Stephen Tuttle | Author

A Counterfeit Issue

Aug. 22, 2020

In 2016, the problem was all those illegal immigrants voting, remember? Millions and millions of them we were told. To be fair, the voter fraud commission that President Trump launched did find one green-card holder who had tried to vote. And on average, each year, there are about 20 pros... Read More >>

A Racist and A Park

Aug. 15, 2020

Former Leelanau County Road Commissioner Tom Eckerle recently explained he wouldn't wear a mask because “this whole thing is because of those n****** down in Detroit.”

Well now.

Undeterred, he pushed all-in, repeatedly using the vilest of racial epithets ... Read More >>

Emerging Truths

Aug. 8, 2020

It's been nearly seven months of COVID-19, and we're still struggling just to slow it down. It has disrupted lives, destroyed businesses and the jobs that went with them, putting 40 million Americans out of work. Children have been out of class for more than twice as long as a normal summ... Read More >>

Debunking Defunding

Aug. 1, 2020

“Defunding” the police means different things to different groups. For some, it is synonymous with reforming the police. For others it means a diversion of some funding, now used by law enforcement, for social and mental health workers. Still others hope for a Utopian future i... Read More >>

The Parties Are No Party

July 25, 2020

The Republican Party was born on March 20, 1854, in Ripon, Wisconsin. Their first presidential candidate was John C. Fremont, the first Republican elected president was Abraham Lincoln. Democrats got their start earlier, forming officially in 1828. Andrew Jackson was their first president... Read More >>

A Health Experiment

July 18, 2020

 

There is near unanimity regarding getting kids back to school. We all know it's important on multiple levels. 

We know in-person classrooms with on-the-spot individualized instruction is most effective. We know some children, especially those left out of the di... Read More >>

QAnonsense

July 11, 2020

 

There is an ongoing conspiracy. Not just any conspiracy but one writ large in capital letters followed by exclamation points.

It seems several hundred, or thousand, government employees — members of the so-called deep state—  are involved in a plot ... Read More >>

Endangering Us is Not a Right

July 4, 2020

 

We know a little but still don't know much. 

We know, for example, our refusal to social distance or wear a mask in public spaces makes the spread worse. We know the states that refused to mandate those simple actions are now epicenters of surging infections.Read More >>

Chickens Not Yet Hatched

June 27, 2020

They should just slow down and take a breath. 

The Biden fans and the anti-Trumpers — they aren't necessarily the same — are all atwitter lately over President Trump's stumbling presidency. They see November hope everywhere, even believing the president's halting ... Read More >>

A Repugnant Cause

June 20, 2020

It was a flag of treason waved by traitors. It's hard to see it any other way.  

The Confederate battle flag is an endangered species headed for public extinction. The Navy, Marines, and even NASCAR have already banned its public display. Others will soon follow. Read More >>

The Privilege of Assumption

June 13, 2020

George Floyd's grotesque killing wasn't the only reason for the explosion of anger. It was just the last spark on a fuse that's been burning a very long time. 

We say we understand and we sympathize, then we focus on the small group lighting fires and looting. We call them na... Read More >>

Unprotected Speech and Secure Ballots

June 6, 2020

Apparently we have to go over a couple of related items. Again.

Your speech is not protected by the First Amendment on social media platforms. There is no widespread, short-spread, or any spread of fraud surrounding mail-in ballots. 

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 20... Read More >>

A Big Dam Problem

May 30, 2020

 

We have a serious dam problem.

 

There are about 90,000 dams in the United States. The number is sketchy because the U.S. government only operates and maintains 1,500 of them, and the rest are operated by the state or private entities. Most are at least... Read More >>

Half Right

May 23, 2020

Traverse City's City Commission and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) recently floated two ideas, and they're batting .500. 
 
The suggestion to close two blocks of Front Street to vehicle traffic is a good one. If the long-term objective is to keep vehicles out of ... Read More >>

Who Are We Willing to Kill?

May 16, 2020

“Who's willing to die for liberty?” That's what one of the protesters in Lansing barked at the crowd.
 
It was the wrong question. The correct question is this: “Who are you willing to kill?” 
 
Some 45 states already have plans... Read More >>

Stretching the Threads

May 9, 2020

Our national togetherness apparently only went so far and lasted so long. Now the inevitable partisanship and ugly parochialism have invaded our best intentions. 
 
When states hit hardest by Covid-19 asked a thus-far very generous Congress for some financial help, it ... Read More >>

(Almost) Nothing is Immune

May 2, 2020

Searching for topics not impacted by COVID-19 is almost impossible. It has consumed, or at least intruded into, virtually every corner of our lives. 
 
Politics, nationally and mostly internationally, is all pandemic, all the time. Both China and Russia have used the o... Read More >>

The Dumbest Protests

April 25, 2020

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that Congress “ ... shall make no law abridging ... the right of the people peaceably to assemble ... ” 
 
We've been exercising that right for a very long time. It could be reasonably argued such a p... Read More >>

Praise and Blame

April 18, 2020

COVID-19 has created plenty of opportunities for both praise and blame. We've seen people at their best, some at their worst, and are daily reminded of how inefficient the federal government can be.  
 
Let's start with deserved praise.
 
There are the ... Read More >>

D.C. Mischief, TC Persistence

April 11, 2020

While the rest of us have been focused on the virus, mischief is being made in Washington, D.C. We shouldn't be surprised. Locally, Traverse City’s Downtown Development Authority wants to expand the size of a third proposed downtown parking deck though they can't yet finance it. &nb... Read More >>