Commentary: Biden Administration Moves to Empower Government to Take Intellectual Property, Inventions, and Medicines

Inventors figure out how to create something that is better than what existed before, and then protect their rights to the idea/creation with a patent.  This is a fundamental principle of private property, one which our nation’s entire economic system is based.

The U.S. Constitution enshrines this basic idea into the DNA of our nation as Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 known as the Patent and Copyright Clause plainly states, “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”

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After $1.7B Taxpayer Subsidy, Ford to Lay Off Workers

After Michigan taxpayers gave $1.75 billion for Ford’s Marshall electric vehicle factory, the company will lay off workers.

Michigan gave the money under the promise of creating 2,500 jobs, but the company cut 3,000 jobs last summer and expects a $3 billion loss on EVs in 2023. After those job cuts, a Ford spokesman said the company has nothing to announce.

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Surprise $750 Million Ask for Ford Site Prep Confounds Michigan Lawmakers

When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Ford’s new $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant last week, her office’s news release said it would cost taxpayers $1 billion.

Nine days later, state officials asked for $750 million more to prep the Marshall site – bringing the possible total cost, if approved by lawmakers, to $1.75 billion.

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Gov. Whitmer Calls on Lawmakers to Boost Michigan Economic Development Corporation Funding

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on the Legislature to provide more taxpayer money to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to attract businesses, but an economic development analyst and GOP leader disagree.

Citing Ford Motor Company choosing Kentucky and Tennessee to build electric vehicle battery plants instead of its home state, Whitmer called on legislative leaders to give the MEDC “more resources and more advanced procedural and legal tools” to pursue projects.

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Michigan Missing Out on Ford’s Joint $11.4B Electric Vehicle Factories in Tennessee, Kentucky

Despite Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s claim that Michigan is the future of electric vehicles (EVs), Ford Motor Company and battery maker SK Innovation announced plans to build three new plants in Kentucky and Tennessee.

The new plants, which will host production of electric vehicles and advanced lithium-ion batteries by 2025, will cost roughly $11.4 billion to build and create a projected 11,000 jobs.

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Reddit Bans Pro-Trump Group in Latest Attack on Conservative Speech

Reddit, one of the top internet sites in the world, on Monday banned a major pro-President Donald Trump group that had about 800,000 members, citing “hate speech.”

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Michigan Department of Transportation Awards Nearly $20 Million in Grants for Improved Infrastructure

  The Michigan Department of Education has awarded nearly $20 million grants to the cities of Detroit and Albion, as well as Wayne County, in order to improve infrastructure that will stimulate job growth and encourage existing jobs. MDOT announced on Monday that it gave a Transportation Economic Development Fund…

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REPORT: Former UAW Chief Joe Ashton Facing Fraud, Conspiracy Charges in Widening Bribery Scandal

Former United Auto Workers Vice President Joe Ashton is the unnamed union official in a federal criminal complaint who is accused of demanding $550,000 in kickbacks and bribes from vendors, The Detroit News reported.

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