Reason Writers Around Town

In the Detroit News, Shikha Dalmia points Michiganders to a way out of their Medicaid crisis - health savings accounts.

Comments

[Warren]

Dick DeVos, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, has promised to provide Michigan voters this November with a clear alternative to Gov. Jennifer Granholm's big government policies.

For those of you who don't know Dick is the heir and CEO of Amway. And by "alternative to big government policies" he means "an even bigger government but reorganized to funnel money into my pockets". The DeVos family runs Grand Rapids, MI like old money in a small southern town. After arranging taxes, zoning, licensing etc. to their own advantage, they promote themselves as the town benefactors.

[dagny]

I really don't see that, Warren, and I don't think you even know what you're talking about. You think a corporations going to come into a small town and NOT get "favorable tax arrangements"? Do you have any idea the sort of crap the city of Grandville did to suck up to GGP seven years ago? But you don't hear about that, because they're not involved in politics. Not here, at least, being based in Illinois.

[Warren]

dagny,
I live in southern IN now. However last year I was the Vice Chairman of the Libertarian Party of West MI. I believe I am well versed when it comes to the political fallout of the DeVos family's activities.

I wasn't living in Kent Co. when Rivertown Crossing went up, so I can't speak to that. However, when it comes to preferential treatment, DeVos is not just another business man. Dick and his father before him, have constantly put time and attention into exerting political pressure in creating a regulatory environment that funnels cash into their pockets. They are leaders of this business model.

[Hugo]

Between the Detroit/Bangalore article and this piece, I'm enjoying all the Michigan coverage.

btw, the article refers to legislation Mike Rogers wrote, not DeVos. It's not even clear if DeVos would endorse it.

[dagny]

You know, when I say I don't know what you're talking about, what I generally mean is "Give me facts and I will consider your point of view" not "Throw around some more assertions"

[R.J. Lehmann]

Alas, dagny, your statement wasn't that you didn't know what he was talking about, but that HE didn't know what he was talking about.

[dagny]

R.J.: Well, I generally assume that people who know what they're talking about have facts, and people who don't have assertions.