Political News and Commentary with the Right Perspective. NAVIGATION
  • Front Page
  • News
  • Multimedia
  • Tags
  • RSS Feed


  • Advertise on RightMichigan.com


    NEWS TIPS!

    Get the RightMighigan.com toolbar!


    RightMichigan.com

    Buzz

    Who are the NERD fund donors Mr Snyder?

    Raise the curtain.

    The Caucus Courier: Bipartisan Senate Majority votes to kill MBT surcharge (and more)


    By Nick, Section News
    Posted on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 05:42:16 PM EST
    Tags: Senate, GOP, caucus, MBT surcharge, Cameron Brown, Mark Jansen, Gretchen Whitmer (all tags)

    One of the frustrating but not unexpected consequences of electoral defeats in legislative races is a significantly more difficult time both influencing and moving legislation and generating any sort of public awareness about your efforts.

    The mainstream media, particularly in Michigan, is naturally inclined to avoid anything positive Republicans are doing anyways, and extreme-minority status gives editors one extra excuse to flash a thumbs down when it comes to covering GOP legislative efforts.

    Even the Republican controlled Senate has a hard time breaking through the gatekeepers in the MSM because, after all, whatever they're doing is going to get scuttled by Andy Dillon in the House or Jennifer Granholm and John Cherry in the Governor's office anyways.

    To the casual observer it might appear that our friendly neighborhood GOPers are unimaginative, asleep at the wheel or just plain lazy.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  There are a good number of genuinely rock-ribbed conservatives in Lansing fighting every single day on the side of working moms and dads, job makers and Michigan families against the big government liberals running this town.  

    But, at the risk of frivolously paraphrasing one of the most important lessons in Christendom, "how will voters hear if no one tells them?"

    Beauty of the blogosphere is we can go around our friends in the mainstream press and talk about the things they and the Democrats would rather we didn't.  So, going forward here at RightMichigan, on and around session days, we'll be posting a regular column, tentatively called the Caucus Courier, highlighting the various happenings from members on the right side of the aisle.

    Read on...

    Bipartisan Senate majority votes 25-11 to kill MBT surcharge

    With a third of Michigan's Senate Democrats joining twenty Republicans, the state's senior chamber today approved Senate Bill 1, only two days after three Democrat extremists, Senators Gretchen Whitmer, Deb Cherry and Gilda Jacobs tried unsuccessfully to scuttle the legislation in committee.

    The bipartisan legislation phases out the 21.99 percent MBT surcharge over a two-year period. The measure would cut the surcharge by half to 11 percent in 2009 and eliminate it by 2010.  Over the next two-plus fiscal years the move is expected to provide a desperately needed $1.235 billion stimulus directly into Michigan's economy.

    "December unemployment data put Michigan at 10.6 percent unemployment, which is fully 47 percent above the national average of 7.2 percent and the worst rate in the nation, by far," said Republican Senator Jud Gilbert.

    "We must heed the warning of the job providers across Michigan: maintaining the surcharge will lead to even higher levels of unemployment and a further decline in the state's economy."

    For the record, when the surcharge was created in October 2007 Michigan's unemployment rate was a then-staggering 7.5 percent. While I doubt anyone would suggest the surcharge is individually responsible for a 3.1 percent jump in unemployment, it certainly didn't help.

    "The time for action is now," Senator Mark Jansen said. "We want to keep Michigan job providers here in this state, and to do so, we must provide this desperately needed tax relief. I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to take immediate action on this crucial piece of legislation, and quickly pass it."

    And that's the trick.  Will Speaker Andy Dillon do the right thing, listen to Michigan moms and dads and move this bipartisan and uniquely Michigan stimulus package through the House or will he side with the extremists in his party who prefer to protect the bureaucrats and the status quo?

    Cameron Brown taking special personal action on unemployment backlog

    Sen. Cameron S. Brown announced today that constituents can
    visit his Web site or call his office if they are having difficulty
    reaching the state unemployment agency.

    "I have heard from numerous residents of the 16th Senate District who
    are encountering numerous problems trying to get through to the
    unemployment office," said Brown, R-Fawn River Township. "I want
    them to know that they can contact my office for assistance navigating
    the process."

    For help, residents should go to www.senatorcameronbrown.com to enter
    their contact and unemployment information, which will be submitted to
    the unemployment office through a legislative channel.

    To determine why the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth
    was not prepared for the increase in unemployment claims, Brown has
    requested that the Senate look into the matter through a committee
    hearing.

    Friend of the Court streamlining on the move

    Senator Mark Jansen also spearheaded today through committee bipartisan legislation, Senate Bills 99 through 107, to streamline the Friend of the Court.  The bills were composed after extensive consultation with Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan, the Michigan Department of Human Services, the FOC Association, and the State Court Administrative Office and were approved unanimously.

    Measures in the legislative package will:

    ● Simplify payment plan requirements for past due child support to afford judicial discretion on a case-by-case basis;

    ● Permit law enforcement agencies to "boot" vehicles of individuals behind on child support;

    ● Allow the court to order a jail alternative program for non-payment of child support. Alternative examples include participation in a parenting program, drug or alcohol counseling, continuing compliance with a current support or parenting time order, or complying with a payment plan;

    ● Eliminate the automatic application of surcharge assessments on arrearages; and

    ● Streamline the license suspension process if past due child support is owed.

    < Can Terry Land take Corporate money for her campaign? | A burden that only John Cherry could love >


    Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit


    Display: Sort:
    This is a great idea! (none / 0) (#1)
    by Eric T on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 10:02:06 PM EST
    Measures in the legislative package will:

    ● Simplify payment plan requirements for past due child support to afford judicial discretion on a case-by-case basis;

    ● Permit law enforcement agencies to "boot" vehicles of individuals behind on child support;

    ● Allow the court to order a jail alternative program for non-payment of child support. Alternative examples include participation in a parenting program, drug or alcohol counseling, continuing compliance with a current support or parenting time order, or complying with a payment plan;

    ● Eliminate the automatic application of surcharge assessments on arrearages; and

    ● Streamline the license suspension process if past due child support is owed.

    This is a good idea that will really help people, I've worked with guys that after child support was taken out of their checks, they'd have less than a $100 to get thru the week. With that kind of money, They ain't going to have any savings in the bank to fall back on. In this weak job market, when they lose their jobs, throwing them in jail or taking their drivers license, is not going to help them, get back to work, if anything it will just make it harder for them to find employment, and provide for the child.

    Thought on Parenting Time Order Compliance . . . (none / 0) (#2)
    by Kevin Rex Heine on Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 08:35:48 PM EST
    Is that gender-neutral enforcement?  I ask because one of the real headaches of my first divorce was that my ex consistently blew off parenting time orders (by interfering with my parenting time) and the judge didn't lift a finger to do anything about it.  Note that I was never so much as a penny behind in child support.

    Display: Sort:

    Login

    Make a new account

    Username:
    Password:
    Tweet along with RightMichigan by
    following us on Twitter HERE!

    Related Links

    + Also by Nick
    create account | faq | search