By golly, who among those that thought giving the earnings of a Michigan gas and oil industry worker to the inefficient competition, was an appropriate act?  

THIS GUY?

Oh snap, there is a bunch of them. "Our Gang" apparently includes among senators Stabenow and Levin, Dave Camp, Fred Upton, Pete Hoekstra, Thad McCotter, Candice Miller, and Mike Rogers.

Hanging around with Spanky, and Buckwheat sure is a bad influence.

That letter heartily supporting the use of taxpayer funds for the energy of the future!  Suniva, United Solar, Xtreme Power Solutions, and Clairvoyant. The latter ringing of a certain irony.  The Jobs they were supposed to create? :

"Clairvoyant (751 direct jobs), Evergreen Solar (596 direct jobs), GlobalWatt (500 direct jobs), Suniva (500 direct jobs), United Solar Evonics (700 direct jobs) all failed to produce the jobs the state projected.

For example, GlobalWatt was evicted from its Saginaw headquarters for nonpayment of rent. United Solar Evonics had paused construction of its Battle Creek project in 2009, according to its most recent annual SEC filing. Evergreen Solar filed for bankruptcy."

None of the hype, not ANY of it came to fruition.  Just jump on board and reach across the aisle suckers. "We believe these applications are worthy of serious consideration by the department of energy" translates only too well into "we really don't give a rats a$$ about our fiduciary responsibility to the people who clothe, house, and feed us, and have done so for far too long."

Yup.

But its not just energy grants and special dispensation, but it is also special allocation to communities to "foster development" or make safe, etc..

As I sit on the Grand Traverse County Board of commissioners, I can tell you most of them don't care either. As long as that money comes into the community, no matter the ultimate consequence. I should note, the GTC board is an 8 to 1 Republican dominated board. Go to 17:06 at this link, and watch the Republicans at work.

Wasn't that fun?

And just remember, those budding politicos grow up to be great big politicos with bigger eyes and appetites for venture play with the dollars you so eagerly send from your paycheck.

But I digress.

They know better, but they still do it.  That letter referenced above my divertere, with all the names of Michigan Legislators? IT was brought up here (the conversation starting at 14:00 roughly, and at about 16:00, Fred Upton is asked about the letter) and Upton dances a bit.  He also forgot that he supported the same kind of thing as Solyndra. That support which drives home a very important point.  

How can a Republican challenge an incredible failure like Solyndra, if he has promoted such things in the past? Where is the moral authority?  How does one avoid being a hypocrite in this situation and become a champion to set things straight?

Its unlikely, Undoable.

And further in that video clip, the club for growth is cited as calling out Upton on the letter.  A recent Bankruptcy by one of the firms drives the point home even further:

"This week the Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Energy Conversion Devices filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and said it will sell off its main subsidiary, United Solar Ovonics.

That is the same United Solar Ovonics that Upton -- along with 13 other Michigan lawmakers -- urged the Department of Energy to approve funding assistance for back in 2009 through the same loan program that funded Solyndra.

Yesterday, the powerful anti-tax group Club for Growth said that Upton's previous support for United Solar and his current investigation of Solyndra offer a perfect of example of how Upton has decided to become a conservative when it suits him."

And the article also brings up the primary challenge by Jack Hoogendyk in 2010, where he beat Hoogendyk by outspending by 23 times that of Hoogendyk's $64,000 kitty.

Upton will face a more difficult primary this year, as the energy house of cards collapses, and Republicans such as Upton must face the inevitable question why they would have fallen into such traps with Democrats who have no concept of business models, and how badly government picks its winners.  Hoogendyk is challenging him once again.

Republicans need to learn from these mistakes, and those who make them.  I wish Jack well.  Upton needs to retire.

The donkey in drag costume is no longer sufficient, as the lack of conservative traits in any Republican becomes vetted more so quickly than before.  Consistency and principle guided actions will needed to drive more true conservatives into positions that manage our finite resources.

In two years we don't want to have to repeat this article, and find we have been swindled even more.