LSJ Blogs: Derek Melot is Just Asking

Sheriff doesn't think much of us

I had forgotten about Ingham Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth’s comments regarding the state’s medical marijuana law -- until reminded of them in this morning’s LSJ.

I get that he doesn’t like what the voters did, in decisive fashion, in 2008. But, as a public servant, is it proper behavior for him to be disparaging the decisions and judgment of those who pay his salary? (“Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth, whose department handles law enforcement in the county, has called the club ‘a joke.’ ... ‘This is exactly what law enforcement said would happen when they passed the (medical marijuana ballot measure),’ he said in February. ‘This has nothing to do with medicinal marijuana. This has to do with getting high.’”)

Poverty on the march

This is shocking: "Mark Rank, a social welfare professor at Washington University in St. Louis, has written extensively about shifts in U.S. poverty since the 1960s, and finds that Americans today are more likely to face poverty than in the past. According to Rank's data, 24 percent of people who were in their 20s in the 1970s were likely to experience poverty at some point in their lives. That number rose to 31 percent in the 1980s and 37 percent in the 1990s. Today a majority of Americans -- 51.4 percent, according to the Urban Institute -- will experience poverty by the time they're 65."

I pulled this from a governing.com story, "Poverty comes to the suburbs."

The meme of America has long been that each generation builds on the advances of its predecessor. That meme is in tatters at the moment, if half the nation can expect to "experience poverty" at some point.

Good isn't good enough in East Lansing

I have no idea what went on behind the scenes before Doug Fleming was let go as East Lansing boys’ basketball coach. But if I were a taxpayer of the school district, I would find one comment most troubling:

“Athletic director Tom Hunt wouldn’t elaborate on why Fleming was fired, only that it was ‘probably one of the toughest (decisions) I’ve had to make’ and that ‘Doug is an outstanding basketball coach.’”

I’m confused. Don’t we want “outstanding” people in public service?

You truly won't believe this

If you need a definition of the term “security theater,” just recall the name Bob Thomas.

As detailed at reason.com’s wonderful brickbat feature, Thomas and his family ran afoul of the ridiculously ineffective bureaucracy known as the Transportation Safety Administration.

I’ll let you read the outrage. All I can say is that if Sen. Debbie Stabenow or Sen. Carl Levin or Rep. Mike Rogers wanted to impress some constituents, they would make sure this security person -- and his supervisor -- were fired forthwith. Or better yet, the trio could show some true political courage and start fighting against all this federal security claptrap.

About $100,000 per person

The city is reshaping its police precincts, creating 2 specialty divisions. This, says the mayor’s office, will save $700,000.

The savings appear to come from the reduction of six positions -- five officers and one administrative assistant. That works out to a per person savings of $116,000.

I presume that covers wages and benefits and a rough rule of thumb is that benefits equal 30 percent to 50 percent of an employee’s wages, so that would all work out to an average salary of more than $70,000.

Is that too much, too little or just right for a police sergeant or lieutenant?

Use 527 fund to boost reward on S. Lansing beating

The Bernero administration seems to be getting the small things right in the aftermath of the beating of a south Lansing man.

The city has yanked down the basketball hoops that were used by the men who reportedly beat Larry Ruble.

And the police have offered a $1,000 reward for information on the attacks. Lansing can do better on the bribe, though.

Make it $25,000. I bet that sum will make a friend of one of these individuals sing quite lustily.

Where to get the money? How about Mayor Bernero’s federal 527 fundraising account?

Bernero created the account  years ago to help pay for his inaugural costs and other city-related expenses. Well, finding criminals should qualify as an approved expenditure under federal tax laws.

Bernero should have a few thousand still tucked into the account. I’m sure he could quickly raise more for this purpose, too.

MSU scores with role model

I would presume that the folks over at Michigan State University will not be inviting this British role model back for another headlining role at the annual Kaleidoscope women’s day:

“LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Duchess of York, caught on camera apparently offering to sell access to her ex-husband, UK trade envoy Prince Andrew, said on Sunday she was sorry for her ‘serious lapse in judgment.’

“According to footage on the News of the World newspaper’s website, Sarah Ferguson appears to ask for $40,000 in cash and 500,000 pounds ($718,500) by wire transfer, claiming she could introduce the undercover reporter to the prince. ...

“The Duchess, known as ‘Fergie,’ who is no stranger to controversy, said she deeply regretted the sting and admitted her financial situation was ‘under stress,’ British media reported.”

More generous than the French?

Now isn’t this interesting: “Expectations are growing that France is set to remove the right to retire at 60, as it embarks on a contentious reform of its debt-laden pension system and brings public finances back into line,” reports the Financial Times.

“Although there has been much speculation that France’s legal retirement age of 60 – one of the lowest in Europe – would be abandoned, Mr Estrosi’s comments on national radio are the clearest statement yet of government intentions.”

Contrast that with what Michigan just did — promise more future benefits to get thousands of teachers to retire while still of working age. Early retirements cost money, though lawmakers assure this new plan will save Michigan schools $3 billion over 10 years. The keys to making that happen are the 3 percent health-care fee to be paid by working teachers and the fact that said working teachers are going to be paid less than the ones now retiring.

Gee, you look familiar

More fun on the year of anybody but incumbents ...

Four Michigan Senate districts cover parts of mid-Michigan: 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 33rd. Thanks to term limits, voters will have little chance to punish an incumbent this year. East Lansing Democrat Gretchen Whitmer of the 23rd is the only incumbent senator available.

In each of the other three seats, a current state rep is running for the Senate: Joe Hune in the 22nd, Rick Jones in the 24th and Brian Calley in the 33rd.

Now, let’s say that Whitmer wins a second term and all three of the reps win, too. (I’m not predicting that result, though I've been told by people with far more practical political knowledge than I that Whitmer, Hune and Jones are big favorites to win. I’ve seen a poll -- have no idea as to its quality -- that shows Calley way behind in his GOP primary.)

That means that four current members of the Michigan Legislature would be spending the next four years ... in the Legislature.

Would that be a sign of an anti-incumbent year?

What constitutes an 'anti-incumbent' year?

In advance of the fall elections, can we establish some metric by which to judge whether 2010 is a year dominated by “anti-incumbent” voters? I know we are all supposed to be as mad as hell and aren’t going to take it anymore, but I believe we will enter 2011 with plenty of the same incumbent politicians we have now.

Just look at the recent federal office filings in Michigan.