Cleary Should Decline the Earmark Money

If Cleary University President Tom Sullivan really believes what he says his school teaches, he would turn down the $813,750 in taxpayers' dollars that Rep. Mike Rogers secured for him in the Omnibus Budget bill.

On the university's webpage, Cleary writes, "I am especially proud to be affiliated with Cleary University, an institution committed to teaching the American free market economic system, ethical business practices, and leadership skills. Our alumni include small business owners, Fortune 500 executives, mid- and senior-level managers - all solid performers who contribute each day to the promise of America."

If Sullivan really believes in the "American free market economic system" and "ethical business practices," why is he accepting tax dollars? Shouldn't the school be able to make it on its own? Is it an "ethical business practice" for Cleary to say one thing (free market principles!) and do another (feed at the public trough every chance you get)? What sort of example does that set for the "Fortune 500executives" that are supposedly being trained at Cleary?

It seems to me that if the Cleary "Fortune 500 executives" are so successful as a result of their education at Cleary, they ought to be able to chip in enough to pay for the new furnace for the racquetball and basketball courts at the school. After all, if they can afford to pay $150 a head to attend the May 2 fund-raiser at the school, certainly they can pony up a few bucks more for the "geothermal heat pump." That, BTW, sounds really grand until you realize geothermal heat pumps have been around since the 1940s.

And as for the $100,000 for the business incubator, again, free market principles should apply. Turn down the money and show the world how free market principles work so well in the real world. And let the alumni make donations to pay tuition for people who want their kids to go to Cleary while they are still in high school, which is the "dual enrollment" program Cleary is getting $238,000 for.

Cleary should put his mouth where our money is -- turn down the earmarks and go it alone.

Dick Morris Came, Went. So What?

Dick Morris is famous for two things -- hating the Clintons and sucking on a prostitute's toes.

Those two things were apparently all it took to earn him an invitation to speak in Livingston County Monday as part of Cleary University's Economic Club luncheon series.

I'm still waiting to see how it improved our local economy.

More importantly, it's interesting to note what a small blip Morris' appearance made.

It wasn't just because local Democrats are too busy working for Sen. Barack Obama's campaign to bother worrying about what Morris said.

It's more that Morris is totally irrelevant. He made his money attacking Bill and Hillary Clinton, after taking money to work for President Clinton.

And guess what? There are no Clintons on the ballot this year.

The spotlight is on Barack Obama and Morris has no "expertise," no inside gossip, to trade on about Obama.

The nation is turning the page on Morris.

Good riddance.

Why Dick 'Toe-Sucker' Morris Is Coming to Livingston County

The Conservative Media guy has a nice piece explaining why Dick Morris, infamous for his bizarre encounters with a prostitute, is the next speaker in the Cleary University Economics Club series.

And it has nothing to do with how to make our local economy stronger.

Read it here.