Thursday Rantings

So Mike Duggan is running for Mayor of Detroit. We don't it matters; this is Detroit, after all, and he would only be mayor. That hasn't helped current Mayor Dave Bing. Why not? Because, as is so often the case with politics, he isn't the only one with input on matters of government. He has to deal with a City Council which will not address its hubris. No leader can overcome an obstacle such as that.

A Saginaw Republican has introduced a bill which would mandate that all levels of government in Michigan fly only state and national flags made in the US. As good as it is to encourage support one's own economy, this must be seen as little more than a grandstand play. If flags are the important symbol which we sat they are, then where they are made seems a silly question. Isn't how they are displayed and employed which matter most? Then there's always the question of, if buying one's own nation's goods is right because it (more or less) localizes things, should we go all the way and mandate that Michigan governmental units buy Michigan made flags? Indeed, that localities should buy only flags made in their locale?

We realize that the question isn't so simple as that. Not every locale has every industry imaginable to make purely local purchases possible across the board. But as such, why play to the crowd? Oh, right. Politics.

A report issued by the Detroit Common Council's own council's own Fiscal Analysis and Research and Analysis Divisions says that the city should seek a second Consent agreement with the state given Detroit another year or so to demonstrate that it can get control of its finances. Of course; why would the Council's lackeys say otherwise? This reeks of a pathetic last stab at staving off an emergency manager. The City has had its chances, and that its own people say that it should get more time is nothing more than ridiculous. But what's that again? Oh, right. Politics.

Farewell, Pope Benedict. As you step down today, may the peace of the Holy Spirit be upon, despite the actions of those with an ill will. Beyond that, let us hope that the conclave to select the next Pope will do what it should: choose a traditionalist who believe in and supports eternal values. Why not? It would be the right thing to, and will surely rankle the nonreligious who yet insist that religion should change to suit them. Anyway, Godspeed.