Today would be a good day to...

....open the Gordie Howe Bridge.  The entire construction of which was paid for by Canada.  The use of which would improve the efficiency of goods flowing across the #1 busiest crossing  between the USA and Canada to the great benefit of both countries...

But Trumpf's buddy owns the old, rapidly deteriorating, narrow and outdated Ambassador Bridge and will lose a lot of money if the new bridge is opened,  so he gave a $million to Trumpf and the opening is put off. 

Aside: how is it that important international infrastructure, such as the Ambassador Bridge, is under private, for-profit ownership?

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is jointly owned by the Government of Canada (through the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority) and the State of Michigan. While ownership is shared equally, the Canadian government funded the entire construction cost upfront. Canada will collect toll revenues until its investment is recouped, after which toll profits will be split with Michigan. 

Dave

Attached Image:

Originally Posted by David Cotterell

....open the Gordie Howe Bridge.  The entire construction of which was paid for by Canada.  The use of which would improve the efficiency of goods flowing across the #1 busiest crossing  between the USA and Canada to the great benefit of both countries...

But Trumpf's buddy owns the old, rapidly deteriorating, narrow and outdated Ambassador Bridge and will lose a lot of money if the new bridge is opened,  so he gave a $million to Trumpf and the opening is put off. 

Aside: how is it that important international infrastructure, such as the Ambassador Bridge, is under private, for-profit ownership?

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is jointly owned by the Government of Canada (through the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority) and the State of Michigan. While ownership is shared equally, the Canadian government funded the entire construction cost upfront. Canada will collect toll revenues until its investment is recouped, after which toll profits will be split with Michigan. 

Dave

Dave,

I'm not sure if you noticed, but we are currently being governed by the most awful and incompetent administration in our nation's history. Sorry about that. Not my fault.

Brian

Originally Posted by Brian McFarland

Dave,

I'm not sure if you noticed, but we are currently being governed by the most awful and incompetent administration in our nation's history. Sorry about that. Not my fault.

Brian

You have my deepest sympathy.

I hope November of this year and then November of 2028 will be stepping stones to normality.

Dave

Originally Posted by David Cotterell

....open the Gordie Howe Bridge.  The entire construction of which was paid for by Canada.  The use of which would improve the efficiency of goods flowing across the #1 busiest crossing  between the USA and Canada to the great benefit of both countries...

But Trumpf's buddy owns the old, rapidly deteriorating, narrow and outdated Ambassador Bridge and will lose a lot of money if the new bridge is opened,  so he gave a $million to Trumpf and the opening is put off. 

Aside: how is it that important international infrastructure, such as the Ambassador Bridge, is under private, for-profit ownership?

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is jointly owned by the Government of Canada (through the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority) and the State of Michigan. While ownership is shared equally, the Canadian government funded the entire construction cost upfront. Canada will collect toll revenues until its investment is recouped, after which toll profits will be split with Michigan. 

Dave

Maybe if y'all would award a no-bid contract to one of Trump's billionaire friends to paint the GHIB, so that they could make millions of dollars for unnecessary and shoddy work, Trump would open it? If that doesn't work, maybe the bridge could award Trump a peace prize? Or how about renaming it to "The Trump International Bridge"?

I live about eight miles from the new bridge. About six years of construction along I 75 on the way downtown and it's also always backed up around the Ambassador Bridge due to truck traffic. When the new bridge finally opens the Marouns monopoly goes away and I predict much lower traffic due to the new bridge connecting with the 401. The Ambassador Bridge empties out onto surface roads and it takes a while to get to the 401.

Corruption running amuck and right out in the open with the Marouns and Trump yet no one seems to care. If Obama or Biden made 2 billion dollars while in office, mostly from crypto currency, and lost a war with Iran MAGA and their minions would be screaming their lungs out about it.

Originally Posted by Jim Moscheck

I live about eight miles from the new bridge. About six years of construction along I 75 on the way downtown and it's also always backed up around the Ambassador Bridge due to truck traffic. When the new bridge finally opens the Marouns monopoly goes away and I predict much lower traffic due to the new bridge connecting with the 401. The Ambassador Bridge empties out onto surface roads and it takes a while to get to the 401.

Corruption running amuck and right out in the open with the Marouns and Trump yet no one seems to care. If Obama or Biden made 2 billion dollars while in office, mostly from crypto currency, and lost a war with Iran MAGA and their minions would be screaming their lungs out about it.

"Corruption running amuck and right out in the open with the Marouns and Trump yet no one seems to care. If Obama or Biden made 2 billion dollars while in office, mostly from crypto currency, and lost a war with Iran MAGA and their minions would be screaming their lungs out about it."

That's because Mr & Mrs Six Pack of America get their "news" from Faux and Sinclair media and none of it is being reported. 

When Biden was in office, Hannity repeated the "Biden crime family" name more than 10,000 times and none of it was true. And even if there was a morsel of truth to Hunter Biden using his father's name to get a job, compared to what Trump's sons, son in law and the Lutnick sons are doing, Hunter would be getting the ethics award of the century...

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

"Corruption running amuck and right out in the open with the Marouns and Trump yet no one seems to care. If Obama or Biden made 2 billion dollars while in office, mostly from crypto currency, and lost a war with Iran MAGA and their minions would be screaming their lungs out about it."

That's because Mr & Mrs Six Pack of America get their "news" from Faux and Sinclair media and none of it is being reported. 

When Biden was in office, Hannity repeated the "Biden crime family" name more than 10,000 times and none of it was true. And even if there was a morsel of truth to Hunter Biden using his father's name to get a job, compared to what Trump's sons, son in law and the Lutnick sons are doing, Hunter would be getting the ethics award of the century...

An interesting thing about Hunter is that since his dad left office, he has re-emerged on social media, using it to blast his critics with a combination of wit, sarcasm, brutal honesty, and self-deprecating humor. It's worth checking out, and it's funny how easily he discredits and dismantles past controversies and scandals surrounding the Biden family. He also uses his platform to talk candidly about addiction and recovery, and advocates for others who have an addiction.

It's so true what you are saying regarding Trump's corruption. He has the most corrupt administration in American history by far, and yet there doesn't seem to be any accountability for it at all.

Originally Posted by James Lacey

An interesting thing about Hunter is that since his dad left office, he has re-emerged on social media, using it to blast his critics with a combination of wit, sarcasm, brutal honesty, and self-deprecating humor. It's worth checking out, and it's funny how easily he discredits and dismantles past controversies and scandals surrounding the Biden family. He also uses his platform to talk candidly about addiction and recovery, and advocates for others who have an addiction.

It's so true what you are saying regarding Trump's corruption. He has the most corrupt administration in American history by far, and yet there doesn't seem to be any accountability for it at all.

In what may be of additional interest to you in Texas, James, is a poll I saw reported on the news the other day that only about 30% or so of Texans are even aware of the corruption reported in connection to Paxton. And, that's apparently even in the face of all of the attack ads that Cornyn ran against him in the primary--which have since been expunged by the GOP--and the latest overall polling show a tie between Paxton & Talarico:    https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/30/texas-senate-poll-talarico-paxton-00981524

Note that Greg Abbott is substantially ahead in his race and he's about as bad as it gets. Trump, for his part, is going to hold a GOP convention in the state and that's obviously a ploy to prop up Paxton...

Originally Posted by James Lacey

An interesting thing about Hunter is that since his dad left office, he has re-emerged on social media, using it to blast his critics with a combination of wit, sarcasm, brutal honesty, and self-deprecating humor. It's worth checking out, and it's funny how easily he discredits and dismantles past controversies and scandals surrounding the Biden family. He also uses his platform to talk candidly about addiction and recovery, and advocates for others who have an addiction.

It's so true what you are saying regarding Trump's corruption. He has the most corrupt administration in American history by far, and yet there doesn't seem to be any accountability for it at all.

In what may be of additional interest to you in Texas, James, is a poll I saw reported on the news the other day that only about 30% or so of Texans are even aware of the corruption reported in connection to Paxton. And, that's apparently even in the face of all of the attack ads that Cornyn ran against him in the primary--which have since been expunged by the GOP--and the latest overall polling show a tie between Paxton & Talarico:    https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/30/texas-senate-poll-talarico-paxton-00981524

Note that Greg Abbott is substantially ahead in his race and he's about as bad as it gets. Trump, for his part, is going to hold a GOP convention in the state and that's obviously a ploy to prop up Paxton...

Oops, sorry for the prior double post.
But, since I'm here:

"The sons of Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick secured a major financial stake in a multi-billion dollar tungsten mining project in Kazakhstan."

 "The venture, backed by up to $1.6 billion in potential U.S. government financing, was negotiated by their fathers to secure "war metals" critical for defense manufacturing."

"Key details of the deal and the resulting investments include:The Negotiation: President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick negotiated the mining agreement with Kazakhstan's president in late 2025, pushing for U.S.-based Kaz Resources to develop the untapped tungsten reserves."

"The Investment: Within weeks of the negotiations, a firm partly owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump took a roughly 20% stake in the Kazakhstan mining project"

"Financial Ties: Simultaneously, Cantor Fitzgerald—the investment bank controlled by the Lutnick family—helped secure hundreds of millions of dollars in new capital for the project's key investors, a move that typically yields millions in fees."

"The U.S. Backing: The project is seeking up to $1.6 billion in U.S. government-backed financing to get the mine off the ground, causing ethics watchdogs to raise concerns over perceived conflicts of interest.The Response: The White House and representatives for the Trump and Lutnick families have defended the arrangement, stating the government's backing is based entirely on national and economic security goals and that the sons serve strictly as passive investors." AI

And:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-lutnick-s-sons-stand-to-gain-big-profits-from-billion-dollar-mining-deal-report/ar-AA26Pinx