Cliffs Riffs - Stuph n Nonsense

People who are concerned about the well being of our planet's natural resources and the effects we are having on the planet can easily be overwhelmed into thinking we are all seriously screwed. It is easy for any of us to focus on all the past, existing, and potential damage we are doing to the planet and feel like there is no way to make a difference - there is no way to undo all the harm. I would contend that it is possible to focus on the full part of the glass without ignoring the empty. Part of the solar array installed at Sue's house this fall. I see people all around me doing what they can to turn the tide both in a practical manner and even in an informational manner. On the practical side - I have two friends who have added solar arrays to their homes in the last 30 days. In early November Sue and her family put panels on their house and have even started sharing the difference they are seeing in their electricity situation as their system incorporates...

Last week I sounded off about the importance of compensating teachers from the MOST important standpoint of the well being and potential future of our kids and grand-kids - YOU KNOW, the students that interact with the teachers. (Click Here to Read That.) Please allow me to switch to my Business Owner Hat for this short piece in which I will demonstrate the economic power of kick ass schools like we have in Lowell. Julie and I own our building. It was built in 1868 and there are two more floors above Chimera Design , the full service jewelry store we have operated here on Main Street in Lowell since 2002. We, along with four other building owners, would love to put some apartments above our retail space for a number of reasons. This morning I met with Ryan Fitzpatrick from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. He has done extensive work of this kind in downtown Grand Rapids. He oversees grant money from the State that could help little operators like Julie and I affor...

On Monday March 13th Julie and I hopped in the car, drove to Lansing and attended an open meeting held by the Pipeline Task Force. First, I am happy to report that in spite of it being a Monday afternoon on a cold, snowy day in Michigan, the place was packed. Sliders were pulled back to make two rooms into one because the room in which the meeting was scheduled was at capacity. The second room was Standing Room Only before the meeting was underway. In addition,  there were people with signs out in the parking lot and along the road (Saginaw in West Lansing - out by Horrocks.) That put a smile on my face. There were people from all over the State, including the UP. There were kids, parents and grand-parents. Made my heart glad. The only downside that comes to mind was that there could have been a bit more diversity in the crowd. While the Indians of Michigan were WELL represented, the bulk of the rest of the people there were white. Frankly, I do not get this - brown, ...

Do you live in Michigan? Do you believe that water is our most important (valuable) resource? Do you get upset at welfare abuse? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, then you might want to join me in doing what ever we can do to put an end to the welfare that Michigan has been extending to Nestle, a Swiss Corporation that enjoys profits - PROFITS, not sales - in the billions of dollars every year. Nestle has been pulling 212 gallons per minute (gpm) from two Michigan freshwater aquifers for the cost of an annual licensing fee. They are extracting that water 24/7/365. In case you live on the moon, Nestle takes the water and puts it into plastic bottles and sells it back to us at huge profits. It is sold under the Ice Mountain label as well as a host of other labels. LEFTIES: If you are a tree hugging lefty, consider the environmental impact of draining 12,720 gallons an hour or 305,280 gallons a day from our aquifers. Pretty upsetting huh? RIGHTIES...

Once upon a time I was a Republican. I worked for the party by distributing thousands of Voter Guides to churches all over MI to help Engler get elected. I became a precinct delegate for a brief time. The concept of running government like a business resonated with me. That was then. Now that I see the ultimate results of such an effort, I am saddened that I was in that camp to begin with. It took me several years to reach the conclusion that government CANNOT be run like a business. Fast forward to Rick Snyder running as someone who will run Michigan like a business. As the owner of a micro-business in Lowell since 2002 this had some appeal. Then I began to question and ask others, "What kind of smart business man would invest 6 million dollars to get a job that pays $159,000?" Yes, I know, he hands back all but $1 of his salary because he does not need the money. So what does he need? Why is he doing it? Does he love Michigan? I have seen no evidence to suggest that s...

These are my answers to an MLive Voter Guide.   NOTE: While I appreciated the opportunity with MOST of the questions to provide detailed answers, there was no allowance for anything but a yes or no on the last three questions, one of which was regarding abortion. I believe part of the problem with politics these days is that we want to address complex issues with yes/no answers and as a result we pigeonhole people quickly and dismiss anything they might have to say beyond the first word. So - I have my "yes" or "no" answers below ALONG WITH the expanded versions I would have liked to include on the MLive Voter Guide. The expanded version is in bold type.  Here is the MLive Guide Why are you running for office? My run was initiated 3 years ago when I found out about pipeline #5 under the Straits. Water is life for all of us - no matter what political party, if any, we belong to. Water is the future. For us to allow a 63 year old set of pipes to move a...

These are the questions and my answers to a Voter Guide that will be published by The Detroit Free Press. Campaign Website http://cliffsriffs.blogspot.com/ Facebook http://www.facebook.com/86thDistrictCliff/ Twitter http://@Cliff486thRep YouTube How should the state assist other municipalities and school districts whose solvency is threatened by its financial obligations to current and future retirees? The emergency manager plan clearly does not work. I would like to see a more cooperative method put in place. One that would allow the State to have oversight while at the same time respecting and empowering the local officials who were put in office by the people of the particular municipality or school district. By this I do not mean creating the illusion of empowerment, but keeping the power intact with assistance from the State official(s) sent to assist the situation. I believe we need to do away with Us vs Them thinking and work together for solutions for the good of ...

The video above gives you a glance at the 14 memes pictured below. If you see something you like, please copy and share it!

Phase Two of My Campaign Has Three Key Elements 1. First and foremost, I am looking for one hour of your time to help me get elected. But I am only looking for one minute a day for 60 days. Will you commit to directing positive energy toward my campaign for one minute a day? Call it a prayer if you want. Don't believe in that? Then go Flat Out Scientific - everything is made up of energy. So, direct some POSITIVE energy from you to me and my efforts in the 86th District for one minute a day. This is not a joke - I am totally serious with this request. It will take an Unlikely Army for me to be elected - and I need that Army to surround this effort with all the positive energy we can muster. 2. Share, share, and share. For the next 60 days I am going to put up a series of 15 memes - I will rotate through them 4 time each. They will highlight campaign issues and promises. I will be putting them on Facebook, and Twitter - @cliff486threp. I need UA members to share the heck o...

Jill Stein is coming to the Mitten. Come and experience Green Power - meet and hear Jill. Meet the other Michigan Green Party candidates from around the state. Admission is FREE - click here: To Reserve Your Spot.

If you have talked to me or read my campaign literature, you have probably heard me reference the opening words of the Michigan Constitution:  "All political power is inherent in the people . Government is instituted for their equal benefit , security, and protection." Article 1, Section 1 emphasis added. I am not a lawyer, but I do not believe one needs a law degree to realize the intention of our Constitution here. The power lies in the hands of the people of Michigan. This means ALL people of Michigan, not certain people - not ultra rich people, everybody.  Furthermore, the equal benefit, security, and protection portion does not require an advanced degree to comprehend. We are all supposed to benefit in an equal manner.  There are 32,090 households in the 86th District. My job as a Representative is to see that these promises of the Constitution are applied to all of those households in an equal manner. Right now that is impossible because of the ma...