Despite this early resistance to organized labor, I always respected the right of people to unionize and collectively bargin. I don’t have to agree with them, I don’t even have to support them, but it’s a right earned over many battles with business and government. When measured against the negative, the good done by unions always outweighed the bad. Hell, even Ronald Reagan said “… where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost.” (He also said “Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives,” a point apparently lost on the Governors of a few states.)

I got into a twitter argument with a family member today and one his comments struck me. He said (paraphrasing) they [unions] did not care about the company, only their paychecks. And it struck me that that point was exactly where I turned on the issues currently moving through the political sausage machine in this state right now.

It’s not that they care only about their paychecks, but they do care more about their pay than the company does, that’s their point in existing. But the unspoken aspect of that statement was there as well, that somehow businesses didn’t operate this way. Somehow, businesses are operating in some interest of their employees. Which is a complete and utter lie, sold to workers by cheerful HR folks and corporate propagandists. Businesses don’t care about employees,they care about their bottom lines; they have to. When the finances get tough, employees are the ones made to suffer (and not executives either, it’s you and me, brother). I’ve been through the layoff cycle (three rounds in less than 6 months). Hundreds of employees tossed out on the street because the bottom line needed to be firm.

And union workers took the first hit. Factory workers laid off, lines closed down, the whole thing. And management was terrified. Why? Because the union started grumbling. They never said it, never threatened it, but the word “strike” was always just off to the side of conversations. The next two rounds were white-collar only. And not one management type batted an eye.

Why? Because office workers can’t do the one thing that probably saved more factory jobs. We can’t organize. We can’t protest. We can’t. Say. Shit.

This cycle is happening again in Michigan. Public employees make too much (except they don’t). The Tough Nerd is going to save the state, though. And how is he going to do that? By cutting taxes on businesses, and making the rest of us cover the difference. By giving dictatorial powers to financial managers (who, conveniently can dissolve unions and entire governments if they see fit). Take note, patriots: a governmental body just gave a non-elected position the right and ability to dissolve local governments.

This will become the reverberating refrain for our generation, politicians in the pocket of big business leaving working people holding the bag. It’s the kind of behavior organized people can work to prevent. I may not have agreed or supported unions in the past, but I do today.

Baseball was a huge part of growing up. My father played a lot; high school, college, semi-professionally after that. I was, notoriously, at a ball field weeks after my birth. My summers were spent playing or watching my dad play, keeping the books, running the scoreboard, pigging out on concession-stand candy and popcorn. When I wasn’t at a game physically, baseball was on the television or, even more ubiquitously, the radio. And, aside from the strong voice of Ernie Harwell, there was one name that always popped on the radio, the one name that was consistant from season to season.

Sparky Anderson.

I can even hear Ernie pronouncing his name; “Spahrkeeh”. Sparky was The Coach. And to baseball players, Coach was where the bucked stopped. When Sparky made a change in the lineup, pulled Morris, or (even better) stormed the field, conversation stopped and ears craned to the radio.

When I think back to those endless summers on the diamonds, Tigers’ baseball meant two things: Ernie’s voice and Sparky’s face. Sparky Anderson was, to me and so many others, the face of summer. In my Junior year of college, I sat silently with dozens of other young men and women watching ESPN Classic, mouths open as Game 5 played out from our youths. Goose Gossage stood firm against his manager, Kirk Gibson looked over to the dugout, and Sparky mouthed (now, said, thanks to edited footage) “he wants to pitch to you.” He chuckled as Gibby paced around the plate, the chuckle of someone who knew more than anyone else at the park that he’d already won the Series. I want to believe I remember that moment from my childhood, but I don’t. But I happily layer that cold night in Kalamazoo over a slightly warmer night in October to remember a definitive moment.

Every Tigers fan, fair-weather fans included, have similar stories. Sparky factors into many of them. He was Tigers baseball; hell, he will be for some of us for years to come. But those times are passing. An era has passed.

Sparky, I wish I’d had a chance to meet you. May you rest in peace.

Today’s win broke a record-tying loss streak (19 games), their first win since–hold onto your hat–Dec. 23, 2007.

Just… wow. I think it might be time for the Ford family to sell.

Oh well, some good news considering U of M won. Yeah, I work there, what’s it to yah?

Lions end losing streak with win over Redskins | detnews.com

Also, nice redo on the website, Chelsea Fair. From The Chelsea Blog:

Schedule Highlights

The fair takes place from 10am until 10pm Tuesday 8/19 through Saturday 8/23. See the ChelseaFair.org website for full schedule.

* Rides open Tuesday at 5pm

* Children’s Parade and Tricycle Pull – Tuesday 5:30pm

* Animal exhibits – every day

* Nature’s Creation of Life tent – every day

* Demolition Derby – Tuesday and Wednesday night

* Figure 8 Derby – Thursday night

* Chainsaw Carving – several shows daily

* Horse Shows – various times each day

* Colors the Clown – Tues 5-8pm, Wed through Sat 3-7pm

* Ladies Day – begins Friday at 8am

* Tractor Pull – Saturday night

* Chelsea Fair Parade – Saturday 1pm

$7 daily or $25 for the week.

via The Chelsea Blog: Chelsea Community Officially Fair Starts Today!.

I was never fortunate to meet him personally, but he authorized a grant for me to attend a writing conference (after being shot down hard by the Dean).

He was intensely dedicated to the University and it and the city were better for it. The entire system–and Kalamazoo in general–has lost one of it’s great advocates.

Diether Haenicke, former WMU president, dies at 73

The Brighton City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance allowing police in the Livingston County community to ticket and fine anyone who is annoying in public “by word of mouth, sign or motions.”

Welcome to West Michigan-style legislation. As J– called it, this is a bunch of fuddy-duddies grumping over “those damned kids”, but moving their crotchetiness into civics.

A city attorney says there could be situations where the measure would violate freedom of speech…

Yah think? I can’t wait for some well-funded smart-ass to walk around Brighton screaming Blessings From God at passerbys, just to get cited, and then sue the friggen pants off the city. What a bunch of dumb-ass, over-bearing, holier-than-thou bull this is.

Feels just like my hometown.

Detnews.com story

The fact that Wagoner didn’t drive one from Detroit, but apparently had it shipped to Washington in order to drive the last few miles, may be an indication that the Volt program has a long was to go to keep its promises. [emphasis mine]

I understand it can’t make the trip, but isn’t that sort of the point as to why the US auto makers can’t compete? Seriously, GM (and Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler), how many times can you miss the point?

GM CEO Drives a Chevy Volt to Washington…Sort Of – U.S. News Rankings and Reviews.