Border Thoughts

I just wondered about some of these things and thought you might be interested too

BAIRD NOT OPTIMISTIC RE MICHIGAN SENATE VOTE

Oh my gosh, what will he have to promise Michigan Senators after his House $550M? Take pity on Canadian taxpayers dear Senators and kill the P3 Bill. I beg you!

Here is what the Minister said in the Transportation Committee meeting after returning from Lansing and talking to Senators there this week http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jan9wh99K8

Looks like he pretty much thinks he has lost already. But of course, that is to create a false sense of security in the Bridge Company mind so they will let their guard down.

Only the BLOGMeister can guess what will happen next but, for that, you will have to read my Monday BLOG.

DOES THE DRIC STINK

Literally, I mean. Have the DRIC engineers considerd this in their environmental studies? I did not make this up. It was expressed by Rep Tlaib, one of the big DRIC boosters in her Detroit radio interview

I guess that MDOT will have to post this sign for tourists now entering the US:

Welcome to Michigan but hold your nose!

WAS BAIRD IN LANSING FOR THE DRIC/P3 VOTE

Yes he was but not one media report that I have read reported it until a few days later.

I wonder why it was not reported right away. Was it considered not newsworthy? It should have been headline news. Mr. $550M in Lansing on the day of the P3 vote. Mind you, it did make it easier for the media types just to dump on Moroun for having people there talking to legislators. What a terrible act on his part. Imagine trying to prevent his business from being crushed.

Whom did Baird meet, what did he say, did he promise anything more? Who knows since again we have been poorly served by our traditional media.

WAS BAIRD'S $550M OFFER A SUCCESS

For those of my readers who came to the conclusion that the Minister's offer was not a mere "loan" but perhaps something more as the CBC host put forward as an alternative, does the vote in favour of the P3 legislation help out?

The vote for or against means nothing in itself but when the Michigan Speaker says this, then one has to step back and take a good hard look at what was done:

• "House Speaker Andy Dillon anticipates the Senate will approve the legislation, but he expects changes will be sent back to the Democrat-controlled House for final approval. He applauded the Canadian government's offer of $550 million to cover Michigan's share of the project for helping to make a difference in the vote. "It was pretty significant, because obviously we don't have money in the state government to fund our portion of this."

For those who viewed the payment as "harmless," does this change your mind?