BREAKING: State(Michigan) officially shut down

[SpartanDem]

Source: Detroit Free Press

LANSING -- State government was officially shut down after midnight, as state lawmakers failed to agree on either a full or temporary budget for the new fiscal year.

The Republican-controlled Senate held final action on an interim budget until after the midnight deadline, over objections from Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who accused them of shirking their responsibility to keep state government from shutting down.

The Senate adjourned until 12:15 a.m., when it was presumed negotiations would continue between the House, Senate and Granholm.

Less than an hour earlier, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, accused Granholm and Senate Democrats of sabotaging progress on a final budget agreement, although key budget bills remained stalled in the Democratic controlled House.

Wednesday afternoon, Granholm notified some 51,000 state employees that they would be laid off at 12:01 a.m. if no budget was in place






Read more: http://freep.com/article/20090930/NEWS06/91001001/1318/State-officially-shut-down

[blue_onyx]

1. Yep

Just what our state needs....51,000 more people not working.

[SpartanDem]

5. Yeah it'd be nice to have some good news in this state for a change

[Demeter]

30. Well, U of M Football Is 4-0

Compared to last year, that's an improvement.

[SpartanDem]

58. Yeah like I said we need good news

[Occulus]

2. Oh bloody hell

This is not what we need right now.

I know someone who has a filled-out application for a bridge card (food stamps). Can he still get that submitted, or does he have to wait?

[Common Sense Party]

3. Is California next? n/t

[Bette Noir]

10. Hell, California goes through this every freakin' year.

I worked for the State 30 years ago, when Jerry Brown was governor, and it was the same freakin' mess every year.

[Common Sense Party]

11. Really? It's been going on that long?

Why can't Cali get its sh*t together?

[CreekDog]

25. 2/3 vote required to pass a budget is why

Conservative Republicans have slightly more than 33% of the legislative seats and they will not vote for any budget with any revenue increases whatsoever.

[Thickasabrick]

4. I feel so bad for Michigan....we probably should have tried to get

the Olympics for Detroit.

[blue_onyx]

37. Actually....

There was talk a year or so ago that Detroit might try to get the 2020 Olympics. Some thought it might be good to have a joint bid with Windsor, Canada....making it the first multinational games. It would be great to get the Olympics because of all the infrastructure improves that would come with it. I doubt it would ever happen though....especially if Chicago gets it in 2016.

[WriteDown]

40. Actually....

that would have been a brilliant idea. But B is not from Detroit.

[rwheeler31]

6. Republicans in Michigan are horrid.

[Enthusiast]

28. Ted Nugent example #1. nt

[blue_onyx]

36. Some of the Dems, like Speaker Dillon

aren't too great either.

[Treo]

7. Curious, does this include the State Police? NT

[MidwestRick]

35. No

Police and Fire would not be included. Similar to when the goevernment shuts down for holidays.

[Fading Captain]

8. Thank you buyers of foreign cars!

Asswipes.
Oh well, you'll pay for your Hondas in other, more taxing ways.

[sasquatch]

9. Actually you can think corporate greed in general

[Psephos]

14. Corporate greed has always been present. The decline of US industry is due to global changes.

Manufacturing in the US becomes less competitive every year. The trend has been in place for decades.

There is no single fix. Universal health care would help, but not reverse it. Increased tariffs would transfuse a couple extra pints of blood into hemorrhaging industries but not forestall the inevitable. Increased regulation would benefit established giants and punish small firms, from whom most innovation arises.

Worst of all is the mindset that instead of looking for economic solutions simply demonizes a scapegoat. No solution can come from those who use emotional cliches in place of creativity, insight, and hard work.

[katkat]

23. more than hard work needed

It's pretty clear to me, anyway, that the U.S. worker cannot be competitive with foreign workers who do not have benefits and whose countries do not have or enforce environmental regulations, example, rivers of toxic sludge in China. An administration with guts woulds slap on tariffs to compensate for that and make the playing field more level.

[WriteDown]

42. Tariffs would work...

ONLY if the the US was not running a huge trade deficit.


edited for grammar

[thunder rising]

13. 'scuse me?

[boppers]

18. "buyers of foreign cars"?

Make a good car, I'll buy it.

Until then, yeah, not buying shitty cars.

[Old Hob]

59. Don't worry, pretty soon we'll all be buyers of foreign cars by default.

and then you won't even have to justify your...purchases.

[comtec]

19. Well if the american companies still made GOOD cars

especially ones made IN THE FUCKING US, I might agree with you

but Hondas are actually made IN the USA, while MOST of the big 3 ARE NOT MADE IN THE US!

[blue_onyx]

38. "MOST of the big 3 ARE NOT MADE IN THE US!"

That's bullshit....completely untrue.

[comtec]

39. ok where are the MAJORITY of the big-3 cars made

parts and assembly.

[blue_onyx]

44. Well,

First, most statistics for "made in the US" really mean "made in the US/Canada." Here's a link that will give all info about vehicles.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.e649cd1b2b018c71d8eca01046108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=4427b997caacf504a8bdba101891ef9a_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_4427b997caacf504a8bdba101891ef9a_viewID=detail_view&itemID=539ed5c474a5a110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD&viewType=standard&detailViewURL=/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.e649cd1b2b018c71d8eca01046108a0c/!1052108516!1312700801?javax.portlet.tpst=4427b997caacf504a8bdba101891ef9a_ws_MX


Most vehicles from the US companies are made domestically. The foreign companies have a large number of vehicles made outside the US/Canada (ex: almost all Lexus and Scion). GM on the other hand, only has a few models made outside the US. The vehicles they do import are mostly models that will be discontinued (Vue, HHR).

Also, some vehicles made in the US, such as the Hyundai Sonota only use a small amount of domestic parts (37%) while the Mexican made Fusion uses 40%. I'm using 2008 numbers because the 2009 won't open and Hyundai's 2010 numbers aren't posted.

[comtec]

46. i tthink you made my point for me.

Canada is N O T ''american'' made.

[blue_onyx]

47. Actually no

You have yet to prove your point that the majority of the Big 3 vehicles are made out of the US.

Just another clueless Big 3 hater :eyes:

[WriteDown]

43. Another person living in the 80's.....

Please check out the recent ratings of GM cars. Consult Edmunds.com, Car and Driver, and Motortrend.

[derby378]

48. There's still a GM plant down here in Texas

It's located in Arlington, not too far away from the Temple of Jones.

[PJPhreak]

20. ORLY??

Sorry....as a Gearhead for over thirty years,Yes Detroit DID at one time make GOOD Cars.
Like these...

http://image.chevyhiperformance.com/f/11724509/0901chp_08_z+1967_chevy_nova+side_view.jpg





http://image.automotive.com/f/tipstricks/9773271+pheader/mump_0711_02_z+1969_mustang_mach_1_1973_mustang_mach_1+exterior_front_view.jpg

Then something Happened....THEY GOT GREEDY AND STARTED BUILDING SHI**Y CRAP LIKE THESE!!!!!







If Detroit will build me a vehicle as reliable,easy to fix and as durable as this....



I WILL DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO DETROIT AND BE THE FIRST TO BUY ONE!!!

[NickB79]

63. What happened was that gas prices shot up

And caught Detroit with their pants around their ankles. Those "good" cars you posted pictures of don't look so good when gas prices are shooting through the roof. Do any of them even get more than 25 mpg on the highway?

And when the next energy crunch hit 30 years later, Detroit had reverted back to their old ways of relying on SUV's and trucks to remain profitable, with predictable results.

[PJPhreak]

64. Yep,

There are lots of Hot Rods that get 25mpg plus.

Its not just that detroit tried to make their car lighter (as in the difference between a 76 Monte Carlo and a 86 Monte Carlo) its also that they "Had" to keep the profit margin up as well.

To do this Detroit decided to go down the path of "Profit per Unit"

Toyota on the other hand took the path of building Solid,Reliable,Dependable cars and took a smaller profit on each "Unit" because they knew that Solid,Reliable,Dependable vehicles would build a solid customer base that not only came back when they wanted another car,but got their friends and family to look into the brand also.

Chevy,Ford,Buick,Cadillac,Oldsmobile,Pontiac,Mercury,Lincoln,Dodge,Plymouth,Chrysler,Jeep all used to build cars for ALL tastes and budgets...From the venerable Dodge Dart with the 225 Slant Six,Ford Mustang with the 200 Six and a four speed,To of all things the Corvair (Highly underrated after 1965,A Porsche Killer if I may say so) to the Beasts of the era,The Boss 428 Mustang,Z-28 Camaro,The Amx Javelin,The Trans-Am,Corvette and so on.

Detroit chose to use cheaper materials (Ever wonder why there are few Vegas,Pintos,Gremlins ect.around any more? They Melted due to Rust!) the engineering level fell thru the floor. Remember the 4-6-8 Caddys? Or the 1981 Olds Diesel Cutlass? Garbage!!

And how can ANYONE ever say that a Chevette was a quality Car? NO ONE EVER!


Sorry Man,As a lifelong Chevy Lover (My CB Handle is Chevyhead BTW) like I said...When Detroit will build a car as reliable as my Toyota,I will drive to Detroit and be the first one to buy one.

[MichaelHarris]

21. If someone calls you an asswipe

can we then call that person a prick?

[ima_sinnic]

27. oh, right, blame the pathetic mess there on me

In about 1995 I was given a Ford Escort by an uninsured driver who had totaled my Honda Civic and did not want to be sued. The Escort lasted for about 5 months before it had to be towed to a junkyard (what a piece of CRAP--was told the carburetor, which needed replacement, was worth more than the car). I then went through 2 Dodge Caravans and an Oldsmobile Silhouette for 1-2 yrs each, before they had to be scrapped, before buying a 1995 Honda Odyssey in 2003 that is still going strong and has given me hardly a minute of trouble. I get about 26 mpg and will NOT be buying any more American gas guzzling crapmobiles, so boo hoo, sue me already.

[kestrel91316]

50. I refuse to apologize for my 21 year old Honda Accord, which would

STILL be on the road if it hadn't been fucking stolen recently.

My Ford Pinto was a POS. My Chevy Citation was a deplorable POS. American cars of that era lasted ten years AT BEST.

NO apologies.

My replacement might very well be a Ford Focus, but all the other contenders are foreign. I won't look at a Saturn, as good as they are, because they are going out of business. No more POS cars for me. Life is too short, and so is money.

[Ozymanithrax]

12. It is stunning that Republicans refuse to do the hard work...

and solve the problems.

They are so damned afraid that raising taxes will make them the target of the extreme right hate squads.

Now we will see if MIchigan will realise that Republicans are irresponsible and can not be allowed to govern.

[Psephos]

15. House and Governor are D, Senate is R

In other words, the people of Michigan already decided that Repugs cannot be allowed to govern on election day.

The impasse is more to score political points right now. The basic economics have already been worked out. Both parties are trying to stagger off the field with something to show for it.

The truth is, the "fix" is a patch job. Unbelievably, both sides are electing to kick the can down the road yet again. Of course, that makes the inevitable, final, true confrontation with reality (next year) an even more hellish and expensive reckoning.

[Ozymanithrax]

16. Similar problem in California,

Though it is the Republicans who refuse in any way to raise taxes. The other choice has been to gut the state. The only thing the Republicans did not support shutting down was the Prisons. Some public schools will see class sizes of 48-50. I'm pretty fed up with the whole thing, not to mention unemployed.

[madrchsod]

17. the best thing for michigan is no one shows up to work today.

shut the state down until there is a budget

[moonbatmax]

22. Sounds like that's basically what's happening.

I'll have to drive downtown and see if Michigan Works is open today...

[Xipe Totec]

24. Breaking? I would say it's already broke. n/t

[MrScorpio]

26. Jeezus Kerist on a breadstick

I hate Republicans

[JNelson6563]

29. Once again, Senate Rethug wins.

Granholm has been outmaneuvered 100% of the time by these bastards.

This is going to hurt us next year.

Julie

[PassingFair]

32. They get a LOT of help from our Speaker.

Dillon is a chump.

[JNelson6563]

33. No argument here.

I hope Cherry proves to be more effective with the bully pulpit than Granholm. I gotta believe he'd at least venture outside of the Lansing bubble from time to time.

Julie

[PassingFair]

34. I don't have much faith in him, either.

During the primary, he came to our local dem
group and LIED THROUGH HIS TEETH about the
situation.

...said that Obama didn't CARE about people
in Michigan and that was why he had taken
his name off the ballot.

I wanted to smack his sweaty face.

Really.

[blue_onyx]

41. The primaries are over

You should move on.

[PassingFair]

49. The stench of the bullshit lingers on.

How lovely that you can truly live in the moment,
with no recollection of yesterday.

:hi:

[blue_onyx]

51. This statement...

"I wanted to smack his sweaty face" is proof of what an irrational person you are and that nobody should put much weight in your opinion.


"no recollection of yesterday."

Just like how you overlook Dean breaking the primary rules.

[PassingFair]

52. Do you think Cherry is a strong candidate?

Dean never came to me and told me
"Hillary doesn't CARE about Michigan".

I'll vote for him if he is THE candidate,
but I won't trust anything he says.

[blue_onyx]

53. Cherry is a good candidate

Not necessarily the strongest candidate the Democrats have ever nominated. I wanted Archer to run. Of the candidates who are running or who will likely run, yes, Cherry is the strongest. The only other options are unknowns, like Alma Wheeler Smith and Don Williamson, and probably DINO Dillon.

Cherry saying Obama doesn't care about Michigan is an opinion, not a lie.

[PassingFair]

54. Then I don't care for his "opinions".

I think we have a paucity of good
dem candidates for this race.

Personally, I would rather have
Brewer run than any of the obvious
suspects.

[blue_onyx]

55. Brewer, really?

May I ask why? Just curious since I've never heard anyone mention him as a potential candidate.

I don't think anyone will be able to defeat Cherry. Dillon was the only person who may have been able to at least compete. Dillon's chances, however, are now gone since he thought being a Republican during the budget negotiations was a good way to position himself for a Democratic primary.

[PassingFair]

56. Most democrats know who he is, and he speaks very carefully.

I have never heard him suggested as a candidate, either,
but if I got to pick from the democrats I know on the
state scene, he'd be the guy.

I DO agree with you regarding Dillon.... :)

He skeeves me out.

[blue_onyx]

57. Most Democrats know who Brewer is

but the rest of the state probably wouldn't have a clue. I wouldn't have a problem with Brewer being the nominee but I would prefer Cherry. Dillon is the only Dem candidate I wouldn't vote for.

At least you and I agree about Dillon. I have a feeling that most Dems and liberals feel the same, as well. :)

[defendandprotect]

61. A Repug had the nerve to say today that the wealthy would be paying

the bill for health care for poor and middle class!

Seems not to remember that the poor and middle class just bailed out capitalism!!!

And are paying for the wars!!

[blue_onyx]

45. I don't think that's true

Dillon is the one who put the GOP in the driver's seat. Dillon is more concerned with winning the Democratic primary for governor than doing what's right. I hope Granholm will veto anything that cuts the Promise scholarships.

[Algorem]

31. could ship the rest of it to China

or sell or rent it to Canada.how are they doing?we could use more war money.

[defendandprotect]

60. And we spent all our money on bailing out capitalism--!!

Too bad -- no help for states in trouble -- no money for health care --

We can only have wars and corrupt capitalism!!!

[TheWatcher]

62. This doesn't exist, and it is pure Propaganda.

Possibly some devious Republican plot.

I mean, there's no way this could possibly happen, because Helo Ben said The Recession is over.

States can't shut down because the Recovery is just too strong for that too happen.

Someone should tell these people to just sit back and enjoy the Prosperity.

:sarcasm:

[daleo]

65. So are no state troopers working?

No prison guards?