Free Republic

A man-on-street video. The University of Michigan took some pretty big steps toward stifling free speech on its campus this month with its “Inclusive Language” program. They’ve even gone as far as to create a list of “unacceptable words”. Just how important is the 1st amendment to students today. I’m pretty sure that after watching the video, you’ll feel more compelled to protect the 1st amendment than ever before!

Ross Richardson of Lake Ann said he uncovered the wrecks this summer in the waters around the small Island of Skillagalee, located between Beaver Island and the northern Lower Peninsula community of Cross Village, The Grand Rapids Press (http://bit.ly/10KU6ac ) reported. An extensive reef system about four feet under the water was responsible for many shipwrecks in the area before advanced navigation. [SNIP] He found four other wreck sites during his three trips to the island. Richardson believes one of his other discoveries, the largest of the Skillagalee wreck sites with the greatest amount of artifacts present, is the wreck...

Michigan residents on May 5 will vote on a constitutional amendment and a package of bills that will go into effect if approved. The proposal will increase the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, raise taxes on fuel, and increase vehicle registration taxes. It will also hike the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit. Overall, the proposal will increase state tax revenue for fiscal year 2015-2016 by approximately $2 billion, of which $1.3 billion will go to funding transportation — initially to accelerate repayment of existing transportation bond debt, to increase overall road maintenance, and to spend more on...

Terrence Lavaron Thomas faces multiple state charges A Detroit man stabbed two people at a suburban bus stop after asking his victims whether or not they were Muslim, according to police. Federal authorities are now looking at the case as a potential hate crime, police said on Tuesday. Both of the victims were standing at the bus stop outside of Detroit with the suspect on Saturday, Southfield Police Chief Eric Hawkins said. Several people there “engaged in conversation” until the suspect, identified by Hawkins as 39-year-old Terrence Lavaron Thomas, “asked some of the folks there if they were Muslims.” Two...

The Michigan Court of Claims dismissed a lawsuit by the Michigan Education Association that claimed the State Legislature violated the Open Meetings Act when they passed the right-to-work law in 2012 while the Capitol building had been closed for a time due to protesters. Judge Deborah A. Servitto made the ruling Friday. The judge’s ruling stated: “The temporary cessation of admission to the Capitol building did not impair the rights of the public as a whole. The public and the media were present in spite of the closure and were able to observe directly and through media coverage.” The ruling...

The Michigan Education Association has dropped an unfair labor practices complaint against Grand Rapids Community College, and also dropped its request for suspension of an election to “decertify” a union local which represents college secretaries. The decertification vote was authorized when one-third of the nearly 100 members of the Grand Rapids Community College Education Support Professionals signed a petition requesting it. The MEA filed its complaint and request a few weeks later. Supporters of the election say time was of the essence because the local bargaining unit’s contract expires June 30 and contract negotiations are set to begin April 1....

For the first decade of the 21st century, the Michigan Legislature’s policy direction was to increase the power of government at the expense of citizens. The results were predictable to those who understand incentives and how economies really work. From 2001-2010, compensation costs for the average state employee increased tremendously, while incomes plummeted for the taxpayers who pay those bills. When state revenues stagnated, the Legislature took more from individuals and small businesses through higher income and business taxes, and increased excise taxes on goods like tobacco. Rather than enact real business-climate reforms that encourage investment and entrepreneurship, legislators turned...

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Family Christian Stores, the nation's largest Christian bookstore and gift chain, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in hopes of restructuring its debt in the face of declining sales. The Grand Rapids-based chain said it does not expect to close any of its 266 stores in 36 states or layoff any of its 3,100 full-time and part-time employees. "We strive to serve God in all that we do and trust his guidance in all our decisions, especially this very important one," said President and CEO Chuck Bengochea in a news release. "We have carefully and prayerfully...

JACKSON, MI - Marion Blumenthal Lazan has experienced the horror of constantly having death on her mind. Blumenthal Lazan spent six and a half years in refugee, transit and prison camps, including the infamous Bergen-Belsen, during the Holocaust. As just a child she battled mental and physical hurdles, witnessing countless deaths each day. "When I talk about those years it is a long related nightmare, a very bad dream," Blumenthal Lazan said. "I separate myself from it ever having happen to me and that is how I deal with it." On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Blumenthal Lazan shared her story of...

Republicans voice support for Netanyahu congressional speech Top Republican leaders took to public and private channels Thursday to expose a coordinated campaign by the Obama administration to attack Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his acceptance of an invitation to speak before Congress, according to conversations with multiple lawmakers and leading pro-Israel insiders. The statements, many of which were obtained by the Washington Free Beacon in conversations with leaders in Congress, come in the aftermath of a widely cited New York Times report in which Obama administration officials accused Netanyahu of breaking diplomatic protocol by agreeing to speak before receiving...

According to Steve Transeth, senior policy director for the Michigan Jobs & Energy Coalition, the general public has some “major” misconceptions about wind energy – particularly about its costs and adequacy. “It sounds good,” Transeth said at a meeting held by the Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition (IICC) on Jan. 20. “We think it’s cheap, it’s green, it’s the answer to all the things we’re trying to achieve. It really is none of those things." “I think in 20 years we’ll look back and think, ’What kind of experiment was that?’” Transeth continued. “We left wind a couple of hundred years...

NLPC Associate Fellow Mark Modica was a guest yesterday on "Closing Bell" on CNBC. We will post the video soon, but here is a transcript: Sara Eisen : At first it seemed like it was just another activist investors at work but our next guest says something else is in play here. We're talking about Harry Wilson, the restructuring expert who served on President Obama's auto industry task force during the financial crisis and was instrumental in bringing GM out of bankruptcy. Now Wilson is a GM activist investor and represents hedge funds holding a total of 34 million shares...

Michigan Rep. Justin Amash was the sole Republican in the House to vote against the latest version of the bill advancing the Keystone XL Pipeline. Amash says he supports the construction of the pipeline, but he opposes legislation singling out one company. He has previously voted present on Keystone, but the addition of “new, unrelated sections empowering the EPA and the federal government with respect to local energy efficiency” pushed him to a no. In a statement published on his Facebook page, the tea party favorite said that the bill includes a lot of cronyism. Since 2013 he has argued...

General Motors Co (GM.N) said Thursday it will build the Chevrolet Bolt electric car at an assembly plant near Detroit, where it will invest $200 million for the project. The compact Bolt, shown as a concept vehicle at the Detroit auto show last month, is designed to have a range of 200 miles, and will cost about $30,000 apiece after tax breaks. GM's announcement confirms a report last week by Reuters that the Bolt would be produced at the under-used Orion assembly plant in Michigan. The only electric car currently available with a 200-mile range is the Tesla Model S,...

LANSING, MI -- Today is the 206th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, one of the greatest U.S. presidents. There's a lot to be thankful to Lincoln for: guiding the country through the Civil War and helping end slavery. But residents of Michigan have something special to thank the 16th president for. He coined the term many of us use to describe ourselves: Michigander. There is an ongoing debate about if Michigan citizens should be described as Michiganians or Michiganders. Lincoln coined the term Michigander when he was in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1848, Lincoln gave a speech against...

Job seekers and Michigan employers can connect with each other through a state-sponsored virtual career fair on Wednesday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pure Michigan Talent Connect’sMiVirtualCareerFairs bring together Michigan employers and talent from across the state and the globe in an online, virtual environment. Since 2012 more than 189 employers and 27,063 job seekers have been connected through the state’s fourteen sponsored events. With assistance from the Michigan Works! System and event partner Capital Area Michigan Works!, 345 jobs with 50 Michigan employers in varying industries will be featured in the February event, making it the...

Democratic state Rep. Brandon Dillon represents the 75th House District, which includes part of the city of Grand Rapids. He is in his third and final term in the House. Growing up, I always considered myself "pro-life." As someone who was raised in Grand Rapids, went to Catholic school for 13 years, and has been blessed with beautiful (and active!) twin 12-year-old boys of my own, it was just part of who I was and the community I came from. That's why, as an elected official at both the county and state level, I previously sought the endorsement of Right...

WASHINGTON, DC - The National Board of the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) voted Thursday to rescind its endorsement of Representative Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine 2nd CD, after he voted against the repeal of Obamacare. Poliquin was one of only three Republicans to vote against the repeal because, he claimed, "more than 60,000 Mainers have invested their time and energy in choosing health care plans that work for their families." Poliquin said he would only vote to repeal Obamacare if Republicans had a replacement bill ready to vote on at the same time. "We were both stunned and disappointed by Rep. Poliquin's...

GRAND HAVEN, MI - A suspect is in custody this morning after breaking into the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Grand Haven and assaulting Coast Guard personnel, according to a release by the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety. Per the release, the male suspect crashed his truck through the gate of the Grand Haven Coast Guard Station, 601 S. Harbor Drive, before breaking into the facility at approximately 6:07 a.m, on Sunday, Feb. 8. The U.S. Coast Guard Station in Grand Haven is located at 601 S. Harbor Drive. U.S. Coast Guard The suspect, whose name has not yet...

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD)– Officers from the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety are investigating after a man crashed his truck through the Coast Guard Station Gate and assaulted U.S. Coast Guard personnel. This happened just after 6:00 a.m. Sunday. According to officials, the suspect broke into the station and threatened he had an explosive device in his truck. Authorities say all U.S. Coast Guard personnel are safe. At this time, Harbor Drive and the boardwalk are closed until further notice. Residents of Sand Piper Condos are advised to shelter in place. If you live there, stay in your residence...