“It’s the economy, stupid.” That was the phrase former president Bill Clinton used as a major campaign theme as he unseated incumbent president George H.W. Bush. Harping about the economy is usually a rallying cry for the party trying to win back the White House. However, this year it has taken a back seat to immigration as the rallying cry for the former president and his MAGA extremists. And for good reason.
For the last year the economy, no matter how it is measured, is strong and exceeding expectations. The economic policies of President Biden are working. The fourth quarter (Oct.-Dec.) of 2023 continued its positive news from the third quarter of 2023. Inflation is down to the Fed goal of 2%, GDP for the quarter was up 3.3% for the quarter after rising 4.5% in the third quarters. Wages are up and personal spending is up 1.9% for the quarter. Unemployment continues at 3.7% well below the goal of 4%. Supply chain problems have been resolved, reducing wait time for delivery of major purchases.
The former president knows that harping on the economy is a losing cause. As a result, he and the MAGA extremist have had to create a new rallying cry around immigration and border security. While they are shouting from the rooftops about immigration and border security, the former president is pressuring Speaker Johnson to not pass the proposed bi-partisan legislation the senate has agreed to because the former president does not want Biden to get credit for addressing border security prior to November’s presidential election.
Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, who served as the lead Republican negotiator on the border deal, could not mask his frustration with his own party as he sought to explain the final product that was released after more than three months of daily negotiations. The same Republicans who complained that they needed more time to read through the bill, Mr. Lankford vented, were rushing to denounce it on social media.
Quote of the Day: “Are we, as Republicans, going to have press conferences and complain the border is bad and then intentionally leave it open after the worst month in American history in December?” Republican Senator James Lankford, Oklahoma.
The former president, like the Wizard of Oz, wants us to listen to his message and ignore what is going on behind the curtain.
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I feel for the friends and families of the victims of the Oxford High School shootings by Ethan Crumbley. First, they had to weather the long-drawn-out hearings regarding Ethan and all the pretrial legal maneuvers, the sentencing hearings, and the victims’ statements. Now they are dealing with the trial of Ethan’s mother on involuntary manslaughter which has been going on for over two weeks and is front page on local and national news media due to its potential for setting legal precedent in holding parents responsible for actions of their children living at home. A verdict is expected soon, which will create intense emotions for the victims’ friends and family members regardless of the outcome. The trial of Ethan’s father for involuntary manslaughter will start soon.
While dealing with their grief and trying to move on with their lives, the victims’ family members and friends are constantly faced with the horrors of that fateful day of November 30, 2021.
Each person deals with grief differently. Each person heals differently. Each person heals in a timeframe that is different. Some never heal. Please keep the families and friends of the victims in your prayers. They need them now just as much as they did on November 30, 2021.
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Michigan men’s basketball has problems from top to bottom of its program. Never in all my years of watching this program have I seen a program implode in the second half of nearly every game. What was a major problem last year has only gotten worse this year. Saturday’s loss at home to Rutgers was mindboggling. Rutgers is the worst offensive team in Division 1 college basketball this season, yet they were able to overcome a 15-point second half deficit at M’s Crisler Arena and finish with an 18-2 run over the last 6 minutes to win the game by 10 points.
Since mid-December, Michigan has blown second half leads vs McNeese (up by 11), Minnesota (up by 7), Penn State (up by 13), Maryland (up by 12), Iowa (up by nine), Michigan State (up by nine) and as of Saturday, Rutgers (up by 15).That’s not to mention a double OT loss vs. Florida, a 32-point beat down at the hands of Purdue, and the lone win against Ohio State, when U-M allowed OSU a 16-0 run in the second half to let a double-digit lead collapse only to find a way for M to win in the end.
Like the Michigan football team in 2020, this team needs a major overhaul from top to bottom. U of M Athletic Director, Warde Manual, needs to have the same conversation with Howard that he had with Harbaugh following the disastrous 2-4 2020 season in which Harbaugh’s contract was renegotiated with a significant cut in base pay which would be offset by certain performance incentives. Assistant coaches need to be brought in that are younger and can better relate to the players. The current batch of players are not getting better from game to game and year to year. The defense is terrible, 50/50 balls have become 75/25 balls in favor of the opposing team. The offense is predictable with no semblance of a fast break and turnovers continue to be a major issue. They have games with no fastbreak points. This team is underperforming on all levels.
Howard’s dependency on the transfer portal needs to change. Basketball is a game that requires team cohesiveness on and off the court. It is hard to develop cohesiveness when so many new players are brought onto the team from the transfer portal who have no relationship with the existing players (who were recruited by Howard).
I am giving Howard the benefit of doubt, but the program needs to show drastic improvement next year. Howard did not make the NCAA tournament last year when he had two first-round draft picks and one of the top three centers in the country. This year’s record speaks for itself. His issues with his temper are a problem for me. However, he deserves one more year to prove that he can be the face of this once proud program.
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Wayne Kramer, the co-founder of the anti-establishment rock band the MC5 died last week. His death reminded me of the conflict that existed in my home while growing up. Kramer and the MC5 was a local Detroit area band (Lincoln Park was Kramer’s hometown). MC5’s first album was purchased by my brother Larry but it was banned from being played in the Biggs’ household because it contained the song “Kick out the Jams”, which was the MC5 hit song at the time, The problem was the song started out with the band screaming “Kick out the jams, mother f***er” Needless to say, this did not go over well with my parents, especially my dad, who never swore in our home.
No matter how hard my brother and I lobbied to be able to play the song, the answer was always no. We were allowed to play the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” even though it used the same word, but my parents didn’t know, nor could they understand the lyrics. The MC5 never tried to mask their lyrics. It was front and center, the first thing out of their mouths. Out of respect for our parents, we never played the album when they were around, however, the minute they walked out the door we played it nice and loud. See my Video of the Day.
Question of the Day: Since Ethan Crumbley was going to be tried as an adult, and since he was sentenced to life in prison as an adult by the courts, I have been struggling with how the parents are being tried for the actions of their minor child who was living in their home. The courts ruled that Ethan was an adult for purposes of his case, yet the courts are allowing the parents to be tried for not being responsible parents to Ethan, by ignoring Ethan’s mental health warning signs and not securing the weapons and ammunition in a house where a minor resided. It seems like a juxtaposition to me. Can someone help me out with the legal issues?
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Quote of the Day: See above by Senator James Lankford
Orchid of the Day: John Mihaiu, who has been in Florida since December to help with his mom, Margaret, who was moved into an assisted living facility on February 1. John cleaned up Margaret’s apartment and handled all her belongings. Thank you, John, for taking care of my second mother.
Onion of the Day: To those Republicans who are putting politics ahead of the needs of our country by failing to support the senate’s bi-partisan funding package.
Question of the Day: See above.
Video of the Day: “Kick out the Jams” in memory of Wayne Kramer and the MC5.
#MC5 Kick Out The Jams Promo Film Reimagined & Remastered at 1920 x 1080! (youtube.com)