Tag: Clarke

An appropriations bill that does not specifically deny USDA funding to conduct inspections of horsemeat for human consumption could allow horse processing to resume in the U.S. The Fiscal Year 2012 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 2112), or the so-called "Mini-bus Bill," establishes 2012 budgets for the Department of Agriculture and several other federal departments through September 2012.

Prior to 2005 USDA personnel carried out horsemeat food safety inspections at U.S. horse processing plants. In 2006 Congress voted to strip the USDA of funding for horsemeat inspections. USDA personnel continued to conduct those inspections on a fee-for-service basis until 2007 when a federal court judge ruled against the arrangement. The combination of the funding prohibition and the court decision resulted in the decline of the horse processing industry in the U.S.

Language stripping the USDA of horsemeat inspection funding did not appear in the original fiscal 2012 House Agricultural Appropriations bill when it was introduced earlier this year. However, the House Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment prohibiting the use of federal dollars to fund USDA horsemeat inspections. No such provision was contained in the Senate's version of the Appropriations bill.

After passage in their respective legislative houses, both the House and Senate bills were referred to a conference committee. The resulting consolidated bill did not contain the defunding language. The committee recommended the bill for passage, then forwarded to the full House and Senate for vote. On Nov. 17 the full House passed H.R. 2112 by 298-121 vote. The Senate also passed the bill by a 70 to 30 vote. President Barak Obama signed the bill into law on Nov. 18. As a result, the USDA could conduct horsemeat inspections at least until September 2012.

Michigan US Reps. Benishek, Camp, Clarke, Dingell, Kildee, Levin, Peters, Rogers, and Upton voted YES.  Both Michigan US Sens. Stabenow and Levin voted YES too.

If you are from Michigan, have a desire to meet a lot of new people and serve your country, NOW is the time.  A few hard workers with soul are needed in the following districts ... uh  well ALL of the following districts except Congressional District #3 which is occupied by Justin Amash:

"The Budget Control Act trades $21 billion in cuts next year for a debt ceiling increase of $2.1 trillion. That's one penny in cuts for each dollar of new debt. The bill does not seriously address the drivers of the federal government's fiscal crisis. It does not improve entitlement programs.

"It does not include a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. I cannot in good conscience vote for so little reform when so much is at stake.

Again, the Michigan Republican delegation sans one, failed to perform its duty on the most important vote of their lifetimes.  They missed an opportunity to stand for a permanence of fiscal prudence.

MICHIGAN DELEGATION VOTE The complete list here

Democrats
Clarke, N; Conyers, N; Dingell, Y; Kildee, Y; Levin, Y; Peters, N.

Republicans
Amash, N; Benishek, Y; Camp, Y; Huizenga, Y; McCotter, Y; Miller, Y; Rogers, Y; Upton, Y; Walberg, Y.

As for those Democrats who voted no, they wanted even more from Boehner.  However, this president will take whatever rope he has been given and run with it.

Casualties of executive order budget cuts from the Granholm-Cherry administration, the troopers this week begin hunting for new jobs and new ways to provide for their families.  

Though it would take a cynic's cynic to argue that the Democratic Governor and Lieutenant Governor explicitly enjoyed firing law enforcement officers it would also take the most stalwart Lefty loyalist to brush aside the majority Party's woefully misplaced spending priorities as anything less than highly questionable.  Especially in light of the fact that major tax dollars are being funneled away from law enforcement and into the pockets of Democrat donor and real estate developer Joel Ferguson.  

At issue now as it was two years ago is the so-called Triangle Project, a new $117 million Michigan State Police Headquarters being constructed in downtown Lansing.  MSP doesn't want the new HQ, a building that is prohibitively smaller than their current base of operations a few miles away (and currently being leased for the paltry sum of $1 a year).  

If anything, it is being argued, the speed and quality of service will actually decrease at the new development thanks in large part to the fact that various operations currently being handled under one roof in East Lansing will have to be split amongst multiple buildings after moving to downtown Lansing.  Then there's the rather large matter of those 100 suddenly unemployed police officers.  The $117 million being wasted on an unwanted, inefficient development represents enough taxpayer appropriations to keep 100 troopers on the street for years.  Or enough taxpayer appropriations to make Ferguson a significantly wealthier man.

Last week the Republican led Senate held a vote to cancel the Triangle Project and protect the law enforcement officers who lost their jobs this week. Senate Democrats objected, voted against the troopers and tried to save Ferguson's money pit.  Plaster and mortar over moms and dads?  The anti-cop move makes very little sense on it's face.  Until you take a bit of time tested advice and "follow the money."

Joel Ferguson has a long and distinguished history of big dollar giving to Democrats and Lefty organizations.  From judicial candidates to the Michigan House Democrat Fund and others, Democrats can often count on thousands of dollars from the developer.  Tens of thousands, even.  

How much more of a problem, then, if the men and women drowning their sorrows in the middle of the day are the folks voters elected and sent to Lansing specifically to FIX this state's problems?  

This Thursday morning, while moms and dads across Michigan tighten the family budgets, hunt for jobs and worry about how they're going to put food on the table, 2010 Gubernatorial candidate and current Lieutenant Governor John Cherry, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and state Senator Hansen Clarke will be taking "unbelievable," "inappropriate" and "tone deaf" to disturbing new levels.

The Lansing Democrats will be getting liquored up with special interest pals and high-dollar donors at an open bar event they are describing as a "Mid-Day Fun-Raiser."  Support a "two hour moratorium on dry political fundraisers," they encourage via an email invitation obtained by RightMichigan.com.  

The event is scheduled to begin thirty minutes after the Michigan Senate is gaveled into session this Thursday.  

We've already learned this week that tens of thousands of Michigan jobs will disappear and Friday stands to be one of the most important days in the history of Detroit's automotive industry.  No sense letting THAT stop a good time when there are lobbyists to schmooze and martinis to sip, though.

So many questions come to mind.  

Will Lieutenant Governor Cherry and Senator Clarke register their attendance in the Senate during roll call and then make their way over to the open bar?

Will Cherry and Clarke return to the Senate chamber after having spent the morning and early afternoon imbibing with lobbyists, special interest friends and big dollar donors?

Will John Cherry and Hansen Clarke be driving themselves or are they planning on using a designated driver?  And will the taxpayers foot the bill?

Which other House and Senate members, staffers and Democratic Party big-wigs will be inebriated by half-past one in the afternoon?

And maybe most importantly the day before General Motors submits to the government a last-gasp reorganization plan with hundreds of thousands of Michigan jobs on the line... In what freaking universe does the state's number two guy, a candidate for the highest office in the land, think it's a good idea to waste away the work day partying, booze in hand with lobbyists?

At the helm, on the clock and getting hammered.  If THAT doesn't scream "leadership" I don't know what does.