Stephen Tuttle | Author

Draining the Swamp

March 17, 2018

Sandy Pensler is running for the United States Senate in the Republican primary. He joins former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bob Young and businessman John James as the only official Republican candidates, so far. The winner will take on Democrat incumbent Debbie Stabenow in November.&... Read More >>

Economic Folly

March 10, 2018

Our president, after saying he was going to slap a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum, said he believes trade wars are “good,” and winning them is “easy.” No, he really said that.

It seems to be a theory unique to him... Read More >>

Desire vs. Reality

March 3, 2018

Traverse City's Twin Towers of Terror — parking and affordable housing — are once again in the headlines. Or, rather, still in the headlines.

Yet another parking study has determined that if people would just walk, bike, or take the bus downtown, that would be swell. A... Read More >>

More Madness

Feb. 24, 2018

We aren't going to do anything. At least not anything of real substance.

Politicians will yammer away, one side demanding more gun restrictions and the other saying this is not the time to discuss it. Florida might pass some ineffective law, or laws, but Congress will do nothing b... Read More >>

Ironic Budgets

Feb. 17, 2018

President Donald Trump presented his idea of a budget last week. It was about what you'd expect.

Let's see ... he would cut food stamps by 22 percent and add a work requirement, which isn't really a budget item at all. He wants the government to send food boxes instead of money to... Read More >>

Big Trouble in Sparty Land

Feb. 3, 2018

Michigan State University (MSU) finds itself in deep trouble, much of it self-inflicted.

The Larry Nassar nightmare appears to be the tip of a much larger iceberg.

Nassar is the pedophile sexual predator who used his position as doctor and athletic trainer for both M... Read More >>

Too Much and Not Enough

Jan. 27, 2018

A $3 million farmers market. Wow.

Traverse City's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has a wish list a mile long and a steady income of taxpayer money. They're safely ensconced a full step away from voter scrutiny so they get to think bigger than those direc... Read More >>

Dear Congress

Jan. 20, 2018

Dear Congress:

Around 550 million years ago, the right combination of atmospheric oxygen and changes in the makeup of the oceans allowed critters to convert minerals into bone. About 7 million years ago, the first humanoid type used those bones to stand uprigh... Read More >>

The Weed Windfall

Jan. 13, 2018

United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions has had just about enough of all this legal and medical weed business.

Sessions has revoked Obama administration instructions to federal prosecutors and law enforcement to avoid prosecutions of legal marijuana or medical marijuana in st... Read More >>

Leadership Lost

Jan. 6, 2018

If you believe the foreign press, and some here, the United States has lost, or is losing, decades-old influence. They have a list.

We are now the only country in the world to refuse to sign the Paris Accords on climate change. Nicaragua was a previous holdout becau... Read More >>

Questions

Dec. 30, 2017

As always, so many questions to start the year.

* "Absolutely free” shouldn't involve a “separate handling fee,” should it?

* Did you know the Voyager 1 spacecraft, launched in 1977, is now more than 13 billion miles from earth and still functioning... Read More >>

Choosing Goodwill

Dec. 16, 2017

This is the season, we're told, of peace and goodwill on earth, the birth day of the Prince of Peace. Or at least the day Christians have chosen to celebrate the birthday.

Alas, we seem no closer to peace on earth or goodwill toward anyone than we've ever been. You ... Read More >>

Won't Help Most of Us

Dec. 9, 2017

Now we know. Neither the House tax reform bill nor the Senate tax reform bill does much to help most of us. Actually, it's worse than that.What we've been told by President Trump is this is the largest tax cut in history, the middle class will most benefit, his rich friends won't like it,... Read More >>

Just Dumb

Dec. 2, 2017

Remember when a good education for our children was the top priority of nearly every politician? Not so much these days.

Spending on public K-12 schools and universities has been in decline since the recession approached rock bottom in 2008. According to the State Higher Education... Read More >>

First Steps

Nov. 25, 2017

The rogue's gallery of accused sexual harassers, abusers, and assaulters now includes

actors, directors, producers, record moguls, politicians including two former presidents and the current president, television broadcasters both behind and in front of the camera, and various bus... Read More >>

Hunting Witches

Nov. 11, 2017

Let's check in and see how Special Counsel Robert Mueller's “witch hunt” into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election is going.

We have to start by acknowledging the Russians did interfere. The CIA, NSA, FBI and all additional intelligence and law enforc... Read More >>

Tall Talk

Nov. 4, 2017

The endless argument over tall buildings in downtown Traverse City, now in court and likely to never go away, has percolated to the surface of public debate. Again.

The arguments remain essentially the same.

The more-height advocates tell us density is the key to a vibrant... Read More >>

More Dying in More Places

Oct. 28, 2017

Now we have combat deaths after militants supportive of the Islamic State ambushed four Green Berets in Niger. It's a good bet you, like several United States senators, didn't know we had troops in Niger. Or where it is.

Niger is the largest country in West Africa, with about 20.7... Read More >>

Try Again on Tax Reform

Oct. 21, 2017

We have a tax reform plan. Cobbled together in secret by six Republicans and supported by President Donald Trump, it promises much and delivers much less.

We're told it's going to cut almost everyone's taxes, including those of corporations, while stimulating the economy and creat... Read More >>

Awaiting the Candlelight Vigil

Oct. 14, 2017

Another day, another massacre, another pile of teddy bears and candles, another candlelight vigil and memorial service, another permanent memorial, another gun debate, another day, another massacre.

We're good at this because we've had plenty of practice.

The F... Read More >>