Michigan facing $16,000,000,000 fine for voting for Democrats?

Posted on by farlane
GM Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant

GM Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant by Tony Webster

The Michigan Advance shares that a $500 million grant to convert the General Motors Lansing Grand River Assembly plant to electric vehicle production is being considered for cancellation by President Trump. The grant is one of over $16 billion in already awarded federal grants that could be clawed back, apparently because Michigan voted for Democrats, which honestly sounds insane:

The document, circulated on Capitol Hill, was first reported by The Detroit News (link) and reportedly includes more than $800 million in Michigan projects. Other Michigan-based recipients on the list include Ford Motor Company and Dow Chemical Company. (and Stellantis)

The proposed cancellations come after Trump administration officials last week defended the decision to cancel federal projects in regions of the country that have voted for Democrats, insisting it was in an effort to reduce the size and scope of government during the ongoing shutdown of the federal government. Democrats, however, said the cancellations further eroded Congress’ constitutional authority over spending by unilaterally canceling funding that lawmakers approved on a bipartisan basis.

The lawmakers definitely have a point. How can we expect companies to invest in industries of the future if we as a nation can’t honor our commitments?

The photo is from the Wikipedia for the Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant which opened in 2001 and replaced the Lansing Car Assembly, Lansing Metal Center, and the Lansing Craft Center.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

The GM Futurliner

Posted on by farlane

GM Futurliner by Bruce Bertz

GM Futurliner by Bruce Bertz

Wikipedia’s entry for GM Futurliners explains that these wild custom vehicles were designed in the 1940s for General Motors by the legendary Harley Earl:

Originally manufactured for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, the Futurliners were later featured in GM’s Parade of Progress, a promotional caravan travelling a 150-stop route across the United States and Canada. The Futurliners, along with 32 support vehicles, were driven by 50 college graduates, who also staffed the exhibitions along the route.

Typically arranged at each stop around a large tent and an information kiosk, each Futurliner featured a self-contained stage as well as a prominent deployable light tower, and each vehicle featured a particular subject. The mobile exhibition covered such topics as jet engine technology, agriculture, traffic engineering, stereophonic sound, microwave ovens, television and other innovations.

At 33 feet long, 8 feet wide, more than 11 feet tall, and weighing more than 12 tons, each Futurliner featured heavily stylized art deco, streamlined bodywork, deep red side and white roof paint, large articulated chrome side panels, a military-grade 302 cubic inch GMC straight-six gasoline engine and automatic transmission, whitewall tires and a prominent, high-mounted, centrally located driver command position with a panoramic windshield.

There are only nine of these left & the last one to sell sold for a cool $4 million!! Photos & more info at Wikipedia. You may also enjoy the many pics & stories including a restoration project at Futureliner.org.

Bruce took this photo at Wing & Wheels at the Yankee Air Museum & you can see more shots in his Yankee Air Museum 2021 gallery on Flickr.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon