptcy) which exhibit due process and transparency for the public. In Snyders faxcist world, all public rights and democratic rules have been decimated. Assets can then be handled PRIVATELY and behind the scenes with the EMF and this fraud of a leader. Feds need to defend here.

http://profiles.google.com/minchazo Ben Van Horn

With 10K/yr per capita income, the community is obviously economically depressed. Economically disadvantaged places are largely inhabited by poor people with less education- the ones least able to move on to better opportunities elsewhere. Poor minorities are already the object of discrimination and are often disenfranchised. Will we also allow the State to come in and literally remove the right of these communities to govern themselves? Is the State of Michigan actually removing democracy in Benton Harbor? This is not what we do in the United States of America.

Anonymous

The problem here was that these people were not governing themselves. They kept electing corrupt people who let this situation spiral out of control, with no accountability. This Harris guy was actually first sent in to do this same job by the previous Democratic governor.

As America as a whole refuses to govern itself, by resending corrupt people to Washington, and insisting on entitlements that it can no longer afford, letting the debt get even more out of control, we’ll see a similar collapse. It’s anyone’s guess as to what forces will take over once the dollar has completely collapsed.

Anonymous

It is not 5k per round , that is for an annual pass. You can pay a daily fee. Play the course and enjoy the scenery. What you are not capable of understanding is that the union jobs are gone. As Springstein said, “and they are never coming back”. What is going to move into that area– nothing. Benton Harbor was a sewer of decline and blight. So thinking outside the box was to bring in the “evil rich” to invest in summer homes , eat at restraunts, buy local ,and summer there. The lake is the only savoir that area will have. The mentality of the union worker killed the area once, let the mentality of a capitalist not a socialist give it a try. I think you will see the light in a few years . Remember rich people create jobs, not governments

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_S6M5XENZM3K7A7SWZNQFRMK5P4 Otaypanky

Rich people create jobs in places where they can pay oppressed people peanuts, not here, not yet anyway. But soon the once thriving American cities that are now depressed slums will be a better bargain priced labor pool than those far off lands. And the corporations won’t have the expense of transporting their goods. Think of it as corporate America is just cultivating and grooming their future work force.
Anonymous

In response to makesense1, “Remember rich people create jobs, not governments.” The RICH have NOT been creating jobs here or anywhere in the USA much, or our unemployment numbers would not be so high. So just stop saying that. It’s not true. Wow, only $5,000 a season, and you can get day passes. What a deal for those who can afford it! For those who lost their enjoyment of the land that was deeded to the city, not so much. When he deeded the land to Benton Harbor in May of 1917, J. N. Klock wrote, “It is our wish that the lake frontage may always be preserved in its natural state and be a playground for the children and a bathing beach for all the people.” I guess that means only rich children now! Synder is not acting like a capitalist; he’s acting like a dictator & they have 200 more dictators-in-training coming (EFMs) to take everything they can while they can, before they get tossed out of office early. Snyder’s an untruthful guy and a big-time fascist. Recall Rick now! The Rick-tator and his minions must go!

Anonymous

@makesense1.. if rich people create jobs, how come unemployment is so high, when taxes for the ” job creating” wealthy have gone down? Shouldn’t they have even more money to createrjobs? Where are those jobs? Looking for lost balls at a golf course? Mowing the grass?
Anonymous

Rachel: you really need to get your facts straight. Al Pscholka is doing the right thing for Michigan’s real taxpayers because for years Benton Harbor’s irresponsible and incompetent government “leaders” have misused and squandered the city’s resources. They were charged $80,000 to $100,000 just in bank overdraft fees. They have wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on severance payments to fired city managers. The real fact is Whirlpool has bailed them out many times and has supported the community with countless contributions. You mention Jean Klock park. The city let this park run down to a terrible eyesore (like most of their city). Thank God it was restored and can now be enjoyed by residents (as well as tourists, which by the way generates revenue for the city – what a concept). The bottom line is Benton Harbor has has had too much time and blown too much money to let this go any further. The reason the commissioners no longer have a vote is self evident – look at their track record – it’s a joke.

Anonymous

You miss the entire point of the problem. The point is that we have checks and balances so that no one person will be too powerful. The same man who signed the bill into law is now the only man who has authority to call any town he wishes in “financial distress” at his own discretion. We now have a situation where one person in our state can take over any city, township, town, village, municipality, etc and disband the whole shebang and do what he wants with it. Did you not notice that Al Pscholka is the former vice president of the company that wants to develop Benton Harbor. He is also the person who pushed the EFM bill through the system. He is a lying snake who had Benton Harbor in his sights when he introduced that bill. He doesn’t care whats good of Benton Harbor. He cares for whats best for Cornerstone Alliance. What are you going to do when he and the Snyder start licking their chops at your real estate? Still going to be a fan of development? What needs to happen to the corruption in BH is a matter for the courts. Letting one man have as much power as our governor has right now is extremely dangerous and historically has ALWAYS turned out badly.
Anonymous

There’s truth in what you say but the reasons for the truth are conveniently hidden. Race relations are worse in that area than in the deep south. The white folk have a predatory attitude and are buying up real estate faster than jack rabbits. There is much talk of “lifting up the whole population” but that is bunk. Instead of recognizing that Benton Harbor hit the skids because of Whirlpool’s overseas flight, the good folk of St. Jo’s blame Johnson’s public housing. CH
check out the tax structure put in place by the EFM and his handlers. It robs BH of tax revenues and gives them to St. Jo’s. Reminds me of Edward II’s treatment of Scotland. It stinks and it is fascism.

Anonymous

I work in Benton Harbor…this city is a cess pool…during the 90s the Mich State Police had to take over their police dept because of piss poor management and corruption…every year, one (or some) of their duly elected officials is under investigation for corruption (embezzling thousands of dollars that they get from the Fed Govt), their schools are piss poor but yet they pay more per student than other schools in the area who are performing very well…Benton Harbor doesn’t deserve self-governance; they are incapable of self-governance!

Anonymous

Uswilly, going to the extreme of taking it over isn’t the answer either. Do you really think these take over guys are out for your benefit or the cities? If you do, I have a bridge I want to sell you.

Anonymous

Love listening to the con’s on this. By their logic, since the majority of Red States are welfare states (ie receive more federal $’s than they pay in taxes), Obama should be able to come in and replace any elected government official and appoint a czar to run it. And this judgement comes not from a court, or a legislature, but from the authority of the President. Come on Obama! Rule like a conservative. Fire Rick Scott, Scott Walker, and remove every teapartier elected nationally in 2010…and replace them with a “manager” of your choosing.
Anonymous

I think what’s going on in Michigan is even more appalling than what has been going on in my state of Wisconsin. It is fascism pure and simple. Don’t Americans and Michiganders or Michiganians(or whatever you call yourselves these day) read any history. I doubt it from some of the comments here. Wake up Michigan or you’ll soon be a state that doesn’t belong in this country. Recall your governor. What a disaster and what a disgusting display of ignorance.
Anonymous

I believed we still lived in a democracy until this. They are training 200 more financial managers in Michigan so takeover may be coming to another property near the lake soon.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-18/muni-bankruptcy-threat-makes-michigan-train-financial-emergency-swat-teams.html
http://twitter.com/maritb333 marianne

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=607565

recall snyder.
http://profiles.google.com/nlindberg09 Nathan Lindberg

The scary part is the precident that this sets as it relates to democracy in this county.

http://www.blogitiks.com Shannon Browne Bertuch

Its only a precedent until challenged and quashed. That is why it is out there fishing for challenges. Of course if a city official has to go into a city on an emergency basis, it does not turn it into a developer’s bidding war; it should remain in a status quo, while any problems are articulated, documented, agreed and then the city council – the correct body in charge of the problem should proceed with solutions

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1580611162 Betsy Rose

This has nothing to do with Benton Harbors finances. If the city government is failng a new election of competent candidates should happen, Not some private take over! Dissolving a town stealing the land. They(big money) took so many homes in foreclosures. Now their taking cities. What next? The camps? I really think thats where were eventually headed if this isn’t stopped.
Makesense1 I hope you enjoy being in the camp. This is so not about money but it is about power.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1580611162 Betsy Rose

The surname Snyder was originally an occupational surname given to people who worked as tailors. Snyder may be either Dutch or German in origin, and derives from the Dutch sniden, meaning “to cut.”[1] The Dutch word sniden can be traced back to the Old German snidanaere, meaning “cloth cutter.”[1] In German, the alternative spelling Schneider was sometimes given to woodcutters as well as tailors.[1]

Snyder may also be an Americanized spelling of Schneider, and the change may have occurred during immigration
http://www.facebook.com/people/Margie-Kronewitter/100001007920889 Margie Kronewitter

Great links. In the Bloomberg article, Moodys (& Standard & Poors) are the PAID OFF RATINGS AGENCIES that gave AAA ratings to the liars loans and brought down the economy while giving $$$$$$$$$$$ to Wall Street.
Anonymous

Isn’t this what all you liberals have been after??? A complete takeover of the State, which in turn will allow you to continue doing nothing. I find this completely amusing. If this were a Democratic Admin, you all would be overjoyed at the prospect of entering your Utopian Socialist State. You in Michigan have for years elected the biggest idiots (outside of Chicago & California) this country has seen. They have worked in conjunction with the unions to run your state into the ground. Finally, having no where else to turn, you elect an adult (Republican) to clean up your mess…and you are going nuts. Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. When will you nut cases wake up??? Michigan is a microcosm for the rest of the country. Polititians have financially screwed us into such a hole that huge changes are needed or we will cease to exist. “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your county”. We so desperately need to get back there, and we will. So put on your seat belts boys and girls. Think about getting a job and earning your way and embrace the change. By doing so you will infact prove that perhaps you aren’t insane.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sally-Rogers-Bryan/100001592496008 Sally Rogers Bryan

i take it you dont live in MY state, Michigan. Where do you live? You probably drive a Toyota, or some German car.Quit trollin around on facebook, and do some reading or something constructive, oh i see, your are a right wing extremist idiot tea partier, we are fixin to recall Snyder, and kick your sidekicks OUTA HERE!!

Anonymous

Hi Sally darling,
I live in Indiana and married a St. Joe girl. Much of my family is from MI, i spend a great deal of time in MI and is a state i truely love. We drive a Honda and an Oldsmobile if you really need to know. I have been to the golf course your girlfriend Mr. Madow has gotten you so riled up about and can say they have done an amazing job of reclaiming a toxic brownfield and turning it once again into a beautiful piece of ground. The park is still there…the beach is still there but the toxic waste is gone. Whirlpool did a very nice thing for BHarbor and the influx of revenue will help the area. I will tell you that if you know what is good for your state, you will let your Governor do his thing. It took many years for the Dems to Fup your state and it will take some a while for good sound management to fix it. MI is too great a state to be as sick as it is. Fix it and be proud of it again. Oh and one more thing…i am a very conservative Tea Party member. We are not idiots, we are very concerned, rational, logical, successful people who want this country lead in a responsible way again. We are not mooching, emotional, illogical, irrational maniacs like you liberals. Lastly, i like to shoot defenseless animals too.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sally-Rogers-Bryan/100001592496008 Sally Rogers Bryan

to homophobic teapartier Ken:enjoy you and your “conservative” viewpoints while they last.I have never left the great the great State of Michigan.. You and your tea party views, and your like thinking idiots are getting all sorts of reactions these days, albeit, not too good.Your boyfriend Donald Trump, is really painting the “teapartier” face on things nationally. You drive a F…ing Honda, i knew it as soon as i read your blog, We dont need the “advise”, of an idot delusional tea party freak from indiana, Like i said,enjoy your delusions while they last, cause like a lot of “flashes in the pan”, the tea party,will soon be gone.Because your nothing but a bunch of money grubbing, land grabbing, constitutional law breaking idiots, and your “leaders, in their own mind” will soon be behind bars, and recalled, and tossed out of office. Keep your advise down there, south of the border, where your politcs, and intelligence are, Also you idiot, an intelligent woman,seems to be a threat to you, so you infer i am Gay, another sign you are just another right wing bigot. Go find your “good Ol boy’s network down there in the ” Hoosier State”….. and try to come up with something intelligent, something someone from Michigan would take time to listen to, cause you aint it!!!

Anonymous

OK Sally darling…you can be anything you want to be…and i really don’t care. How could you tell that I drive a Honda? Are Honda’s now the car the fat cats exclusively drive:)??? You crack me up. You are so full of hate and bullshit that you can’t see the damage that its caused. I will tell you honestly, but only if you keep it between you and me, I love the look of the cars that GM is putting out these days. But there is not way in HELL that i am going to buy a car that was built by the unions…except for Ford. I would buy a Ford because they took responsibility for them selves and told the government and our bailout money to go to hell. Good for them.
Lets take a look at Wisconsin for a minute. I love their Governor too…don’t you? After he made a grown up decision to pursue the hard choices, you liberals thought you were suddenly in the cat bird seat. There was a big election for the WI Supreme Court and $ poured in from all over the country to put a liberal in that seat. Guess what, your liberal got killed in that election because the silent majority has had enough of your welfare socialist BS and isn’t silent anymore. You, darling Sally are the one who had better pick up a copy of the Constitution and see what we are heading back to. It will be so great not having the US Government stealing all that money from us…which in turn will leave alot more for us. Now, you are going to have to learn to make decisions for yourself. I know that is scary…and you are going to fail a bit…but that is ok. You will get stronger as a result and through trial and error will come to make better decisions. That is called learning. Hopefully all that learning will lead to confidence which will lead to self sufficiency. Now thats the spirit Sal. Perhaps with a bit of all that hard work, you will make enough money to get out of the Peoples Republic of Michigan. You could catch a bus and come on down to Indiana and see how responsible people live, work, play and run a state. You might even fall in love with My Man Mitch Daniels and help him win the Presidency in 2012. He would get this country on solid ground just like he did in Indiana. Well that is an aweful lot of information i have taught you today and i know you must be tired. Why don’t you take a nap and rest for a while. You will need that extra energy for when you get a job.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sally-Rogers-Bryan/100001592496008 Sally Rogers Bryan

First of all “Ken” i worked for the Federal Government for 25 years. Secondly, you are stuck on stupid, what makes you think people in ,Michigan dont work?? Oh i know probably some other tea party idiot like Glen Beck. Or that intellectual Donald Trump.God im glad the tea party is full of people like you, you make it so easy for us to swoosh you all down the road to La la land where points of view like yours “may” mean something.Thirdly, you spew nothing but sarcasm and bull shit, so go hide behind your pseudo name, and pretend what you have to say is useful and relevent cause the people of Michigan, and especially me, are done listening to your “opinion” BYE BYE:))
Anonymous

Sally – It has just been the experience of this nation that Liberals don’t generally work. They like other peoples money. I appologize for putting you into that catagory. I am going to make another assumption though and please feel free to correct me if i am wrong. You worked for the federal government 25 years. That being a pretty round number i am going to assume once again that after you put your 25 in you were able to retire with full benefits and probably a pension that is about 80% of your salary at the time of retirement. So you start your career there at the tender age of 20 and retire at the still tender age of 45 and are taken care of for the rest of your life. THIS is what the vast majority of this country are now finding to be a problem. The Federal and State employees join the unions who negotiate (with our money) contracts that are so irresponsible that they are now breaking the back of our economy. Michigan is a perfect example of this. At some point, as in now, that note is going to be called and this ponzy scheme is going to crumble. That is where we are now and you liberals have left your heads in the sand. None of these governors are necessarily picking on the unions, its just that those contracts are completely unsustainable and you are all being brought back into the real world. The gravey train is over Sally. This used to be a country of workers and now it seems those days are over…but by the Grace of God, we will change course and get back to work.
So Sally, pull your
head out of the sand and see what you have missed. I can tell you that last November your liberal buddies got killed at the polls and are in for another beat down in 2012. Obama is a total failure and obviously doesn’t have a clue. that really isn’t surprising in that the man has never had an actual job. I bet, even as a kid growing up in Kenya, Obama never ran so much as a lemonaide stand. Did you know that only 5% of his cabinet has ever held an actual job? its true. The rest have always been in government or were academia writing papers on Utopia and the delights of socialism/communism and your all time favorite fascism.
If you have kids Sally, and you want them to experience all of the great opportunities that this country has provided for past generations (The American Dream) you had better keep you head out of the sand and hope like hell that Trump or Daniels (your next President) can get us out of the hell hole Obama has put us in.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sally-Rogers-Bryan/100001592496008 Sally Rogers Bryan

The only pertinent word in your last statement is “assumption” I told you i was done talking to you. Your a bigot, and idiot. Trump is a media whore and an idiot, and the fact you think he is qualified to even run, speaks volumes. Barack Obama is a great man and a great president, that has to put up with bigots like you, and i am sure he will be your president again. Trump is Obama’s dream, all he does is sit back and let that joker hang himself, and the rest of the idiot “birther” tea party fools follow close behind.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sally-Rogers-Bryan/100001592496008 Sally Rogers Bryan

Oh, and one more thing Ken, Let me teach you somthing. The supreme court electionin in Wisconsin you spoke of earlier, is being contested because geeze, out of the blue, over 7,000 votes showed up, because an employee “misplaced” those votes, and they suddenly showed up after the numbers reflected the incumbent was losing by over 250 votes, so i dont think you are quite qualified to teach anyone, and dont worry i dont get tired, i am busy learning all day everyday, cause of people like you that spew out all their “fuzzy” facts, and fool themselves thinking they are smart enough to teach. Stay down there and study up, you need it!
Anonymous

hey Sally dear, it was a democrat who found those votes that someone was hiding. You may be the funniest person i have ever spoken with. Obama is a joke. it is no stretch to say he will go down as the worse president ever and over jimmy carter, that is really saying something. you only think he is great because he is handing candy out like chester the molester on a playground. Donald Trump has forgotten more than obama will ever know. that is because Trump lives in the real world and obama lives in fantasy land. You Lost and will continue losing because we don’t want the US to become a socialist nation. it has been tried over and over and it doesn’t work. now get off your young retired ass and get another job.
Anonymous

Just got back from there and heard the standard right wing take. It is not the whole story and you know it.Have seen the nice areas you speak of but saw not one black face. Enjoy yourself and your delusions.

http://profiles.google.com/george.smyth George Smyth

I guess I would have thought that the Tea Party would be in favor of small, “Don’t Tread On Me” government. Instead it looks like this whole thing is about the big hand of government imposing its will on the voice of the people. I do understand that conservatives are in favor of the transfer of wealth to those who need it the least, but I would have thought that Liberty would have trumped in this situation.

Anonymous

George – This is am amazing conversation and I am nearly positive that non of you people who are pissed about this golf course have ever seen what it looked like prior to the development. First, no ones land was taken from them. It was purchased or in the case of the park, it was traded for. Second, the company that developed the property is a not for profit. Third and finally, nearly all of the land that was developed was a BROWNFIELD!!! For those of you who don’t know what that means…it was toxic. Not only that, it was an absolute dump. Can you seriously tell me that that is better for BH and the environment. This course was a GIFT to Benton Harbor from Whirlpool. They spent their money…and alot of it, to clean up a very nasty and dangerous mess. They put a beautiful golf course on it and it looks wonderful even if you are not a golfer.
I am completely against a government taking private land…but that is just not the case here. This course only enhanses the Klock Park across the street.
http://profiles.google.com/george.smyth George Smyth

It seems to me that the state telling the locality that their elected officials are no longer their elected officials is big government imposing itself unwillingly on the citizenry. I would expect Tea Party people to stand up and yell against this intrusion, but that would presuppose that the supposed small government ideals are part of an ideology. It has been my experience that this “ideology” only works when things go one’s way, so it is really more of a mask than a true belief.

As far as the golf course is concerned, I cannot make believe that I am knowledgeable about the situation, but I find it hard to believe that this is an altruistic action. It is just too hard for me to believe that the golf course was built to benefit the people of Benton Harbor. With a median income of around $10,000, I am wondering how many of those citizens will be purchasing memberships and paying for green fees. It would be interesting to know how many of the jobs the golf course has created have gone to Benton Harbor citizens – perhaps some, but to call it a “gift” is a bridge too far. I find it much easier to believe that this whole issue is about wealthy people using their muscle to get what they want, and as the people of Benton Harbor no longer have representation, I believe that this will be the case.

As evidence I point to a 2008 article that outlines the whole reason for this happening, “The focal point of the whole plan is three lakefront holes on a course designed—like the Morelos one—by Jack Nicklaus. Its backers say without these lake view holes, the whole deal is off. The problem is, the land where those holes would be located is in Jean Klock Park, deeded to the city in 1917 by the Klocks with the promise the land would remain public parkland in perpetuity.” (http://www.rooflines.org/913/golf_course_wars_in_benton_harbor/) Again, in my experience, I have seen the course of action that first people’s power is removed, then the wealthy have free reign to do what they wish – I see it over and over. Only time will tell for sure, but I would put my money down that the wealthy will benefit and the people of Benton Harbor will be where they are now a dozen years hence.
Anonymous

George – I think that we can all agree that a business located in a county benefits everyone in that county to some degree, even though 99% of the residence in that county will never utilize the services offered by said company. This project is not dissimilar and you are being intellectually dishonest in making yourself believe that this course was built just for the locals. Of all things to be building right now with a profit motive behind it, a golf course might be one of your last choises. The golf industry has been in a tail spin for the past 8 years. The gift was really the reclamation of the toxic ground left behind by company’s long since gone. Generally green space is built where land has been spoiled and cleaned up. This is the ultimate green space as it produces revenue as well. The development has made an effort to hire from within the area. I know that they have dedicated their staff and resources as well to the youth in the area to introduce them to golf and the business of golf. Jack Nicholas, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Peter Jacobson donated a great deal of time and money last fall to dedicate the course and play a round of golf for charity. They raised millions of dollars in that event for the Benton Harbor YMCA and their youth programs. There is a partnership between this development and those youth organizations so that benefits directly impact the kids and families of Benton Harbor. Lets keep in mind that a poor person has never given anyone a job. A tremendous amount of resources were funneled into this project in hopes of starting a positive wave in the Benton Harbor area. Resources create opportunity.
The development needed the land on the beach side of the highway because there wasn’t enough available on the East side of the highway to complete the 18 holes needed. Jack Nicholas is a huge draw for golf fans and i can tell you he built one of the most beautiful courses i have ever seen there in BH. People will come in from other places to play the course and will spend the night and eat at area restaurants and shop at local establishments. Michigan is all about tourism and that is needed in a huge way in BH.
As for the local government, I don’t have a clue. I am for as small a government as can be possible. I believe personally that most community governments are a huge waste of tax payer dollars and are completely un-necessary and by and large redundent. Benton Harbor is a hell hole and I can only surmise that that local government was as much a financial drain as they were in-effective. Consolidation isn’t necessarily a bad thing and happens all over the country all the time. Communities are annexed by another and generally the citizens are the benefactors of the action. If something isn’t working, changes need to be made. These people of BH are not losing their voice. They still vote and will still be represented on many levels. This is not by definition big government. in fact it is by equation smaller government. anytime you subtract something you have less or a small amount. in this case…we have smaller government and i am glad to see it.
Anonymous

Tea Party Ken: It would be nice if you would get your facts straight. The land that was deeded to the city in 1917 to be used in perpetuity as a park for the children to play in and “all people” to bath in was Lake Michigan beach front. 90 acres of it. That land it was “traded” to the city for toxic wasteland that belonged to Whirlpool, and was not fit for a park or any other use. It was not Lake Michigan lake front, which is a gorgeous place to commune with nature. So you can scream about it all you want and try to convince people that you know what you’re talking about when you are really just trying to change the facts. Typical republican. You think if you say it enough and try real hard to drown others out, you can make up your own facts and nobody will be the wiser. Well, we aren’t falling for it. Talk about intellectual dishonesty! How about just plain ol’ lies? The kind you’re telling.
The EFM (Emergency Financial Manager) has issued directives to the city council saying that all they can do is to convene meetings, approve minutes, and dismiss meetings. You think that’s not silencing people’s voices? Get real!
You should look at the videos of the park before the takeover by the big money golf course. Here’s one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6fLTHggys4 . It is true that Benton Harbor is predominantly minority population. Maybe that’s why you think it’s okay for the park to be taken from them? If that’s your thought, then you are wrong.
BTW, get a life. You’re pounding everybody on this website trying to make your lies be the truth, and it’s not going to work. Go talk to your friends. If you have any.
Anonymous

Luciali – I am well aware of the fact that Whirlpool has significant land holdings in the BH area. I am also well aware of the fact that the Toxic wasteland was on the East side of 63 and the wetlands, park and beach are on the West side of 63. Never once have i said that Whirlpool owned the park ground on the West side. I know what i am talking about because a friend of mine is the man who developed the property. Whirlpool acquired quite a bit of the land on the East side and I am sure was granted the toxic land in that area as well. I am not trying to silence anyone…but i am trying to understand what you nut cases can possibly be thinking. I don’t really give a rats ass what happens on that side of the river…except i will now venture over to play the course. I have seen the improvements and have walked the entire area. You make it sound like they built this course on the beach. you still have the park and the beach. there are a couple of holes that wrap the East side of the dune there and enhance a wetlands…which wasn’t terribly useful prior to the development. I think you are looking a gift horse in the mouth. This improvement drives money into the area, raising the standard of living and property values. They used land that wasn’t used in the park and YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT approved it. Don’t say the Governor had anything to do with the course…he wasn’t even in office when it was approved and built. If you like living in a hell hole…there is still plenty of it to enjoy in Benton Harbor…so relax. If you want to blame anyone…blame the local government, the one that was recently done away with. Don’t blame Whirlpool, they wanted to give something back to Benton Harbor.
I would suggest you head out to the course on a nice spring evening and walk the course in barefeet. I think you will come to cherish the gift.
Anonymous

Tea Party Ken, Yeah, so Whirlpool is the big bad land barron, & your friend
has connections. Big whoop. They confiscated a large part of the park &
you know it. Go defend your friends to your friends. BTW, do they pay you
to do this? It looks like a full-time job: defending your friends, the
land barrons. Hope they take something from you soon so you can figure out
how to feel something besides justification.
Anonymous

luciali – Confiscated??? Confiscated??? My word you people and your stupidity amaze me. This was a deal that was agreed to by the very same group of politicians you are all now have got your panties in a bunch over the fact that they have been disbanded. Good Lord do i wish that you could have your toxic shit back because you simply deserve it.
I don’t need to defend my friends because they have no need for it. I just wanted to have some fun with a bunch of idiot liberals who blame the MAN for their shitty lives. You and you alone are responsible for that shitty life and while you sit in it, we’re going to live ours. Land Barrons…OMG

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M25G5KDJD4EW7FTYRNMLMCW53E TR

TeaBrainKen,

If this were the federal government usurping state property, of a red meat state, you would be frothing at the mouth and loading you guns, but you probably already are.

Anonymous

This is fantastic TR, i get to respond to your idiocy twice…although you may be right in you statement here. That all depends on the circumstances. The problem with most of you bleeding heart liberals is that you respond to things based on feelings and not knowledge. You are correct about one thing, if the fed or state takes land that is privately owned and gives it to a corporation or someone in their favor…i am outraged. In this case, the land was a mix of private and public (most of it was owned by Whirlpool. The small bit of public land was given to this golf course as a means of enhancing the community…isn’t it remarkable how often we see golf courses in public parks isn’t it. So lets try a neat little exercise that my wife often uses where we list the positives against the negatives. Pos: brownfield remediated and beautifully enhanced. beautiful attraction to a highly depressed area that draws revenue and provides area jobs. wetlands of the beach side kept intact and enhanced through the golf course. Cons: less park area for the crackheads to congregate.
Wow!!!! this golf course idea looks like a real winner.

Anonymous

Have yet to meet a bagger who is not ignorant of history and full to the brim of misinformation. You don’t seem to know the first thing about liberals and the history of liberalism

Anonymous

TamsenDanby – Wow, 3 posts from you. you must love me.
I know way too much about liberals. Not only am i a student of history, i’ve been involved in politics my whole life.
Liberals waste their lives and energy trying to get even when it would be far better use spent trying to get ahead. There is no way possible to make everyone equal and every program you have tried implementing there has always hurt the group you were trying to help. War on poverty…most expensive war ever waged and a huge failure. The liberal programs have destroyed the black community. The only way for a black person to succeed today is to get out of the programs and do it on their own, but far too few can escape the web. Liberals live in a fantasy world of theory and every implementation of their theories have come with disasterous results. socialists/communists does not work but that doesn’t stop you all from trying it again and again.
Open your eyes, slavery is not compassion.

Anonymous

I agree that we need to think outside the box to fix the problems for towns like Benton Harbor. But seizing a town or school district or any democratically elected function is not “thinking outside the box” – it’s totalitarianism plain and simple. Democracy be damned. Why are you defending a corporation taking control of property (the park) that belongs to the people? Is that what you teapartiers really want — totalitarianism and corporate control? I thought you loved democracy and the constitution of the United States of America. Please think through each issue and define what it really means to democracy. Please stop being taken in by the Faux News and conservative propaganda machine. The real cause of Benton Harbor’s problems — as well as most of the country — is corporations moving jobs out of the country (like Whirlpool moving to Mexico)! And as long as RepubliCons kowtow and bend over for the corporate wealthy, nothing will change. And as long as DemocRats kowtow and bend over for RepubliCons, nothing will change. Let’s start standing up for each other, not for the already-insanely-rich!!! THAT’s how things will change.

Anonymous

writelady – Of course conservatives don’t believe in the seisure of private property. It is happening all over the country where a company like walmart wants a parcel of land but can’t buy it from the folks living on it. they turn to a local/state to grab the land through eminent domain and then sell what is not rightfully theirs to the corporation…all for tax benefits. I will fight that all day long. The issue In BH is that your elected officials swapped public land to the developers of this golf course. They had to see a public benefit there or they would not have done so. This was not private land…it was public land that the public will and is still benefiting from. The second part of your argument has to do with corporations. Our corporations are not fleeing this country because they want to. The flee because that have to. We treat corporations in this country like ATM machines. We have the highest corporate taxes of any country in the world. Second, we regulate companies to death, so much so that the additional cost burden to them is simply too much to bare. I own a business (yes – in addition to being an evil Republican…i am an evil business owner who happens to employ alot of people…and i pay them well in addition to paying 100% of their healthcare – I am such a bastard) Business…just like the State of Michigan don’t have the luxury of printing money when we run out. We have budgets that must be met. We retain earnings because we know that there are cycles to everything and with good years come bad years. Businesses are not evil and neither are the wealthy. Have you ever stopped to think that the fact that someone is successful and wealthy takes nothing away from you. In fact, their success drives markets that offers opportunities to enterprising people to start their own buseinesses and gain their own success and wealth. These people give a great deal more to charity than the liberals who simply sit around and talk about it. If we wake up and make the changes needed in this country, most of these US companies will be able to afford to bring their manufacturing back to the US. Donald Trump knows success and he knows what is driving our companies away. He can make the changes necessary to bring these companies back here which will supercharge our economy. A rising tide raises all ships. We saw that with Ronald Regan. Don’t believe the liberal propaganda writelady. They want you to hate corporations and hate successful people. Democracy and successful people want success for everyone. Liberals want power! They are the ones you should fear.
PS. one more correction – The development has already remediated the brownfield. the land that the city will get back has already been cleaned up. They did a very nice thing for BH and you all should be thanking them.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1580611162 Betsy Rose

Teapartyken Darling you must be very much alone in life. I’m sure you will deny this. You are so condescending, arrogant, and a hypocrite. Not qualities for a good life. Where is your tea party for smaller government when Benton Harbor is being taken over? So hypocritical. All you seem to care about is money when people matter more than any amount of money. I hope you find a good therapist and get some integrity. I know you don’t even know your missing this. Your really bankrupt with all those dollar signs in your eyes. Hopefully someday you’ll be able to see. I hope so for your sake.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1580611162 Betsy Rose

Teapartyken Darling you must be very much alone in life. I’m sure you will deny this. You are so condescending, arrogant, and a hypocrite. Not qualities for a good life. Where is your tea party for smaller government when Benton Harbor is being taken over? So hypocritical. All you seem to care about is money when people matter more than any amount of money. I hope you find a good therapist and get some integrity. I know you don’t even know your missing this. Your really bankrupt with all those dollar signs in your eyes. Hopefully someday you’ll be able to see. I hope so for your sake.

Anonymous

Betsy – That is a wonderful name. Almost like Betsy Ross and you knew the first thing of sacrifice as she and the others who founded this great country did. They have to be crying in their graves as to what the takers have turned this great Nation into.
You are completely wrong on all reads on me. I consider myself incredibly successful without being rich. Money is very important but isn’t my driving force. I am conservative and practical. Simply, one cannot spend more than they take in. That is a bankrupt situation. We have bankrupted this nation and your past MI administrations have bankrupted your state. We have to make big cuts and that means we are ALL going to have to give up some things. To start, yours is an incredibly ineffective government. Clearly it did nothing but such resources. Since the 70′s , and perhaps before, when the fine residents of BH rioted and burned the whole town down (very smart) that place has been a gheto. You have to ask yourself, “why hasn’t it gotten better”. Part of it may have been your local government which probably hungered more for power than a way out. The other part is that the majority of the citizens are more interested in wellfare than work. The entitlement programs that this country have kept black communities like BH quarted and poor since their inception. Dependency has cycled through one generation after the other there and in most other inner-cities. The most expensive and longest war the country has ever waged has been the war on poverty and we lost that war the day we started it. As i said earlier, i am practical and a realist. One has to look at what is going on and ask if it has made a difference and the answer is clearly no. If these programs worked, BH would be a thriving community right now and the only step that i have seen in that direction is the new golf development there. Your community government was ineffective because those positions of power were nothing more than that. Those elected people were earning money and doing nothing for it…ever. The rest of the Liberals are very much the same. They talk about being for the little people…well who in the hell

have they ever helped? Are the poor making their way out of poverty? Are the kids getting a better education? Is it easier for a person to start a business today? Has it set conditions that would allow our US companies to thrive in our country? The answer to all those issues and more it HELL NO! You had Barney Frank sleeping with one of the head guys at Fanny May all the while saying that it was in fine shape when in fact it was bankrupt. You have the government so deep into our medical system today that we as patients have no idea what the real cost of medicine is. We have regulators who aren’t regulating and have allowed our financial system to collapse. You have environmental nazi’s who have somehow found favor with many of our polititians and have help create conditions that are so ownerous to our businesses in this country that they simply can’t stay here. A quick sidebar on that issue Nazi’s…why is it ok in your minds that a company not pollute here but is perfectly fine to go to China and do it? Never have understood that one.
Lastly, why have you allowed your Liberal buddies to demonize the producers in this country to such a point that the class envy and warfare has gotten to this point? Obama is trying to kill the golden calves and they ain’s many of us left. Today the top 10% of earners in this country pay 70% of all federal taxes and the bottom 50% pay less than 3% of all of the federal taxes. Thomas Jefferson predicted this at the start of our great country by saying, “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”
If i am condescending i appologize as i really don’t want to hurt peoples feelings. I am very frustrated as my family and FRIENDS (yep…got a bunch) work very hard to provide for our families and we see most of it being taken from us by a government who wants to give it to people who don’t want to work or spend it in ways that for decades have shown no results. I know you don’t give a shit about that…but many of us do and we will fight to make sure we get back to a fair system (for all) so that our kids can pursue opportunities that allow for upward mobility. That is another thing that this generation can be so very proud of. We are the first generation that will leave the next in a worse position than that passed on to us by our parents.
Open your eyes Betsy, Sally, George and etc. This country is broken and if you continue on through life with your hands out instead of taking that hand up, there will be no way to save this country. The world is going to cut up our credit card and if we keep printing money our $ will be worthless. Look up hyper inflation and see what kind of picknic we are in for. Call me what you will. you think it makes you feel better but at the end of the day it doesn’t. it just keeps you quartered, poor and broken. Open you eyes and see that is going on today and trying to make sense of the first lesson taught to me in economics back in college…there is no free lunch!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sally-Rogers-Bryan/100001592496008 Sally Rogers Bryan

Dont waste your breath spewing your garbage to me, i do not give your opinions any consideration. I surround myself with creditable, intellegent, considerate people. Obviously Betsy, and George are those people, and you do not fall into that category. Are you intoxicated on some substance, or just with yourself?? , cause something isnt clickin up there.!
Anonymous

Sally – I really should not waste my breath trying to speak the truth to a bunch of liberals. You simply run on emotion and lack the brain required to think. Look around you Sally, you liberals are destroying opportunity in this last great bastion of exceptionalism. you envy and stupidity are palpable.
Anonymous

TPKen is a very typical rightwinger. I’ve talked to Poitchka’s people for hours at a time; also, one of the Republican comrades who is very knit in the the baggers. Your points are exactly the same. Even the verbiage is the same.
This person has made his mostly invalid points and can safely be ignored.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M25G5KDJD4EW7FTYRNMLMCW53E TR

Betsy, It is a very silly thing to say we will all have to give up something when the people who have the most won’t give up anything. We need to tax the rich like the rest of the world does, instead of giving them more tax breaks and loopholes. Go back and read your economics textbook. The economics you espouse is from ideologues not economist. Trickle down doesn’t work or we would be in great shape today.
Anonymous

Ken, So if “we all have to give up something” is your mantra, then tell me
why Michigan’s new regime is not asking business to give up anything, but
instead is giving them a 96% tax break? Doesn’t sound like shared sacrifice
to me. At the same time the school’s are being cut substantially to the
point that classes will be far larger than is educationally sound. You go
get real! Are they paying you yet? Looks like a full time job again
defending the rich!. Look at the stratification of wealth int his country
and see your little group gathering more and more while the vast majority of
people should be out in the fields behind the oxen any day now, dying as
soon as they end their work careers (after they have to obsorb yet higher
and higher medical costs, rather than our “Christian” right wingers
understanding that medical care is a basic human need and that we should
have universal health care like most of the enlightened world!) because the
righties want everybody to pay their own insurance tabs, which are
unaffordable because insurance companies must be enriched yet more and
more. Good grief, there is so much wrong with you and your ilk! Go talk to
your few friends with your nasty, sarcastic self-satisfied self.
Anonymous

TR – here we go again. Here is an idea…why don’t you and other socialists like yourself go someplace else and live. It is obvious that Capitalism just isn’t working for you so leave.
To say that the rich don’t give anything is perhaps the dumbest thing i have ever heard…and the sad thing about it is that you have an aweful lot of idiots for company. I contend that if the 65% of this country who pay NO federal taxes were to pay just a little bit in…we would never have national debt. It is you who don’t want to nor pay anything!!! You take and expect more and are unwilling to pay your fair share. All of you liberals are the same. you want and want and want, and then you demand someone else pay for you. Bullshit TR. The producers in this country work their asses off and the thanks we get it that the government steals half of it in taxes. Keynes (your economic hero) is flat wrong. You cannot tax a producer for all they are worth and expect them to keep producing. We have been there for years…which is why som many corporations have fled this country. They would be as stupid as you not to. Do a bit of reading on one of the greatest US Presidents ever, Mr. Ronald Reagan. He cut taxes in a huge way and this country has never been in better shape. what you call trickle down econmics has proven it works and i can prove it in this little example. A golf course was constructed in a shithole town called Benton Harbor. They remediated a toxic waste land and put a beautiful golf course on it. It took millions of dollars to do all of this work. Now there are alot of jobs available to an area that has massive unemployment. Those people who now have jobs are very happy and can put a roof over their heads and food on the table. Quiz time TR…was it the unemployed guy who build this course and offered all of the jobs? Was it your precious government who came up with this idea and invested millions and millions of dollars into this endeavor or was it a well run corporation (which clearly didn’t invest their money for a good ROI) who built this course so that the revenue would trickle down to the community. Don’t be an idiot TR, you are espousing killing the golden goose. Why don’t you better yourself, get a good job and start paying your fairshare!

Anonymous

Are you dense, TeaParty? Corporations are taking their industry and jobs to other countries because they can’t afford to stay? c’mon, TP – they move because the cats at the top can pocket more profit. From all I’ve read here, you clearly come from a level of privilege I and most everyone I know will never experience and are oblivious to realities experienced outside your circle. Add to that the fact that you’re just an ass… not good.

Anonymous

Yes debrs…I am completely dense…which is of course why i own and manage a successful corporation. This is also why i couldn’t possibly know what i am talking about you dumb ass.
The family i came from is completely middle class and we worked our asses off for success. It is ticks like you and your liberal friends who don’t appreciate nor work for success but want to suck it from those who have achieved it.
US companies don’t want to leave the US, our government has forced them out. Do they want to make a profit…hell yes…that is what they are in business for. Tax the hell out of them, put high cost regulations on them and provide a shitty education to a lazy workforce and they will have to go someplace else…to make a profit.
I can tell you are a person with very high self worth. You keep telling yourself the mountain is too high debrs and i can guarantee that you will never see the top.
Pull your pants up and better yourself and stop sucking other peoples blood.

Anonymous

Please tell us how Whirlpool was forced to “go international.”
Anonymous

TamsenDanby,
I will give you the cliffnotes version.
Nothing operates in a vacuum and certainly not corporations. A company like Whirlpool has many owners, stockholders, who expect the officers of their company to provide them a return on their investment. Whirlpool, first and foremost, must answer to their owners.
When the government, local or federal, impost huges taxes and expensive regulations on that company, it has a significant impact on that company’s profit. If the impact is great enough, the stockholders of the company will compell that company to make changes. If there is no way to lower their taxes or avoid the high cost of regulations they will look at other options. One of those options is moving production to countries with much lower taxes/regulations and cheaper work force.
There is no doubt that the American workforce is much better than any other, it is expensive though as a result of union contracts. If the government would lower the corporate tax rate (ours is by far the highest in the industrialized world) and reduce the regulatory burden on corporations, they will come back and we need them to. Profit is not a bad word and corporations are not the enemy, our government is the problem. We need to government off our backs and the US will fly high again.
Anonymous

This jerk shows his sense of entitlement with every sentence. We’ve all worked our fingers to the bone. bub. Most of like me come from hard working, honest families and have tried to do the right thing in life. Spare us your high hat routine.
Anonymous

TamsenDanby – That is the difference between liberals and conservatives and where you are completely off base. Conservatives don’t believe in entitlements. We believe in hard work and being able to keep the fruits of that labor. It is you liberals who believe that you are entitled to the fruits of the labor of others. You are not entitled to that of others…that is called stealing.
I appreciate your hard work and hope that you are doing well for yourself and family. the people of this country need to get back to self sufficiency. We have become dependant on the government and others and it is killing us. Keep up the hard work.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JPK5TGB5UDV4PWES7QBWO6W4K4 John

Hey I thought the right wing campaigned on jobs jobs jobs. Where is the jobs?

How come they didn’t tell us they were going to do everything they could to restrict womens reproductive rights, stop as many people from voting in the next election as possible,and diminish Gay rights.Seems they cant win the argument on it’s merits so they have to cheat. Cant win the race, shoot the other guy’s knees out.Look what is going on in Wisconsin. They are slamming draconian legisation through as fast as they can with out the voters consent because the voters are about to recall the whole lot of them. What a bunch of pathetic bastards they are.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M25G5KDJD4EW7FTYRNMLMCW53E TR

There are likely to recall elections against the governors of Michigan and Florida as well.

Anonymous

P.S. I just found out that the park/golf course land is part of a land swap. Whirlpool is giving back some of its property to the city of Benton Harbor. Sounds like a good deal for the town, huh? But, wait, it’s contaminated soil and ground water. So if Benton Harbor wants to put it to use for any reason, it has to be cleaned up. So much for saving money for the town.
Anonymous

I testified to Congress in early 2008 on what was going on with Jean Klock Park. What the City, State of Michigan and federal government did later that year was approve the leasing of the park for the Harbor Shores resort, violating not only the historic deed of the park but also the federal laws: the Land and Water Conservation Act, the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Two lawsuits ensued: one in state courts to defend the deed (which is now over, having lost at the Michigan Supreme Court) and one in federal court, which is now pending at the U.S. Court of Appeals. Seven Benton Harbor people have brought that lawsuit.

Remember, the City, the State and the Feds were all in on this deal. It’s the citizens that have brought the lawsuit that have the only remaining power in the City.

See “Save Jean Klock Park 2011 Update” at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

The only pending litigation to protect Jean Klock Park is the Weiss v. Salazar case. See: http://www.protectjkp.com

LuAnne Kozma

Anonymous

Keep up the fight, LuAnne. But you missed naming an entity that is the force behind everything: corporate funding. Let’s face it; we have the best government that money can buy. Until we can get money out of government, we’re beating a dead horse.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JPK5TGB5UDV4PWES7QBWO6W4K4 John

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?

If any of you would care to peal back a few layers of political skin you will find a group called ALEC.

Just look at the congress,Wisconsin, Michigan,Indiana, Florida, and other states.None of them campaigned on what they are actually doing, just the opposite.

Who are the real puppeteers behind all of this?

ALAC “American Legislative Exchange Council”

They are working hand in hand with the Republican Party, Koch Bros/ Tea Party in every state of the union. Please, Please, Please take a look at this, and share it with others.

PUT THIS ON YOUR FACE BOOK AND HELP EDUCATE EVERYONE.

Wake up America! This is the head of the snake.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JPK5TGB5UDV4PWES7QBWO6W4K4 John

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?

If any of you would care to peal back a few layers of political skin you will find a group called ALEC.

Just look at the congress,Wisconsin, Michigan,Indiana, Florida, and other states.None of them campaigned on what they are actually doing, just the opposite.

Who are the real puppeteers behind all of this?

ALAC “American Legislative Exchange Council”

They are working hand in hand with the Republican Party, Koch Bros/ Tea Party in every state of the union. Please, Please, Please take a look at this, and share it with others.

PUT THIS ON YOUR FACE BOOK AND HELP EDUCATE EVERYONE.

http://www.justice.org/cps/rde/xbcr/justice/ALEC_Report.pdf

Wake up America! This is the head of the snake.
http://twitter.com/MzDmntrx KA Singleton

Okay, okay. Enough is enough. As a resident and taxpayer of the city of Benton Harbor, I support the state of Michigan and its implement of an Emergency Financial Manager to the city. The state took a good look at the finances and management of the city of Benton Harbor and found unsound planning. Auditors were put in place and found that many departments were not capable of “simple” yearly budgeting faculties. Many employees weren’t properly trained in their positions due to nepotism or lack of education. Prime example: Utility services. One call and you learn that only certain people have specific jobs and there is no cross-training if that person were to go on vacation or FMLA leave. While they are gone, no one does their job. Is this the proper way to run city services? Benton Harbor government believed so. Official elections were punctuated with the slogan, “free 40 ozs. for your vote” aimed directly at misguided youth with specific notation towards the miscreant populace. The local government was propositioned by the school board for a new high school since maintenance monies were re-purposed. A tax mileage of 80mil was asked of the voters to build a new high school. Problem was that most of your taxpayers are either slumlords (whose children don’t reside in the city) or elderly residents who have no children. Law enforcement are unable to provide “regular patrols” effecting local ordinances due to budgetary manpower limitations. Loud music, dog barking and illegal parking complaints have been overshadowed by shootings, stabbings, B&E’s and rampant domestic violence calls. Remember, over 80% of BH’s residents are age 18yrs or younger. We taxpayers continue to see a lose lose situation every day. If an outside source brings normalcy back to Benton Harbor making it a community once again, I’m all for it. I say throw out the lot of commissioners/mayor and start fresh.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M25G5KDJD4EW7FTYRNMLMCW53E TR

I’m sure on election day people will remember what the fanatical GOP has done to Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Maine and Florida. They have overreached so far that people can now see their true intentions. The tea party is so un American that it is just sickening.
http://twitter.com/gazzettadello maik lellos

Please tell us how Whirlpool was forced to “go international.”http://www.aemotion.com/livesyndication.php?ext=forexrobot.eu.com%2F

The Michigan Messenger

Top Stories

The Michigan Messenger going forward

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

Active Conversations

Maddow on Benton Harbor EFM takeover

Comments

Trending Now

AINN Affiliates

The American Independent News Network:

American Independent

Colorado Independent

Florida Independent

Iowa Independent

Minnesota Independent

New Mexico Independent

Texas Independent