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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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AGE
6
May 3, 2012
Boy, amI cranky.
OK, so cranky doesn't quite
describe it. Neither does annoyed.
Maybe disillusioned? Nah, not
strong enough…
Here's my complaint this week:
The Supreme Court of our great
country. Right about now, I am
wondering if the EPA shouldn't
send a Hazmat team over to the
building where these nine jurists
hand down their learned opinions
and check for a gas leak. One other
than might be expected when con-
sidering the ages of some of those
involved I mean. Or maybe there
is something in the water over
there, but these people cannot
possibly be in full control of their
sensibilities. They simply cannot.
I was extremely suspicious that
there was something nefarious
going on when last year these
bright lights decided that corpora-
tions were people when it came to
political contributions. I thought
that decision smacked of some
kind of coercion or loss of mental
reasoning, but then decided that if
I kept up that line of suspicious
logic, I'd be putting tin foil on all
my ceilings start hearing voices
fromthe fillings inmy teeth.
But still, you hafta admit, that
was not exactly what one would
expect these nine to decide, right?
I chalked that one up tomy own
ignorance of all the nuances of the
laws and decided that I have to
placemy confidence and trust that
someone is looking out for my
interests somewhere. These nine
people are a lot smarter than I am,
so I thought I should just let it be.
Then, this week, one of our
presidential candidates, and
believeme, it doesn't matter which
one to me, got an anonymous con-
tribution of $10 million. An anony-
mous contribution of TEN MIL-
LION DOLLARS. And these nine
smart, educated and legally astute
folks said it was OK for the dona-
tion to remain anonymous.
Do you seewhy I'mcranky?
I don't give a flying fig which
candidate got the money, I
absolutely don't. It would be just as
wrong whether it were Obama or
Romney. This is just plainwrong.
I don't know about you, but if
one of these guys just got $10 mil-
lion from, oh, I don't know,
Hizballah or the Ku Klux Klan or
the oil industry, I want to know. I
want to know to whom this candi-
date will owe $10 million worth of
loyalty and favors. I want to know
who has sponsored this guy's cam-
paign, sorta like the drivers in the
Indianapolis 500---you know when
they have those sponsor stickers
all over their clothes and cars so
it's real obvious who is paying the
salaries and expenses and to
whom they owe their livelihood?
I've said before that I think this
would be a great idea for all politi-
cal candidates for any office. Make
them wear their sponsors logos at
all times so
people would
know who they
are really deal-
ing with and whose interests these
guys are really out to protect.
But somebody gave one of the
men who will be our next presi-
dent $10million and I don't think it
was from the goodness of a pure
heart. I think, actually I am pretty
confident, that for $10 million,
whoever or whatever this is, they
will certainly expect something in
return if their candidate wins the
oval office.
Then I see on the news that ole
John Edwards, remember that
weasel?, is on trial for allegedly
misappropriating a million bucks
of campaign money and sending it
to his girlfriend or using it to cover
up their affair or some such thing.
He's facing federal prison for mis-
using campaign funds and violat-
ing campaign laws.
If he did what the federal pros-
ecutors claim, then he deserves
whatever punishment they dole
out tohim.
But the hypocrisy of charging
this vain, arrogant little wanna-be
with violating campaign laws as an
insult to the purity of election
funding in America while some-
body else can remain nameless
and buy $10 million worth of a
presidential candidate amazes
me.
So John Edwards may be
responsible for violating campaign
finance laws and insulting the
integrity of our electoral process
by using money inappropriate-
ly…maybe that's true. But these
nine people on the SupremeCourt
just did more to invalidate the
sanctity of the office of U.S
President than that little twerp
ever dreamt of.
The Green Street Fair will fill downtown Plymouth this
weekend with environmentally friendly displays, educational
information and vendors selling new products that help,
rather thanharm, the environment.
What a difference a few years makes. When the Green
Street Fair was started by organizers Dianne Quinn and
Raychel Rork five years ago, concern about chemicals in our
air and water were far from the norm. Now, it appears from
the huge crowds that attend this event, those concerns are
being taken seriously and arewide reaching.
The growth of this event during the five years has been
nearly exponential. Every year, there are more products,
more displays and more information to help residents live a
healthier and more ecologically sound lifestyle. Each year,
this event has grownmore popular, attracting larger and larg-
er crowds as the message of ecology is internalized by area
residents.
We think that's a very good thing, indeed.
Ecology and environmental issues were, decades ago,
pretty much ignored. As the public became more and more
educated about the harm being done to the planet, and those
of us who inhabit it, attempting to reduce the chemicals and
toxins we so blatantly and casually sent into our own air,
water and food became increasingly important. Then, as the
serious studies began and we realized that perhaps the rea-
sons somany of our children suffer fromstrange allergies, we
all began to take the side effects of our everyday lifestyles
seriously. Television programming is rifewith advertisements
for drugs to manage symptoms and diseases unknown to us
decades ago.
It appears we have begun to realize, as a species, that we
may be contributing to our own demise with our laissez-faire
attitude about disposal of hazardous substances and the
harmful chemicals we pump into the very air we then try to
breathe.
Let's face it, these days far toomany of us suffer fromaller-
gies and ailments previously unheard of. Our ancestors knew
little of many of the most serious and devastating health con-
cerns we consider commonplace these days. With our
processed and prepared food lifestyles, aided by our seden-
tary computer enhanced professional lives, we face far differ-
ent problems thanprevious generations.
Taking care of Mother Earth is an important task, particu-
larly since itmaymean our survival as a species. GoingGreen
isn't only an effort to limit the waste of natural resources and
protect the quality of our air and food. It has really become a
matter of recognizing the threat we have posed to our own
health, welfare and safety.
Apathy
leads to
abuse
”
Going ‘Green’ means a better world for all
Every year, there are more products, more dis-
plays and more information to help residents live
a healthier and more ecologically sound lifestyle.
The reason for the adage that
claims, “Power corrupts and
absolute power corrupts absolute-
ly,” is pretty simple.
It's accurate.
An inherent danger when indi-
viduals are elected or hired into
positions of power, is the almost
narcotic effect realized from the
deference paid to the perception
of power by others. Most of us are
trained from childhood to respect
the law, to be regardful of whatever
a police officer or official tells us
and to nearly revere the power and
austerity that is symbolized by a
robed judge. We are taught to
respect the elected leaders we
have chosen in our community,
county, state and nation. That aura
of power is exhilarating and we
nearly all respond to it with defer-
ence and respect.
Until of course, the scandals
and misdeeds are made public.
When we learn of corruption in
our police departments, misman-
agement by a judge, foolish deci-
sions by county officials or horrible
charges leveled at a teacher, our
trust begins to erode quickly. When
those of a less than perfect charac-
ter are elected or hired, and our
trust is broken, it impacts negative-
ly on each of us as it seems to dis-
prove all the confidence imbued in
these people during our youth.
People many times find them-
selves questioning those core
beliefs instilled during childhood
which then leads to the inevitable
cynicism and failure of faith in our
entire system.
That those elected to serve or
hired to represent us prove less
than worthy is a difficult lesson.
When these people fail, we all feel
it to a degree, depending, usually,
on the level of mistrust and the
aforementioned cynicism we har-
bor.
That results in the mistrust of
just about everyone in office or
authority. It is no wonder that peo-
ple begin to feel jaded, used and
doubtful when political promises
aremade or oaths of office taken.
When there has been this much
public failure, it is difficult for any-
one to believe in the ideals and
principles our leaders at every
level are expected to exhibit.
We do believe, however, that
there are those who are sincere in
their desire to serve, to teach, to
govern or to lead. We think the
environment of entitlement and
hubris may finally be coming to an
end as more and more of these
malefactors are brought into the
public eye andbefore the courts.
There are good people who
treasure their responsibility to
teach our young people. There are
fine individuals for whom being a
judge means avoiding even the
whisper of wrongdoing. There
See
Abuse
page 7
I thought that decision smacked of some kind of coercion
or loss of mental reasoning, but then decided that if I kept
up that line of suspicious logic, I'd be putting
tin foil on all my ceilings start hearing
voices from the fillings in my teeth.
For sale: Office of the President of the U.S.
See
Green,
page 7
”