We understand your frustration Mr. Bernero, but jeez-o-pete, lay off the campaign tactics and Red Bull for a minute and answer the kind Fox News anchor's questions. Of course, we've also heard he's a bit of a hot-head — Wert knows him from his days working for Michigan Governor Granholm in Lansing, and here's what he had to say:

My favorite Virg story is from back in 2003 when he was still in the State Senate. Virg cornered me next to one of the stairwells in the Capitol building in Lansing at some lobbyist luncheon. Virg knew I worked for the Governor, knew I was a senior staff member and decided I was a great target to bitch about some funding measure the Governor was pushing — despite the fact I wasn't in legislative affairs, nor was I going to lobby on his behalf to them. Regardless, he decided he wanted to play "hardball" with me, so he got in my face, blustering, gesturing wildly and bitching about the funding decision. The only problem is that I'm like a foot taller than him. So in order to get in my face, he needed to stand on the tips of his toes. So there we were, him bitching and yelling, pointing his finger in my face, me trying not to laugh at this little guy trying to intimidate me, when I realized that I could help him out. I stopped him in mid-sentence saying "Hold on a second," grabbed him, spun him around and stepped down one step so that I was now eye-to-eye with him, finishing with a "There, that's better — you looked like you were going to topple over. Please, continue your bitching." His face red with anger, Virg started to say something, then spun around and stalked off. I only smiled, put on my jacket and walked back over to my office in the Romney Building across the street."

[via dailykos]

While the Carpocalypse looms over the heads of many in the Detroit area and beyond, the UAW apparently isn’t feeling the same kind of heat. While companies are struggling to survive and cutting costs wherever possible, the UAW is spending millions to maintain their golf resort in Black Lake, Michigan.

The $6.4 million golf course is merely a small piece of the larger $33 million retreat center that is costing the UAW millions of dollars every year, totaling $23 million in the last five years. According to the UAW, the Reuther Family Education Center hosts important seminars and classes on leadership and political action, but we’re guessing they’re spending a lot of time on that finely trimmed grass on the 5th tee.

According to Justin Wilson of the Center for Union Facts, a union "watchdog group" (we're not entirely certain where funding for such a group comes from, but we're assuming it's from some sort of biased source):

“It’s their members’ money that they’re spending on this thing. The union has bigger issues at hand than managing a golf course.”

The attached golf course at the Reuther Family Education Center was designed in 2000 by famous course architect Rees Jones for a paltry $6 million. UAW members receive a 20% discount off of the normal green fee of $85, though we don’t think many of them will have the money to play golf in the upcoming season.

[via SportsbyBrooks]