The primary reason that Mr. Obama claims that this action is necessary is to cut the high costs of healthcare.  Aside from the fact that government price-controls have never, ever, made anything cheaper in the long term, there has been absolutely no evidence provided that this proposal will come close to achieving that goal.  However, let us set aside that fact and look at the most expedient manner in which cost control will be realized.  Again, remember that Bureaucracy, like water and electricity, always follows the path of least resistance.  With that in mind, it is entirely feasable, and likely, that the primary method that will be used to control costs will be controlling access to expensive procedures and drugs by taking into account the same actuary tables and algorithms that insurance companies use to calulate rates.  However, instead of using them to calculate how much to charge, they will be using them to determine your reimbursement potential.

That is right folks.  Your level of healthcare will no longer depend on your ability to pay or what insurance carrier or plan you have, it will depend on your future worth to the system.  Think about it.  Say that you are a 72 year old man that finds out you have lung cancer.  There are further complications due to your age that will make treatment a long and expensive process.  Along with you, in the waiting room, is a 28 year old man that is suffering from lung cancer.  While he does not suffer from the complications of age, he has other health related complications that make his possible treatment just as long and expensive.  Now, under the current system, both men would receive treatment to the best of their individual ability to pay.  They may also be eligible for individual programs to assist them in paying for treatment.  At the very least, Medicare and Medicaid would be possible avenues to be explored.

However, under the Obama healthcare vision, a bureaucrat or panel of bureaucrats will examine the cases of these two individuals and weigh the costs of their expected treatment against their expected survival time (how much their anticipated tax revenue will be) and decide that due to budgetary concerns, the 72 year gentleman can not be afforded the treatment and should, instead, be given either a less expensive, less effective course of treatment, or made to be comfortable in his last days.  Granted, that is the ‘horror’ story, the ‘worse-case scenario’ of this plan.  Yet, can anyone honestly say that they do not see this as the ultimate endgame of the plan?  The funny thing is, this is exactly what HMO companies were so hatefully accused of doing, and the people demanded the ability to sue them for it.  Guess what?  There will be NO ability to sue the Government HMO.

Our current health system is far from ‘perfect’ and does have its unfair elements.  But, why do those unfair elements exist?  They exist due the human factor called compassion.  We decided that we needed to take care of our fellow humans in times of emergency and dire need.  So, we accept the fact that anyone, regardless of their ability to pay, can walk into an emergency room and receive treatment.  How is this paid for?  Well, hospitals and the like spread the costs out over their accounts receivable, just like any business would.  So, instead of paying $1.25 for an aspirin, you are billed $2.75.  Essentially, you pay to play.  In its own way, that is as fair as it gets.  Those using the service, ultimately, pay the costs for those services.  Yet, Congress and Mr. Obama have decided that everyone should pay the costs, even those that do not use the service.  We all should pay for those that will not be paying.  The brunt of the healthcare bill will be taken care of by the ‘wealthy’, which has become defined as anyone that is not a member of one of this administration’s favored identity groups.  Yes, instead of paying $2.75 for an aspirin while in the hospital, you will pay your ‘share’ of a bill not generated by you or your family, while still being expected to pay your share of your own Doctor bill.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the ‘Fair’ Healthcare System.

First off, unless I am mistaken, a “Certificate of Live Birth” only certifies that the State has been provided signed affidavits from citizens in good standing that you were born where and when you claim.  This document is provided for those individuals that do not have ‘legal’ birth certificates, due to being born at home or some other instance.  My own father has such a document, as he was born on his family’s farm and the attending doctor did not file a birth certificate.  He had to fill out a form, have signed and notarized statements from two or more people that knew him for a period of time, and then have the form notarized and submitted to the State to approve and produce the certificate.  So, for Mr. Obama, a lawyer by the way, to continuously claim that he has provided his “legal birth certificate” is an out and out lie.  Why?  His claim that he was born in a hospital in Hawaii, which is not exactly an area one would expect a birth certificate not to be filed.

Perhaps it is the case that contemporary births also have no birth certificate and that Hawaii did not have the State-run facilities at that time.  No, that has been checked and found to not be the case, as children born in the same hospital in the same month and year have valid birth certificate documents.  Oddly enough, while there are hospital records of these births and admissions, there remain no records of Mr. Obama’s mother’s admission.

Having said that, some may argue that this is just a technical point and it is just sour grapes.  That may well be. However, those in Obama’s party chose to conduct an investigation into whether Sen. John McCain was eligible to run for the office and examined every piece of law to ensure that he, the son of an Admiral born in Panama on a US Base, could be considered a “natural born citizen” and thus eligible to run for President.  Whereas, in the case of Mr. Obama, the son of a Kenyan Muslim Communist and teenage girl, born god knows where; we are told to just accept that he is President and move on.  The larger point we, as Americans, need to look at and see through is that if the Government of the United States will not even enforce one of the most basic rules found in the document that defines it, how can we trust them to run this Country?

This is the point that Americans need to continue to bring up.  Truly, at this point, whether or not Mr. Obama is eligible is moot.  However, the specter of the Law hovers over this administration like the cigarette smoke from Mr. Obama’s smokes.  Which is another point of contention, smoking is ‘illegal’ in government buildings and property.  Mr. Obama, who serves as Chief Law Enforcement Officer, can not even obey that one?!  Anyways, this Administration and the Congress, and I do mean the ENTIRE Congress, have finally realized that they have nothing to fear from us.  We are now just the faceless masses that gratefully receive their blessings and patronage.

I find it funny that so many current movies and best-selling books are rooted in the struggle of “good versus evil.”  Stories of a larger-than-life hero taking on evil and winning are selling and making millions.  Why?  Could it be because the ‘unwashed’ masses, perhaps sub-consciously, are beginning to feel and sense the yoke that their ‘saviors’ in Government are putting on them.  Are they looking for a hero to save them from the ‘tyranny’ of their Government?  If so, what a pity.  It is a pity that they are looking for such a hero to save them from a situation that they, themselves, created.  They created this monstrosity that now rules our lives like the Sovereigns of long-ago.

Every time a group felt they were being cheated and requested a law to make things ‘fair’, we lost a bit of freedom.  When certain individuals ignored common sense and injured themselves and/or others due to their lack of that common sense and we cried to the Government to make sure this did not happen again, we lost a bit of freedom.  Everytime someone or a group decided that their beliefs were right, even if it was opposed by every bit of legitimate science and fact, and they had the money to make the uneducated and unsophisticated believe them and have the Government do as they asked, we lost a bit of freedom.  Just like pennies in a jar, the sum of all of those little bits are adding up.  They are adding up to a total that we, as Americans, are going to be surprised one day to find.  Our freedoms, those we assumed were protected by the Constitution, will no longer be there.  They will be replaced by those provided under law by the Federal, State, and Local governments.

It is quite a jump, going from questioning the citizenship of a presidential candiate to the purposeful dismantling of the US Constitution by those whose authority rest under it.  However, Mr. Obama’s eligibility is just one of those pennies in that jar.  The question is, how full will we, as Americans, allow the jar to become before we cash it in and become more mindful of how much goes into it.

This country is the greatest country in the world.  It is not perfect, it is not utopia, but it does stand as a singular beacon of freedom to the world at large.  Yet, there are those people in power that would have us believe that we represent the most evil force ever to exist to the world.  These members of Congress would have the United States forfeit its sovereignty to appease the desires of foreign interests.  Where exactly is that in our best interests?

Oh, these ‘esteemed’ legislators have claimed that by forging our own path through the World, we endanger our safety, we make more enemies through our perceived arrogance.  However, let us look at from the point of view of those we are supposed to appease.  These great countries that find it perfectly acceptable to stone to death anyone that ‘may’ be a homosexual, that find it moral to throw skin-burning acid onto the faces of young girls that, unbelievably, wish to be educated.  Yes, we are supposed to change our way of life to satisfy the desires of countries that have a ruling class that lives in extreme wealth and comfort, while the other 99% of their citizens live in equally extreme poverty and fear of being identified as speaking out about their situation.

Why has no legitimate ‘news’ organization sought out President-elect Obama’s brother, the one that lives in a dirt hut making a pittance each week, and ask him if he would prefer that the US have the same quality of life as he does.  I will guarantee you, he will say no.  The fact of the matter is, the governments of the World absolutely want the US to be brought down to their level, it is the only way they can perpetuate their way of life.

It all comes down to hope.  Not the kind of hope spouted during the Presidential election, but the hope of the downtrodden, the destitute, the dreamers.  America exists to give these people something to dream about.  They all dream of one day making it to her shores.  They tell their children stories of the great wealth and opportunities that exist here.  America is a dream that infects those that know the pain and suffering of despots and dictators.  That is exactly the dream that the leaders of the World wants to extinguish.  If they can succeed in destroying the place of dreams, then they can take the dreams away from their people.  They can stop their people from wanting more, because the dream, the example of life they desire, is no more.

What is most sad is that our own leaders are cooperating in making this happen.  Our duly elected members of Congress, along with their Media lapdogs and education lackeys, are slowly dumbing down our generations and making those less fortunate and less motivated believe that their current status is not their fault, it is the fault of those that work, those that invest their own capital to make jobs and products.  When was the last time a teenage fast-food employee was able to make change without the cash register telling them how much to return?  Now, do I believe that there is some dark council conspiring behind some closed doors to achieve this?  No.  I think it is the concerted effort of individuals that share elements of these beliefs that when brought together, convince each other to take the next step.

How do we stop this?  That is the problem, only we can stop it, but we will not.  Pennsylvania had an opportunity to fire a round across the bow by denying John Murtha re-election, however, in true mindless fashion, the people of his district choose to continue being happy with the janitorial and other minimum-wage positions he brings to his district under the guise of government contractors.  We need to begin to ask our representatives  why they feel it is necessary for the United States to lower its standards to appease the World?  Why do we not demand that the World raise its standards to ours?  Why have we, as a nation, accepted mediocrity as the bar to measure against in terms of education?   It has often been said that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance,  we need to awaken and stand on the wall before the wall is gone.

As I said, I may not agree with the views and beliefs of President-elect Obama, but I will take up arms to defend his right to have those beliefs.  That is what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving, that we still live in a Country that gives me the ability to speak up and speak out.  I only hope that this continues for many generations to come.

Those following this little rant site have been able to read of the battle of Michael George to receive a fair trial for the murder of wife in 1990.  He was arrested in 2007 for this crime with little to no evidence available to investigators.  From the day that Michael was arrested, the Michigan authorities have sought to avoid providing any discovery to his representatives, both in Pennsylvania and, later, in Michigan.  No copy of the arrest warrant was ever provided to Michael’s attorneys.  During Pre-Trial, even after several motions were submitted by Michael’s lawyers to coerce the Prosecution to provide discovery, they still dragged their feet.  Finally, after the first trial was complete, the Prosecution and Clinton Township Police begin to provide all sorts of documents.

Michael’s prosecution and hopeful re-trial are, we all hope, going to be nothing but bad memories soon.  However, my concern is for the people of Clinton Township.  My concern is for the family of the victim of this crime, Michael’s wife, Barbara.  They have had to suffer for years, wanting Justice and becoming fixated on the one person they feel safe in blaming, Michael.  I will admit, at first I was angry at them.  I felt that they were no better than the person that killed their family member.  I was angry that they would conspire with the County Prosecutor to take their Nieces’ Father away from them.  Then, as it is wont to do, time and reason took over and I began to see the truth.  Eric Smith, Macomb County Prosecutor, was using them and their anger for his own purposes.

I realize that that is a pretty crazy statement.  But, look at the facts.  His father was Chief of Police at the time of the murder.  In fact, prior to the trial, he would tell anyone that would listen that his father often told him that he always thought Michael committed the crime.  As more and more of the ‘details’ of the Police investigation became clear, I found that hard to swallow.  If this singular crime was so ingrained in Mr. Smith’s memory, that he would speak of it often to his son, why, then, did he not do anything to prove Michael’s guilt or go further and conduct an adequate investigation to find the actual killer?

Let us look at the ‘facts’ as the Police have stated them.  In the first place, they could not figure out that there was a crime upon their arrival at the Comic’s World store.  They assumed she had a fall or a heart-attack and called an ambulance.  It was not until they had her at the hospital that they found out she had been shot!  That’s right, Barbara George was shot in the head.  Now, one would assume, that if one was shot in the head there would be some form of blood pool.  One would also figure that the simple existence of said blood pool would likely indicate something more serious than a fall, however, this seemingly never occurred to these officers.  No, they trampled over the crime scene and allowed lord knows what to go on, before they finally ‘secured’ the crime scene.

Then, when they decide to get Michael, did they treat him as an initial suspect?  Well, not really.  There was no processing of Michael and his clothing.  There was no gunshot residue test, a parafin test, conducted on Michael’s hands or clothing.  There was no search of his vehicle, his home, or his Mother’s residence, where he claimed to be at the time of the crime.  There was, unbelievably, no attempt on the part of the Clinton Township Police to verify Michael’s alibi!  Instead of asking around his Mother’s neighborhood and interviewing her neighbors, as would be expected since that was where he claimed to be, they went to the area around Michael’s residence and interviewed his neighbors!  What could they ask them that any relevance to the crime, other than confirming that Michael was not there?

By now, you are probably thinking, well, maybe they were relying on the physical evidence, the gun and fingerprints recovered at the scene.  That would be a good thought, however, it would be incorrect.  No, the Clinton Township Police Department did not bother to run the ballistic results through any of the available databases.  Nor did they bother to process any of the fingerprints that they could not identify.

If you have followed this trial at all, you are now probably saying, what about Michael Renaud, the Prosecution star witness.  This is the gentleman that claims that he called the store right around the time of the crime and spoke to a man he thought was Michael.  The problem with his story is not that he claims he spoke to Michael, it is the fact that he contacted the Police numerous times and changed the time of his call each time.  The Police, to their actual credit, discounted his claim and merely took a message for the investigating officers.  However, flash forward to 2007, suddenly they now have a ‘witness’ that places Michael at the scene of the crime at the right time.  Conveniently, the store at which Mr. Renaud was employed no longer exists, a victim of consolidation of retail outlets.  This meant that there was no pay stubs to reference to validate he was even employed, no time cards to reference that he was even at the store when he claims he made the call, in fact, there was nothing but his word that he even made the call, as the Police secured no phone records at the time.  Yet, this was Eric Smith’s star witness.

The Clinton Township Police received several tips on the tip hot line regarding the theft that was associated with the shooting.  They never got around to following any of them up.  They received a tip from a fellow LEO in Wayne County concerning a possible suspect.  Not only was this not followed up on, but later in 2008, they tried to dismiss the fact by saying that they were not sure that the call did not come from a Jail Trustee!  Then, they tried to blame the Defense for not alerting them to the existence of this individual.  Finally, when pushed by Judge Biernat, they had to admit that they just never looked into it.  Unfortunately, for Barbara’s family and for Michael, this individual is deceased.

Now, I could rail further on the Clinton Township Police, but I will not.  As I have been creating this entry, I have come to a realization.  Eric Smith is quite proud of the “Cold Case Unit” that is responsible for the prosecution of Michael George.  He brags about the number of cases that have been solved years after the fact.  So many, in fact, one really should start to wonder why.  Why are there so many unsolved cases in Macomb County?  Then, one starts to think, well, his father was Chief of Police.  Is Eric Smith trying to save the reputation of his father?  It seems like a large number of the cases being prosecuted by Mr. Smith’s Cold Case Unit are from that time period.  Maybe someone should look deeper into Mr. Smith’s motivations, they find that they are more than a need for Justice.  I think Eric Smith found this case and chose it to further his aspirations for a Judical career.  I think he is using the family of Barbara George and their feelings of rage to his own ends and I think that is despicable.  I honestly do not think Mr. Smith’s father ever spoke to him about this crime, I think it is a fantasy that Eric Smith created to generate propaganda for this case and his prosecution of it.  This unjust action needs to come to an end and the State of Michigan needs to investigate the cruel and downright evil manipulation of some of its citizens by this overzealous prosecutor.

michael_george_transcript

First, he claimed his father, the former Clinton Township Police Chief and Chief at the time of the crime, told him that he ‘always’ knew Michael George was guilty.  Then, he stated that the Cold Case Unit was created because of the Michael George case.  That got me thinking, why.  With all the unsolved murders each day, month, year in Detroit, let alone Michigan, why this case.  Was it just said for effect?  Would he have said the same thing about another case?  Or, could it be something else?

The funny thing about his father ‘always’ knowing Michael George was guilty is that he did absolutely nothing to prove it.  He had the ability to make Michael a clear suspect, or eliminate him all together.  Any number of forensic tests were available in 1990 that could have allowed them to move forward with a case or eliminate Michael as a suspect.  However, these tests were not done.

What about the tips that were never followed up on and confirmation of alibis  that were never done?  Some of these tips came from within the law enforcement community and were summarily ignored by his department.  Why is no one asking about these items?  Why is the press and other media outlets only talking about the Judge’s decision to overturn Michael’s conviction or about the ‘Case of the Comic Book Killer?’  Why ?

The abject failure of the Clinton Township Police Department to conduct the most simple of investigations is a crime against the people of Macomb County.  It really needs to have the light of day shone upon it.  Can we really assume that this is the only instance of this type of ‘police work’ that this department conducted?  I think we need to assume that this level of incompetence is the norm and take a closer look at every case, whether ‘solved’, ‘unsolved’, or ‘cold’, that this department is involved in.

I am one of the first to understand and admit that law enforcement is truly a thankless task.  Law Enforcement Officers take a lot of heat for both their actions and inactions, either real or imagined.  However, when I see or hear of a situation like this, where the obvious was not done, I can only become incensed.  I am realistic enough to realize that there is not always Black and White situations in law enforcement.  However, there is right and wrong in being able to do something and not doing it.  In the case of the murder of Barbara George, the Clinton Township Police department, for whatever reason, did wrong.  It is they that need to come clean and explain their lack of investigation.  They need to explain to the daughters of Michael and Barbara George, to the Macomb County Circuit Court, to the people that they are supposed to serve and protect, and Michael George himself, why they failed and why they continue to support this failure and the illusion of Justice it has created in the minds of Eric Smith and his supporters.

I have a friend that was unjustly arrested and tried for a murder that we, his friends, are positive that he did not commit.  My friend, Michael George, was put on trial by a Prosecutor’s office that was more concerned with putting a win on the scoreboard, rather than justice.  The Prosecutor used every ploy in the book to make the jury hate Michael, everything that is, but facts.  I do not truly blame him for this, but the unfortunate truth is his actions and those of the Clinton Township Police Department have allowed a murderer and a thief to go free, while they attempt to prosecute an innocent.  This can not be allowed to continue unabated.  To this end, I have sent a letter to Mike Cox, Attorney General of the state of Michigan, asking that his office conduct an ethics investigation of the Macomb Prosecutor’s Office; Eric Smith, the County Prosecutor; and their actions.  If this were just the case of my friend, I would be indignant, but reality would convince me that my cause would be a lost one.  However, as of late, this County has been found to have put at least three men behind bars that have been found to be truly innocent.  This can not continue to be.  A society must have faith in the protection of its citizens by the law and have faith that the legal system is there to protect, not condemn the innocent.  The text of the letter I have sent is below:

Mr. Cox,

In light of certain events involving the legal establishment of Macomb County, I would like to inform you of another injustice in the making. The case I am speaking of is that of Michael George. Sir, this case was mishandled from the very beginning in 1990 and the purposeful and blatant mishandling continues to this day. Detailed below are twenty (20) distinct points that show the gross mishandling of the investigation, evidence, and facts related to this case.

Since Michael George’s friends and immediate family are from PA, we never knew about the Ken Wyniemko case. Michael’s attorney related the articles about Ken Wyniemko’s story and we were flabbergasted to see how many similarities there were to Michael’s case. This was another wrongly accused man that had been in jail for over a year for a crime he did not commit.

1. Clinton Township Police never produced the warrant for the arrest of Michael George to the defense. This warrant was asked for by the defense numerous times. Michael George had never before been arrested. He did not even have a traffic violation. Like Mr. Wyniemko, he also was not given the opportunity to make a phone call. When Michael asked, Detective Hreicho stated “You’re not getting a phone call”. In the end, Michael did not receive a phone call until after 3 days in jail.

1. The involvement of Judge Linda Davis. She was, in relevance to this matter, the prosecutor for Mr. Wyniemko’s case. She since served as the judge that could have thrown out the Michael George case a year ago for lack of evidence. She was condemned for her ethics during Mr. Wyniemko’s trial. During Michael’s court case; she was observed giggling with a prosecution witness, talking about the nail salon they knew each other from. At the very least, the appearance of impropriety and possible partiality should have caused her to recuse.

1. The lead detective in both cases had specifically asked that certain pieces of evidence not be tested. Michael George provided a DNA sample three (3) times. To date, the results of these DNA tests, if ever conducted, have not been provided to the defense. The Prosecution did not even compare Michael’s DNA to that of the pubic hair found on the sweater of the victim, his wife. This pubic hair also was not, to the knowledge of the defense, compared against the DNA of known felons in any available database accessible to law-enforcement officials.

1. In Mr. Wyniemko’s case, evidence was purposely withheld. Michael’s attorneys are still receiving discovery containing evidence from 1990, six (6) months after the guilty verdict. Phone calls are still being received by the defense from witnesses who said that they spoke to the police in 1990 and police never followed up on the information provided. These individuals have contacted the defense due to the coverage in the media of the trial. Upon follow-up by the defense, the statements provided by these individuals were discovered to have never been provided with the evidence produced by the prosecution during discovery. Defense lawyer Carl Marlinga requested and submitted motions for discovery over thirty (30) times.

1. During his closing argument, the prosecutor, Mr. Kaplan, used a photo of Michael George in his prison garb that he had fashioned into a jigsaw puzzle. As he made a point during his argument, he would place a piece of the ‘puzzle’ into place in front of the jury, in order to complete the picture. This ‘prop’ was not marked as an exhibit or ever received into evidence.

1. Mr. Kaplan, the prosecutor, suggested during his closing statements that the burden on the State is to only show the probability a defendant committed the crime that they are accused of committing. He continued to insinuate that the burden of proof lay with the Defendant to prove their innocence.

1. The prosecution and Clinton Township Police failed to provide fingerprint cards. It has been only in the last few weeks that they were run through the AFIS system. This is six (6) months after a guilty verdict. Thus far, there have been no matches.

1. In both Mr. Wyniemko’s case and Michael’s case, prosecutors voiced their own opinions on the truthfulness of the suspects or quoted as fact, items or events not supported by the evidence introduced, appealing to the base emotions of jurors.

1. In both Mr. Wyniemko’s case and Michael’s case, witnesses were coached, evidence was buried or ‘misplaced’, possible leads were ignored and justice was forsaken seemingly all for the pursuit of conviction and the ability to post another ‘win’ on the County Prosecutor’s website.

1. Clinton Township Police never checked Michael or his clothing for gunshot residue. Mr. Kaplan, in his closing statement, claimed to the jury, “You can just wash that off”. An interesting comment, considering gunshot residue literally burns itself into skin and clothing.

1. Michael’s clothing was also never examined by Clinton Township Police for blood evidence.

1. The Clinton Township Crime Scene officers never used Luminol at the crime scene to support the conclusion of the investigation. In his closing argument, Mr. Kaplan states that Luminol was unavailable in 1990. With a population of 100,000 in 1990, Clinton Township was not exactly Mayberry. It is hard to believe they didn’t have the resources or knowledge of such a forensic tool. Luminol has been used in American crime scene investigations since 1928 and even earlier in England. Thus, it was available in 1990.

1. Clinton Township Police did not attempt to obtain pertinent phone records. These records could have corroborated or disproved the testimony of the prosecution’s key witness and/or reaffirmed the defense witnesses. Considering that juror interviews post-trial showed that the phone call that was supposedly received at the crime scene was a key point to the jury’s decision, and records exist that this key witness, Michael Renaud, provided multiple timelines to investigators as to when he placed the supposed call, these phone records would have provided relevant evidence and a concrete timeline. The question still hangs in the air as too why these records were not sought out in 1990.

1. Clinton Township Police did not search for the stolen comic books that were reported as part of the crime. Numerous phone calls were made to the police about suspicious sales of large amounts of comic books weeks after the murder. They were not followed up on. In fact, during testimony, the lead detective testified that he did not ever believe that there had been a robbery. Which is fine, except he also signed off to the insurance company, signing off on a report that claimed he, at that time, had no doubt that the robbery had taken place. This was also a piece of evidence that the defense had to obtain through the insurance company, as the case file copy was not provided during discovery until a much later point. Furthermore, Clinton Township Police never requested or pursued a warrant to search any of Michael’s property or vehicles.

1. The Police never interviewed two suspects that were implicated in two other separate murders. Even though the police received separate phone calls on their tipline as to where these individuals lived and both individuals were involved in crimes stealing comic books and/or baseball cards in the past. Clinton Township Police seemingly did not feel they were suspects worth pursuing, either in 1990 or 2007. They never checked on any alibis. In fact, they never attempted to verify anyone’s alibi.

1. Clinton Township Police did not attempt to rule out Michael as a suspect by verifying his alibi. They went to the neighborhood that he claimed to have been at during the crime twice and not once did they talk to any of the neighbors of Michael’s mother, where he claims to have been at the time of the crime. To date, they still have not spoken to the neighbors and some of them have lived there 30 years.

1. The investigators did not produce a suspect sketch from witness testimony, testimony which was pursued by the defense, until 2007.

1. The investigators never attempted to rectify witness descriptions of possible suspects with photos of any possible suspects, including Michael George, in 1990 or 2007. There was no attempt to correlate the description of possible suspects in and around the crime scene with the photos of known criminals.

1. There was no attempt to analyze the fiber evidence found. I understand and realize that forensics has come a long way since 1990. However, fiber matching and basic analysis were still possible

1. Mr. Kaplan, in his recent filing with the Court, is still stating that Michael George moved in with his current wife one month after the crime. This, even though the prosecution’s own discovery shows clearly that they lived at separate addresses until 3 months before their marriage. Prosecutors repeated that inaccurate statement in court and in the media enough times that the jury believed it as truth even though the evidence and witness testimony was presented to prove otherwise.

Mr. Cox, Ken Wyniemko spent nine years in a Michigan State Prison for a crime he did not commit. So far Michael George has spent one year in jail, thankfully, Judge Biernat has allowed that time to be in the Macomb County facility. But, there is one other thing these two men have in common. They have families, friends and lawyers that believed then and believe now in their innocence and are willing to do anything to see that justice is done. In Michael’s case, he wants nothing more than to see the actual perpetrator brought to justice. Unfortunately, the Clinton Township Police have effectively robbed him, his daughters, and his late-wife’s family of that possibility. Michael also has former Warren Police Chief Jim Vohs supporting his cause. Chief Vohs has produced more evidence in 6 months than the whole Clinton Township Police Department found in 18 years.

While I have no desire to ‘pile on’ as it were, I do wish to make sure that my friend does not become another ‘cold case’ that becomes an obvious injustice years later. I have no desire to have anyone, friend or not, used as a stepping stone for the career of a politician. I do not wish Michael’s freedom trampled on as Eric Smith seeks another tick in the ‘win column’ as he tries to advance from County Prosecutor to whatever lofty role he imagines himself playing in the Michigan judiciary.

I am not writing you to seek Michael’s freedom. I am not writing you to intervene on his behalf in any way. I am writing you this letter and pointing out these injustices for one reason. I ask that your office initiate an investigation of the ethics and procedures of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, in general, and of Mr. Smith and his colleagues, in particular. I ask that an investigation of the ethics and procedures of the Clinton Township Police Department be conducted. How many innocent men will have to sit in prison, their lives in shambles, because these individuals collude not to uphold the law, but to advance their careers through questionable success.

Sir, on September 12^th of 2008, Michael George is scheduled to go before Judge Biernat on a motion for a retrial. It is our sincerest hope that this motion will be granted. However, it is also our firmest belief that no Prosecutor, outside those of Macomb County, would ever think of prosecuting this case as it was presented. I understand you are a busy man, but I ask you to please review the transcript of the Michael George trial. Look at the evidence, or lack thereof, entered into the record. I ask that you review the actions of the prosecution and the Police Department in terms of if the interests of the public and of justice were being met. I believe that you will find them as lacking as I. I thank for your time and consideration.”

I am pleased to say that the result of the September 12th hearing was that the verdict against Michael was overturned and a new trial was granted.  This is a singular victory, but the fight continues.  Justice is something that cannot be ignored.  Justice is not something Congress or some Politician; local, state, or federal can grant.  Justice must be demanded by the People and honored by those that create the law and argue its points.  It is something that has been lacking in this era of Judges supplanting our elected legislators and creating law from the bench.  We, the People, have little ability to fight this type of legislation and our friends across the aisle know it.  This is why they support Judges that conduct themselves in this manner.  This is what John McCain and Sarah Palin will work to stop, an activist Judiciary.

““Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency,” Adrianne Marsh, a spokeswoman for Obama, said in a written statement.”

What an asinine statement!  This has to be a fake press release.  Being Mayor of a town and Governor of a State already gives her more executive office experience than Obama and Biden, combined. In fact, being Mayor of a town gives her more executive experience than either of them. In Mrs. Palin’s 12 year public office career, she has signed her name to more ordinances and laws than either Mr. Obama or Mr. Biden.  In fact, even if she signed only one town ordinance or one state law, she has done so more times than Mr. Obama or Mr. Biden.

Also, since when does a vacation to Europe count as foreign policy experience.  Has Mr. Obama ever been to Alaska?  Mrs. Palin has to contend with Russian ships and such coming through the Bering Straits and other such “international incidents” all the time.  I would imagine she and her staff know the Russian Consulate’s phone number by heart.  She has also had to deal with the needs and demands of the Inuit population.  While not a foreign nation, they are a definite group of people with a cultural identity and cultural demands.

I, for one, am excited about this selection.  I must admit, I was hoping for Mitt Romney and expected Gov. Pawlenty.  The choice of Sarah Palin gives me hope.  She is a true conservative, she respects others, and she respects her promises to those that support her.  She has proven this many times, both as Mayor of a town of 9,000 and the Governor of a state of 670,000+.

In all fairness, however, perhaps Ms. Marsh misspoke.  It does seem to happen to the current crop of Democrats quite a bit.  Perhaps she was tired from celebrating the coronation last night of their Fuhrer, I mean, candidate.  I think she meant, deep down inside, “Thursday, The American Democrat Party put the former street runner for ACORN with zero foreign policy experience a goosestep away from the presidency.”  But, that is just my opinion.

Right off the bat, I am a Republican and proud of it.  I am not a veteran, but I deeply respect and feel indebted to those that are veterans and are currently serving.  I am a Conservative Republican, that does not mean I am a racist, eliteist, rich, or any of the other “labels” that our friends on the left use to describe us.  I am now and grew up middle-class.  My parents, who both worked long and hard to provide for my sister and I, helped me pay for college, but a majority of my college education was financed through student loans.

I have lived through the 70′s, 80′s, 90′s and 00′s.  I remember the gas lines and failures of the Carter Administration, the excess and successes of the Reagan Administration, the lethargy of the Bush Administration, and the questionable ethics and internet boon of the Clinton Administration.  I will never forget the attack on our Country by the Islamic Terrorists on 9/11, nor will I ever forgive them or their cult leaders for that attack.  I remember how, for a short period of time, this Country stood as one against the World and said with one voice, “This will NOT happen again!”  I also sat and watched how that resolve disintegrated as politicians played power games and political “correctness” once more caused honest Americans to feel uncomfortable being proud of their nation.

I am a strict constructionist.  That is, I believe in the Constitution and the powers it conveys.  I believe that the power to make laws rests with the legislature, not with the Courts.  I believe that the governement exists to serve the will of the people, not the reverse.  I believe fully in the Bill of Rights.  I believe that the First Amendment is sacred and should be treated as thus.  I believe that the Second Amendment exists as a guarantee to the people should government become tyrannical, they have an ability to resist.  I believe that wanting to protect my family, my home, my neighbors, and way of life makes me human, not racist or bigoted or in any way hateful.

I believe that it is none of the government’s or anyone else’s damn business if I want to eat meat, vegetables, rocks, or anything else, except those that care about me or I retain to take care of me, and even then, it is my business whether or not I take their advice.  Finally, I work hard.  I do not expect my employer to provide me anything except that which I have worked for.  I appreciate that they do provide me with extras, and understand that it is an act of appreciation for the work I do, not an entitlement.  With that, I close this first post.  Like I stated at the beginning, if you like what you have read, comment.  If you dislike what you have read, comment.  I will promise to try to be civil to all, but there are certain lines that if crossed, I will attack.