Government Incompetence

2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans, Taxes

Coming up next: Christians against Christ!

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In a move that I heard rumblings about them for some time now, but felt they had slightly more of a chance of existing than, say, The Nain Rouge, Dogman, The Little Blue Man or even Luke The Spook, The Detroit News reported today that a group calling themselves “Republicans and Independents for Whitmer” have finally made their existence known.

Yes, the name is exactly what is says, although the “republicans” in the aforementioned name aren’t even on the radar when it comes to promoting anything even remotely close to Conservative Values.

Calling them RINO’s would actually be a complement to them.

I’m a little pressed for time today and have to keep this short, but will share one quick quite from Sen. Shirkey and Rep. Chatfield on these knuckleheads before I have to run.

“Anyone claiming to be a ‘Republican for Whitmer’ is someone opposed to lower taxes, limited government and fiscal responsibility.”

I will be touching on that glaringly obvious problem within the Michigan GOP and expanding on this post a little later.

 

Who loves ya, baby!

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

Republican Kakistocracy concedes election to Gretchen Whitmer

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But it is clear that Donald Trump has not earned my respect or my vote.” – Republican state Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons (October 8, 2016)

This is the same Republican state Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons,  Guv wannabe Bill Schuete just tapped on to be his LG.

I told you so just doesn’t cover it.

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Government Incompetence, Michigan, Opinion

Michigan Taxpayers Could Save $2,000,000,000.00 A Year

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Michigan pays dearly to self immolate.

We spend a lot on ‘adult education.’

Michigan’s 2019 budget includes $405,000,000.00 in community college funding, but a whopping $1,658,932,000 in university funding.  The sacred cow University of Michigan share of the taxpayer pie is nearly that of the total community college amount, yet my guess is that there are more Michigan based students attending those community colleges than at the 15 universities we sponsor.

We must of course remember that this is subsidies for institutions that cater not to the tender innocence of childhood, but rather to those who would be otherwise considered self supporting and responsible for their own educational progression and care.  Even so, they might still have minds of mush, which makes this other thing a little more poignant.

Our universities are destroying our nation.  And we have been giving them the fuel.  From the hill:

Today, after 22 years of being a college professor, and having traveled much of America to lecture, I am sad to say the situation is not the same. The core principles and foundations that keep the United States intact, that provide our citizens with their civic personalities and national identities, are being annihilated. The gravest internal threat to this country is not illegal aliens; it is leftist professors who are waging a war against America and teaching our young people to hate this country.

I agree with his point.

Read it in it’s entirety.  Its time we own this, and then act accordingly.

Or we have learned nothing.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

The Devil is DEFINITELY in the details.

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Multiple news outlets have reported that the Michigan Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision upheld the democratic party “independent/grassroots” Voters Not Politicians petition initiative to create a non-partisan commission to redraw every voting district in Michigan.

In writing for the majority Justices Viviano, McCormack, Bernstein & Clement said;

“Here, that approach leads us to conclude that a voter-initiated amendment under Const 1963, art 12, § 2 is permissible if it does not significantly alter or abolish the form or structure of our government, making it tantamount to creating a new constitution.”

Yeah that’s sounds great on paper, but exactly how did they intend on accomplishing this nigh impossible feat?

{Well, I’ll go into that more after the fold}

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Elections, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Taxes

It’s Still Illegal.

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What happens if a bond approval is found to be nullified - AFTER the money is spent?

Michigan has a problem enforcing its constitution.

The old “taxation without representation” line has never been more relevant than when election time comes and voters are asked to approve a bond approval.  What is a problem, is that many voters for some ballot asks are not even eligible to engage in the process.

Surprise.

In the election law section of the Michigan Constitution, without any further qualification, it addresses who is entitled to vote on bonds or ad valorem increases that extend beyond 5 years.

Sec. 6. Whenever any question is required to be submitted by a political subdivision to the electors for the increase of the ad valorem tax rate limitation imposed by Section 6 of Article IX for a period of more than five years, or for the issue of bonds, only electors in, and who have property assessed for any ad valorem taxes in, any part of the district or territory to be affected by the result of such election or electors who are the lawful husbands or wives of such persons shall be entitled to vote thereon. All electors in the district or territory affected may vote on all other questions.

Emboldened part particularly pertinent.

Having looked at this in years past, I had an attorney do a bit of research, and it seems the application of our state law was subverted by a 1969 ruling, though not properly annotated to reflect it.  There is no subtext, or footnote

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2018 US Senate Race, All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans

You do know that whole “The Wall”- thing could’ve stopped all of this (or at the very least significantly reduced it).

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So in the latest distraction in our 24-hour News Cycle World, the latest “outrage” is coming from a surprising source?

And just whom that might be, you may ask yourself?

{Click below to learn the answer}

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Conservative News, Democrats, Detroit, Firearms, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans, Taxes

Michigan Criminal Justice Reform: Too Much, Too Soon?

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Recidivism Is Worse Than We Have Been Told

Michigan has been at the forefront of ‘criminal justice reform’, which is newspeak for prison population reduction. In just a few years, Michigan has driven the MDoC prison population down 18%.  Democrats love criminal justice reform because it gets one of their major constituencies back on the streets, and voting. Republicans love criminal justice reform because it cuts prison spending, which has become a bottomless pit with all the various mandates. Both of these views are decidedly near term.
The question for non criminal Michigan residents is longer term: will crime rates rise as more prisoners spend less time incarcerated and more time in your neighborhood?

A study just released by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics undermines the case for criminal justice reforms intended to reduce prison populations. This study contradicts previous studies which showed much lower rates of recidivism, probably because it better tracks released prisoners who have moved to other states and also looks at a longer time frame.

This BJS study followed 67,966 state prisoners released in 2005, in 30 states, over the 9 year period following their release. This was a statistically representative sample (16.8%) of the 404,638 prisoners released that year in those 30 states. The BJS study included 2,603 Michigan individuals; sampled from the 12,177 releases from MDoC custody during 2005.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Quis Solvet? MSU Settles With Nassar Victims For $ 500 Million

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Michigan has the least elite elites in the nation

Who exactly is going to pay the $ 500 million that MSU just agreed to pay to 332 victims of Dr. Lawrence G. Nasser?

MSU says they can’t tap their $ 3 billion endowment, which was the focus of former President Lou Anna K. Simon (and why she wasn’t paying any attention to Nassar and Strampel).

This bleed will probably eclipse that of the Flint water fiasco. From the Detroit Free Press:

The settlement, which covers all 332 current claimants, will cost Michigan State $500 million. The school will pay $425 million now and hold $75 million in reserve in case other Nassar victims come forward.

MSU will now work on how it will pay the settlement, MSU spokeswoman Emily Guerrant told the Free Press.

Survivor attorney James White said this is a chance for the survivors to begin to move forward.

“I don’t think they can ever be made whole, but this is a step in the right direction,” he said.

The settlement was announced Wednesday, after the Detroit Free Press published news of the settlement, following two days of closed-door mediation sessions between lawyers for the university and the survivors.

Terms of the settlement are as follows:

• $425 million dollars will be paid to all current claimants

• $75 million dollars will be set aside in a trust fund to protect any future claimants alleging sexual abuse by Nassar

The settlement was approved by the MSU board in a conference call Tuesday night.

I underestimated the costs here by $ 25 million, when adjusted for the additional claimants who have come forward.

Strampel’s cases are not part of this settlement, so there is more bleeding to come.

This disaster is on the Democrats, exclusively.

Michigan has the least elite elites in the nation.

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Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

Something In The Water

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Traverse City pursues expensive power option.

There’s Crazy – Then There Is Traverse City Michigan crazy.

Once upon a time, Traverse City owned TCL&P (Traverse City Light & Power) produced electricity.  (see picture at right) We had coal docks, a steam producing boiler, and turbines that were able to produce all of what was needed for Traverse City, and some surrounding area power needs.

In the early eighties, TCL&P, contracted with the county to operate power generation from three dams that were deeded to Grand Traverse County a decade before by Consumers Power. It cost them nothing. In the 90s, TCL&P erected the region’s first windmill, while at the same time reducing output and planning complete decommission of  its coal fired facility which (by the way) was located on the valuable public waterfront.

Stories were plentiful about how the city was conscious of the environment, had to do their part, and how some folks would sign up for that ‘expensive’ energy which cost only 3 or four times the current rate. There were TCL&P customers who voluntarily paid for ‘green’ energy that came down the same transmission lines, even though it was the same electricity as the guy was getting next door for less.

I suppose a byline in the local fish wrap was worth it?

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