Granholm's Helicopter

[QuakrTrakr]

I heard Granholm reactivated the helicopter for the governors use. Engler mothballed it 6 or 7 years ago. I've heard people talking about it, but couldn't find anything on the internet. Anyone hear anything? I hope she's not spending college grant money so she can fly her kids to Mackinac Island!!:confused:

[dogjaw]

Nah,,,, she tried to take that money, but had too much resistance, so that's what the $127 per vehicle insurance increase, the $75 trailer plate fees, $300 additional fee for not finding you proof of insurance in the glove box are for.......:rolleyes:

[TrailFndr]

so that's what the $127 per vehicle insurance increase,

Please blame the CORRECT people for this one....This Catostropic injury fund is run by...NOT politicians...but the INSURANCE industry...Jenny has NO SAY in it whatsoever.

I don't agree with any of the increases mentioned...but at least I am willing to blame the appropriate people..

[ytlabs]

I can only say a few simple words concerning our Governor.

Keep Canada's TRASH in CANADA!!! SEND JENNY HOME!!!!!

Oh its not against the Canadians as I am of French Canadian background, it is about the individule and she IS trash. But hey Detroit and Southern Michigan love her so we got her.

[QuakrTrakr]

<Keep Canada's TRASH in CANADA!!! SEND JENNY HOME!!!!!>

Hilarious!!! I agree. Detoit loves her. Almost every woman I talk to loves her. They don't know any of her policies, or her stand on gay marrage, or her stance on college grants, but they love her. Because she is a woman. And that's the only reason. I had a college girl tell me , "She's a breath of fresh air". She had absolutely no reason other than that to vote for her. How do we educate voters? :D :eek: :confused:

[dogjaw]

Originally posted by TrailFndr
Please blame the CORRECT people for this one....This Catostropic injury fund is run by...NOT politicians...but the INSURANCE industry...Jenny has NO SAY in it whatsoever.

I don't agree with any of the increases mentioned...but at least I am willing to blame the appropriate people..
This fund is run by the State. The fund is created because of the State. The State ordered rebates several years ago from this fund. The State regulates this fund, thus collects money from us for it's costs, but blames others when crap like this happens. The State politicians have THE say in this, all of them. The insurance companies only have the State of Mass. in which they make more money per premium dollar collected. Time to kill no fault. Hmm. Guess it's time to start another thread. Are you with me TrailFndr ? ;)

[catch&release]

The reason that trash is being imported to Michigan is because of Engler. He allowed it to start.

[Swamp Monster]

Come on C&R...prove that it was him? It goes far deeper than our state gov't. Wipe the hate from your eyes before you start making accusations.

[Bluesuten]

Why can' t the trash dumping stop? What person that lives in MI would object to stoping the Canadians Trash?

Commerical fishing lower Lk Huron, dumping trash on us ...I Love living in the Most Powerful Nation on Earth.

[Swamp Monster]

C&R, here's a copy of an email I received from Stabenow on this issue...I had more but I think I deleted them. The EPA is in charge of this on a federal level, not the state level.


With the start of a new year . . .

. . I want to share with you a progress report of what we have accomplished in
2003 on stopping Canadian trash and protecting our borders from the homeland
security risks these trash shipments present.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality recently reported that the
volume of waste from Canada has climbed 43 percent in 2003. This increase is on
top of the 40% increase in trash from 2001 to 2002. This report is very
disturbing and reaffirms my commitment to stop this unprecedented flow of trash
into our state.

As you know, Michigan citizens have said "enough is enough" -- we do not want to
be Canada's "trash can." Although there is considerable work to be done, some
progress has been made this last year to both limit and screen Canadian trash
crossing our borders.


Over 165,000 Michigan Citizens Sign Trash Petition

Your signature has made the difference in raising this issue nationally.
Residents from all 83 Michigan counties have signed the Online Petition to Stop
Canadian Trash - an unprecedented response.

On October 1, 2003, I met with EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt and presented your
petition to him. He promised to examine the issue and pledged to keep in contact
with me about this issue. In December 2003, Administrator Leavitt sent a team
from the EPA to meet with Toronto city officials about the imports of their
trash into Michigan.

I also presented your petition to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge during a
recent tour of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. I am pleased to tell you
that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will conduct an investigation of
Customs' screening of Canadian trash trucks in 2004 to increase their
effectiveness.


Inspections at Border Stop Dangerous Trash Shipments

On April 16, 2003, the Senate passed a new law, which I authored, to require
Customs to inspect all municipal solid waste trucks that cross the Blue Water
and Ambassador Bridges and to require the installation of radiation inspection
equipment at these ports of entry. Inspections began in May of 2003.

As a result of this equipment, the Blue Water Bridge port director reports that
three to four Canadian trash trucks per week are being turned back at the border
for containing dangerous radioactive materials such as medical waste. In
September 2003, a variety of smuggled substances were detected, including one
ton of illegal drugs valued at $9 million. This was one of the largest drug
busts in Michigan history.


Importation of Canadian Yard Waste Threatens Michigan Trees

The Asian long-horned beetle was discovered in Woodbridge, Ontario in September
2003, and the affected areas were placed under quarantine. The beetle is
extremely destructive to hardwood trees, particularly maple, poplar and willow
trees, and would present a serious threat to Michigan trees if this beetle were
imported into our state.

Despite the fact that it is illegal to dump yard waste in Michigan landfills, a
September 2003 report from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) found more than 25 percent of waste being imported from Ontario into
Michigan contained yard waste. This Canadian waste contained the highest
percentage of yard waste of all waste that comes into Michigan.

I authored an amendment to the 2004 Appropriations bill that responds to this
serious threat. The law directs the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) at the Department of Agriculture to comprehensively review and report
whether their procedures and regulations are adequate to prevent the spread of
the Asian long-horned beetle into Michigan by way of commercial vehicles,
including trash trucks.


Continuing the Fight to Stop Canadian Trash

In addition to these efforts to screen trash imports at our border and to rally
support for the enforcement of our waste treaty with Canada, I have introduced
S. 383, the Canadian Waste Import Ban, to place an immediate federal ban on the
importation of Canadian municipal solid waste until the EPA enforces the United
State's treaty with Canada - the Agreement Concerning the Transboundary Movement
of Hazardous Waste.

The treaty requires the EPA to obtain Michigan's approval before consenting to
any shipment of Canadian municipal solid waste. The EPA must consider the
impact of waste shipments on homeland security, the environment, and public
health.

We have made progress, but I will not stop fighting until these Canadian trash
shipments stop coming into Michigan. Thank you for your continued dedication
and support of this important issue.


Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator

[QuakrTrakr]

I signed that petition. She sends updates every couple of months pertaining to the progress of the trash. I don't agree with Stabenow very often, but she's doing a pretty good job on this one!!:)

[Swamp Monster]

Originally posted by QuakrTrakr
I signed that petition. She sends updates every couple of months pertaining to the progress of the trash. I don't agree with Stabenow very often, but she's doing a pretty good job on this one!!:)

Yep me too, and I agree.

[Burksee]

I know this thread started out as a Jenny bash and the helicopter but once it got changed to the "Canadian Garbage" issue I gotta tell you I'm going to applogize first because I'm going to vent on this subject. It takes my blood pressure and stress level to a new high every time I read about it!

I signed that petition as well and have recieved simular notices on "the fight". My original question has never been answered out right with out lots of political, change the subect explanations.

"WHO ALLOWED THIS TO BEGIN IN THE FIRST PLACE?" & "WHY IS IT SO HARD TO STOP?"

My opinion is that our state congress and senate is doing a poor job at best to resolve what the people of Michigan want done about this matter!

"GET AN UPDATE EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS" - What kinda cr@p is that? They're talking months to get an up date? On what? Shut the door on Canadian garbage! What the heck is so hard about that? Believe me, If my job performance mirrored this effort I'd be sent packing and be out looking for work! Mabey if Granholm raised the fees and taxes on imported garbage they'd think twice about bringing it here?

[QuakrTrakr]

It's a federal issue. I believe it's the free trade agreement we have with Canada. As long as it is commerce. Trash is considered commerce because we are charging Canada money to dump.

[dogjaw]

Originally posted by catch&release
The reason that trash is being imported to Michigan is because of Engler. He allowed it to start.
C&R, try a little intellectual honesty. It's extremely obvious what political party you favor, but making up some absurd remark blaming a Republican for any problem discussed isn't helping your cause, or solving any problems. If a Michigan governor "allowed it to start", then a Michigan governor "could stop it". Using your unfounded implication, Granholm can stop it. Why doesn't she stop it, and why aren't you demanding she does? Imported trash was here long before Engler, and he couldn't stop it anymore than Granholm can now. It's a federal issue. Michigan or any other state can't stop it. It's called interstate commerce, and has been regulated and guaranteed by the Federal Government since this country was founded. There is no FEDERAL law against it, and no one can stop LAWFUL interstate transportation. So if you want something done, get those 2 U.S. senators from Michigan to get off their backsides and do something at the federal level. They're Democrats aren't they C&R? You should have them on your speed dial. I'll also save you some time. Don't bother dragging Bush into this. Congress has to pass a bill before he can sign it into law.

[Bolo]

I guess we know what party you are from also DJ. The Can-trash thing did start in the DINGLER ERA. I don't care what kind of spin you put on it. Who cares about the helicopter anyways, he was spending the money everywhere else but on the helicopter. If I was in her spot I would used the darn thing, the roads suck here in Michigan if you havn't noticed. As far as the license plate deal, $75 bucks is a better deal for me on my trailers cause I don't plan on getting rid of them, and the no proof thing is supposed to go back in for a vote to change it. Only time will tell that one. Guess you can tell what party I favor, the one that doesn't want to do away with my overtime pay. But boy, I could sure use a comp day? I don't like there stand on everything but It would be kind of hard to support my hunting and fishing without any money. Money talks and................Well you know how it goes. BOLO

[QuakrTrakr]

The roads suck?? Isn't that the responsibility of the goveror to raise funds to repair roads? I suppose it's fine with you to drive down that obstacle course of a road Hubbard Lake Road? How can you dismiss the helicopter? It'll be used for her personal vacations! As for the license plate deal, your wrong. The trucking company's are the one fronting most of that cost. It's not just a little $75 bill each for them. It's very significant. A trucking company here in Saginaw just closed it's door because of that! Boy, are you wrong. I could just keep going on about ole Grab buns.

[Bolo]

Your probably right about the roads and I don't like driving on the rough roads either. They are scheduled to fix Hubbard Lake Road in 2005, suppossedly:rolleyes:? Lets be for real here, this state has been neglecting the roads since long before Jenny, that would be during the Dingler administration. Big deal, a helicopter or a limo, anything they are using is costing us some bucks. How many years were the Englers shacked up on Mac. Isle all summer livin' it up? You don't really belive he drove his Oldsmobile there, do you? They are ALL good at milking us BUTT good. I do not think I am wrong on the license plate deal either, in my situation it works out nicely. If I owned a trucking company I wouldn't like it, that cuts into my profits. For me no more renewals:) . It is easy to blame everything on Jenny, just as it is easy for me to blame Dingler for the past. There are alot of other people who ought to be in on the blame, for both administrations. Don't get excited, that is just my .02 cents. By the way I could keep going too, but what good would it do. Its all in good fun. BOLO