Tag: Expansion (page 2)

The garden party, held on Sunday at a local small business, was attended by Republican US Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land, State Senator Darwin Booher, State Representatives Ray Franz (R-101), Bruce Rendon (R-103), and other local politicians and interested citizens.  Booher announced he "would not be voting for medicaid expansion" during a part of the program where elected officials and prospective candidates spoke.

Booher has also spoken out against the "outrageous fine" levied on Mark Baker of Baker's acres for the heinous crime of trying to farm in Michigan.

Americans for Prosperity started running a six-figure ad buy for Michigan on Friday. It encompasses two separate radio ads. One connects Medicaid expansion to the Obamacare "train wreck," urging state senators to oppose expanding Medicaid. The other highlights concerns raised by union leaders like James Hoffa about the negative impact ObamaCare will have on union members.

"The severe unintended consequences of the ACA are very real and Michigan families need to be educated and informed about how ObamaCare will impact them and their families," said Scott Hagerstrom, state director of Americans for Prosperity-Michigan. "Our State Senators shouldn't double down on the failures of the ACA and implement ObamaCare by expanding Medicaid."

Hagerstrom noted the ads complement each other and send a unified message in that both highlight the problems of ObamaCare.

"People across the political spectrum and from many different walks of life are concerned about the consequences of ObamaCare," Hagerstrom concluded. "We hope both ads will help remind our State Senators of this."

As many of you are aware, State Senator Howard Walker R-37th has decided to forgo a second term, thus leaving a fairly solid Republican seat up for grabs.  Walker might well have gotten tired of the threats to primary him, but he has publicly  responded that it was a family decision.  We wish him the best, and hope he departs the senate with head held high, SANS a Medicaid/Welfare expansion vote when the time comes.  Voting FOR such a thing would be a pretty serious blemish on a fairly decent record to walk away with.

Unfortunately, the shame of expanding government is carried by the already announced would-be replacements.

Wayne Schmidt RINO-104th, and Greg MacMaster R-105th, are vying for the seat, each with the distinction of having supported the growth of government through their vote for Obamacare.

Note the designated (R) difference used, as their overall records could be parsed to paint a true picture of ideology.  Schmidt's frequent support of many things expansion and subsidy, stand in contrast to the GOP platform of smaller government, and intrusion. Of course Schmidt's record is longer, and more easily scrutinized than that of MacMaster, who riding the Tea Party wave of 2010, has since revealed that on key issues, he cannot be counted on to hold the conservative line. MacMaster has been a vocal opponent to disastrous A21 policies, and has introduced legislation that has made it no further than the committees, one of them chaired by Schmidt.

So we are at the starting gate with Wayne "I Like Big Government" Schmidt, and Greg "I tried to cut a deal for small business" MacMaster.  The former being one you can trust to disappoint frequently; the latter not solidly rooted in conviction.  The former not nearly as 'popular' as the latter, being one who doesn't raise money so well.

So do we break out the checkbooks, hold our noses, pirouette, or sit on our hands?

Jack Hoogendyk penned a piece the other day that might have turned a few heads.  His email article "Money, Power, Quid Pro Quo - How it Destroys Good Policy" used a story from the 'watching Michigan' site that suggested Arlan Meekhof's position on Medicaid expansion might be compromised by a desire for leadership.  The article painted a scenario under which it seemed possible that Senator Meekhof might capitulate to expansion:

"But, by rising to the seat power as leader, you too are owing to someone. All that money you spread around during the campaign; where did that come from? The lobbyists. And those lobby groups that endowed you with all that cash, do you think maybe they have a few quid pro quos as well? Oh, yeah.

...

I remember when there was a key vote on insurance reform in 2003. Blue Cross/Blue Shield had much to gain if the vote went their way. They had to put a full court press on Republican lawmakers to get the needed votes. Several members were swayed by promises that "your campaign debt will go away."

Hoogendyk ended with wonderment of of the house votes and a question whether Arlan Meekhoff, as a man of integrity would cave to the a desire to grow in office.

"... Were they promised help in the upcoming election? A few seats could be in trouble because of the Freedom to Work vote. Some future campaign cash could be helpful...in exchange for a key vote now.

I know Arlen Meekhof quite well. He is a man of integrity. I appreciate that he has always stood tall on social issues. He is a staunch defender of life and traditional values. But, is he vulnerable to the intoxicating lure of power? Will Arlen Meekhof compromise his principles in exchange for leadership? Only time, his votes and his post-election campaign finance report will tell for sure."

Only one word comes to mind: Starve.

Yannow, between the Governerd surrounding himself with a deadbeat Treasurer, and a Medicaid billing mooslime responsible for at least one death now dumping $25K into the One Tough Nerd PAC <cough>HB 4714</cough>, all one has to do is sit back and watch "Rick Michigan" implode all on his own.  Damn good thing you're getting your monies upfront, young Johnny.

The state of Michigan will soon allow companies, organizations and communities to use the popular "Pure Michigan" branding in joint advertising and marketing.
....

"We will create customized 'Pure Michigan' advertising campaigns centered around clusters of business that we have in the state," Finney [MEDC] said. "You could take automotive, or you could take dairy [Subsidized], or you could take other agricultural products [Subsidized too, even The Dead], or software and we'll create customizable opportunities for companies to actively participate in the campaign."

The move is an extension of what the state has done with the tourism industry, where it has worked with about 50 partners to jointly advertise cities and tourist attractions such as The Henry Ford [501(c)(3) Tax Exempt] in Dearborn, Finney said. In those cases, the state [all taxpayers] and the entities split the costs for the creative advertising, he said.

God, I just despise the nasally weasel.  Snyder embodies everything that is in topic over here.

Gov. Rick Snyder's decision to take Detroit into bankruptcy has statewide popularity, but his advocacy for expanding Medicaid has cost him support among fellow Republicans, according to a new poll released exclusively to The Detroit News.

Snyder's favorability has regained ground from a 38 percent low point in February after the divisive right-to-work debates, climbing to 44 percent this month, according to statewide polls commissioned by Lambert, Edwards & Associates, a bipartisan public relations firm.

....

The poll conducted by Denno Research shows 36.5 percent of all voters are more likely to vote for Snyder because of his stance on Medicaid, but it has come at a price among his own supporters and strained his relations with some Republican lawmakers.

About 37 percent of Republican voters said they were less likely to vote for the incumbent Republican governor because of his support of expanding the Medicaid entitlement program, a major component of President Barack Obama's health care law.

"He's got his party behind him on (Detroit)[duh!], but when you talk about Medicaid expansion, forget it [Jeez, go figure]," said Bill Ballenger, publisher of the Lansing newsletter Inside Michigan Politics.

When Snyder is out at County Party fundraisers, pay attention to what the Nerd doesn't say about his government growing, tax hiking agenda before writing him and Schostak that contribution check.  NOTE:

While the governor held a series of forums over the past month advocating for Medicaid expansion inside medical facilities across the state, he's taken a different message to his Republican base lately.

During a speech Monday night before Macomb County Republicans in Sterling Heights, Snyder didn't mention his Medicaid plan or his proposals to raise taxes to fix the state's roads, but made clear the state would not be bailing out Detroit.

What a mealy-mouthed corporatist weasel, nevertheless, there it is = Rick Snyder.

More importantly, the 800 lb. Conservative Gorilla is in the "Big Tent" and still has no use for milquetoast Team R pale pastel.  If Senate Republicans had any doubts on how/why they should Vote No on HB 4714, it has been unequivocally removed for them.  Or, be betrayed again by a term limited Richardville without the kiss.