Tag: Andy Dillon (page 5)

Not only does a disproportionate amount of hot air continue to come pouring out of Lansing but now the Democrats in the House of Representatives are abandoning one of their cardinal issues, shelving plans to force small businesses to prohibit smoking on their own property.  And SVSU's greenie crowd aren't the only ones up in arms.

According to the Detroit News:

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, a leading proponent of the smoking ban, said lawmakers can work on more than a couple issues at a time.

"I'm OK with multi-tasking," Basham said. "When 3,000 people are dying in Michigan every year from secondhand smoke and smoking-related diseases are costing us billions a year for health care, we should find time to deal with this."

House Speaker Andy Dillon disagrees.  

House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, said he has decided the House should zero in this spring on balancing the cash-strapped budget and creating jobs in the wounded economy.

"The smoking ban is an important issue, but jobs and the budget are more important right now," Dillon said. "I see us getting back to the smoking issue by summer."

Lansing has a weird complex where one minute they're not thinking things through enough and the next they're wearing grooves in the carpet with all of their back and forth.  They've been discussing a complete workplace smoking ban for as long as I've been in the game and Dillon has made it a point of emphasis in the past.

Practically speaking, if they want to activity X in location Y, they've got the legislation ready to go.   One reason they shelve it... even the Democrats, boasting an overwhelming partisan majority in the legislature, aren't on board with the concept.  The votes just plain aren't there.

And Mr. Speaker?  Lets stop blowing smoke at the press... you couldn't care less about jobs and the economy right now.  The only thing on your caucus's mind this week is the legislative spring break on which you sent them.  You're not focusing on one piece of legislation at the expense of the other.  You're focusing on your tans.

Read on...

What a difference a day makes.  

Yesterday the Senate gave it another try and managed to approve the measure 29 to 8.  

Seems like common sense to give voters in the state the option of preventing their own taxes from going up while their home values go down but 8 Michigan Democrats have, apparently, never met a bit of financial sanity they couldn't refuse.  Especially when lobbyists are in their ears arguing how much more desperately than homeowners they need $253 million.

Thank goodness someone in this state finally stood up for taxpayers, though, and told the lobbyists to shove it.  The Detroit News caught up with the resolution's sponsor, John Pappageorge:

"Homeowners shouldn't be strapped with rising property taxes while watching their home values drop," he said.

Common, meet sense.

Because that whole status quo thing?  Not working out so well and sending folks scrambling out of the state.  The Ivory Tower reports this morning that metro Detroit has seen the steepest population drop of any region in the entire nation over the last two years.

Read on...

When the standard legislative work week begins tomorrow morning, some in the Michigan House of Representatives will be observing a solemn milestone.  March 10th will mark the 40th consecutive day without action in the Democratic chamber since an overwhelmingly bi-partisan majority of the Michigan State Senate (one-third of the Democrats joined every Republican) came together to approve a spending-free stimulus plan to return $1.235 billion to local businesses... Michigan companies creating Michigan jobs.

Senate Bill 1 repeals the hated, job-killing MBT surcharge, not only stimulating the economy with a massive infusion of desperately needed capital, but sends an even more desperately needed signal to the business community that Michigan is finally ready to make some tough decisions and to step out of the economic dark ages.

The Democrat controlled House and Speaker Andy Dillon specifically, haven't bothered to even give the bill a hearing on the House floor.

Now in the Bible, 40 days was enough to accomplish a lot.  Moses spent 40 days with God on a mountain after leading the people out of Egypt.  Once he ended his stay he carried down with him the Ten Commandments, the most influential legal "documents" in history.

Goliath taunted the army of Israel for 40 days before David went out and hit him with a rock, beginning the career and public life of ancient Israel's greatest king.

Jesus fasted for 40 days before being tempted by Satan and after those 40 days effectively told the Devil where he could go.

After being crucified and rising from the dead He even appeared on the earth for, you guessed it, 40 more days.  At the end of the 40 days, with everyone watching, He ascended into heaven.

Perhaps most famously, though, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights while Noah and his family waited in their giant boat.  40 days was all it took for one doozy of a celestial rain storm to destroy every other human being on the planet.  

Now we're not talking about the whole of humanity here... we're only talking about a thousand jobs here and another thousand there.  But the House has the opportunity to join their Democratic colleagues in the Senate to make a real, significant and powerful economic change in Michigan.  Thus far they've done nothing but sit by and watch the rain hit the window.

Forty days.   And the question isn't how soon will they give common sense, bipartisan legislation a hearing and a vote... it remains, how long will they continue to ignore the devastating economic reality gripping their own constituents?

Good reform package used as opportunity to provide lifetime benefits

Earlier this morning Clydes Dale mentioned in another post a story he'd heard on WJR about Michigan Democrats and a vote to grant themselves lifetime benefits.  

In economic times like these I sincerely wish even the most extreme left wingers had the sense to avoid big-government bureaucratic protection schemes like this but alas... they don't.  Not even the so-called moderates.

House Democrats yesterday forced a package of bills through the Michigan House that do indeed guarantee lifetime benefits for state lawmakers.  Worse yet, they snuck it into otherwise important legislation.  But take this as a positive sign and early high marks for the Elsenheimer-led Republican Minority... Republican Representatives were quick to cry foul!

"One of the top issues we're hearing from our local governments is their call for help dealing with unfunded liabilities and saving money," said Rep. Jim Marleau, R-Lake Orion. "That is the intent of this legislation and should be the focus of these bills, not guaranteeing benefits for state legislators and bureaucrats."

The House yesterday approved a bipartisan package, House Bills 4071-9, to create a mechanism for the state and local governments to pre-fund retiree health benefits for public employees retired from the state, Legislature, Judiciary, State Police and public schools or from local units of government. A provision added by Democrats in committee would guarantee lifetime health benefits for public employees, including legislators.

"It is unfortunate that this opportunity for real reform to improve the state of Michigan has been mucked up by special interest paybacks and partisan politics," said Rep. Chuck Moss, R Birmingham.

The House Republican Caucus previously introduced HB 4080 to stop lifetime benefits for lawmakers beginning with the current sophomore class of lawmakers.  They've been trying to stop lifetime legislator benefits for years now.  Last term Democrat Robert Dean introduced legislation to protect lifetime benefits for himself and his colleagues and this year we get this monstrosity.

"Ending lifetime benefits is an important move to put the citizen's Legislature more in line with Michigan citizens who are forced to make sacrifices every day to get by," state Rep. Brian Calley. "I am disheartened by today's move in the wrong direction. If the state can't even balance our own books, why are we cementing such an unnecessary perk for six years of service?"

"Two weeks ago we voted to cut our salaries, and that was the right thing to do and today we voted to give ourselves lifetime health benefits," said Rep. Tonya Schuitmaker. "If that's not the definition of hypocrisy, I don't know what is."

It is, Representative.  It is.

The man proved earlier this week that he has a flair for hyperbolic buffoonery so I'm convinced it'd be pretty fantastic.

"Andy Dillon and the Democratic majority in the House are doing one heck of a FEMA impersonation while Michigan undergoes its own economic Katrina."  Or something like that.

Alas, local job makers aren't waiting on their economic rooftops for tragically late government intervention... they're just packing their bags and leaving the state.

Today we reach Day 21, three full weeks after an overwhelmingly bi-partisan majority of the Michigan State Senate (one-third of the Democrats joined every Republican) came together to approve a spending-free stimulus plan that returns $1.235 billion to local businesses... Michigan companies creating Michigan jobs.

Senate Bill 1 repeals the hated, job-killing MBT surcharge, not only stimulating the economy with a massive infusion of desperately needed capital, but sending an even more desperately needed signal to the business community that Michigan is finally ready to make some tough decisions and to step out of the economic dark ages.

The Democrat controlled House and Speaker Andy Dillon specifically, haven't bothered to even give the bill a hearing.

If Michigan's tax and regulatory structure continues to drive small, medium and big businesses, from mom-and-pops to major manufacturers, scurrying for the borders then it only stands to reason that we address Michigan's tax and regulatory structure.

On the same token, we've heard from the Governor and a seemingly unending parade of Democrats at the federal level these last few weeks, each of them insisting that Congress pass the Pelosi stimulus package because it gives billions of dollars to job makers, allowing them to invest that money and grow the economy.  

An overwhelmingly bi-partisan majority of the Michigan State Senate (one-third of the Democrats joined every Republican) beat Congress to the punch and did them one better last week, passing a spending-free stimulus plan that gives $1.235 billion to local businesses... Michigan companies creating Michigan jobs.  

Senate Bill 1 repeals the hated, job-killing MBT surcharge, not only stimulating the economy with a massive infusion of desperately needed capital, but sending an even more desperately needed signal to the business community that Michigan is finally ready to make some tough decisions and to step out of the economic dark ages.

The Democrat controlled House and Speaker Andy Dillon specifically, haven't bothered to even give the bill a hearing.  

House Democrat obstruction to serious job creating stimulus currently sits at six days.  And the question isn't how soon will they give common sense, bipartisan legislation a hearing and a vote... its how long will they continue to ignore the devastating economic reality gripping their own constituents?

That said, when one aspires to public service one necessarily sets oneself on a pedestal and voluntarily offers to live by a higher standard.  That's why the slightest personal foibles in elected officials draw such intense scrutiny.  And, frankly, they should.  

If you're going to make heavy taxpayer funded bank and have run for and won a position where you don't only influence laws, ordinances and public policy but you help write them, darn it all, you'd better live by them.

Late last year Representative Kevin Green was arrested for DUI.  The man was stripped of two committee assignments by Democratic Speaker Andy Dillon and was marginalized in what had to that point been a spirited pursuit of his own caucus's top leadership position.  He became the poster boy for irresponsible public servants in Michigan and the consequences that can and should befall them.  

Andy Dillon was right in how he handled the Green situation.  Frankly, I wouldn't have minded if he'd gone a little further.  We'll see now, though, how Democrats in the legislature and in Macomb County handle one of their own in an even more serious situation.

The Macomb Daily reports that Macomb County Commissioner Irene Kepler (D-Roseville) was yanked from her car by police early this morning after stopping on the side of the road to make an intoxicated cell phone call.

According to the Ivory Tower she had earlier been the offending party in a hit and run collision.

In addition to her $34,000 a year salary courtesy of Macomb County residents, Kepler is employed as a staffer in Democratic Representative Harold Haugh's legislative office.  She is also a former intern with Democratic Senator Mickey Switalski and was named the Democrat's State of Michigan Legislative Intern of the Year.

Consistency would seem to demand Representative Haugh and House leadership take immediate action to send an entirely unambiguous signal that their staff is also held to the highest standards.  They represent their bosses in the district and at the HOB.  

Haugh would certainly be mortified if his staffer attended a public meeting while intoxicated.  Zero doubt what would happen to any legislative employee who showed up to work drunk.  How much more serious that his staff are pounding vodka, getting behind the wheel of a car, committing hit and run offenses and then getting booked on DUI?  

No one's probably going to die if Kepler shows up to the Rep's next Coffee Hour with booze on her breath but drunk driving claims thousands of lives every year.  

We'll see how the Democrats handle her situation in the House.  Suppose we'll also have to wait and see how things go at the Macomb County Commission.  No one there to punish the woman or to say enough is enough.  She's on her own.  

Will also be interesting to see the reaction from the regressisphere.  Last fall with the Green arrest, Michigan Liberal led the righteous outrage brigade, with my Off the Record sparring partner and very good friend </snark> Liberal Lucy carrying the "shame on you" banner herself.  

She wrote:

...When there's a repeated violation of that trust, by not just one, or two, but three different lawmakers, it makes it difficult for us, the tax-paying public to continue to uphold that trust and belief.

The public cannot be expected to maintain that trust and have faith that our government is truly working for us when a group of elected officials not only breaks the laws, but seemingly goes out of their way to flaunt their ability to do so.

Ball's in the Democrat's court.  Lets hope they do the right thing, that Miss Kepler gets the help she needs and then be thankful that no one was seriously injured as a result of her actions this morning.

Sure, they've been six of the most disastrous years for any one state in economic history but he argues that it's a strong record and something he'll apparently embrace during his bid to secure the state's top executive spot in 2010.

Imagine then that headlines this morning announcing that homeless numbers are expected to spike across the state positively warm John Cherry's heart.  According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, families suddenly without a bread winner are finding themselves on the streets, kids and all.

In 2007, 692 homeless people were recorded, of which 235 were children.

The 2009 numbers won't be known for weeks, but Michelle Schneider, assistant program officer for LISC, said this year's count should be higher than last year.

Think Cherry will use that blurb on his first piece of campaign literature?

No, of course not.  Maybe the second or the third but that first piece that screams "VOTE FOR CHERRY" will undoubtedly want to address his deft handling of the state's financial crisis and the way tax and regulatory policy have sent bills skyrocketing across the state.  He might reserve line or two for today's Detroit News which highlights a newly expected massive hike in water rates for Detroit Water and Sewage customers.  That's 125 communities in South East Michigan.  

Read on...