Tag: Governor

Remember folks, Rick Snyder wants youth enslaved to this Federal dumbing-down agenda.

"I think the Common Core is a really important opportunity, and I think it's a good thing," Snyder said Monday in Detroit, where he was joined by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. "Unfortunately, it's been too much about politics. Too many people in our country ... are looking to fight someone for the sake of fighting."

Those were the days.

Back when you knew where people stood.

Ya know?

From discussions, outreach and even the most casual conversations on Friday at the island, it was very easy to get the sense that many Republicans on the island were VERY open to the idea of exorcising the Governor. Even though one watching the broadcast last night live might have seen an excited party, the reality is that a great number of the GOP active types would prefer a new nominee, and some (not quite a majority) would be willing to endure gridlock for a few years.

The good news for my part is that there are still three possibilities.  

They are quite aware there is a growing support for a replacement, and two of them have indicated an interest in becoming that replacement if things fall together.

Good times.

Recognizing that many 'moderate' elements now lurk for fear of being drawn into arguments they cannot win, there ARE ways to get a pulse on what is being considered. Even the soft conservatives out here are getting the fire-to-the-hand test of loyalty by the governor who doesn't really seem to have ANY center of gravity. When the first answer is always to go back with hands out for more taxes, its an insult to the 'conservative' voter who actually feels some bizarre obligation to support it. When we see this:

"The MIRS subscription newsletter reported Monday that the quadrant leaders "are moving toward a package" that would devote all revenue collected at the gas pump -- including fuel excise and sales taxes -- to roads while boosting the state sales tax by one percent to replace lost revenue currently earmarked for schools and cities."

However, the increasing cost on gasoline and subsequent sales tax windfall provided cover for the fungible nature in which the schools are supported. It allowed other areas of state government to grow, and covered the years of neglect and lack of schools oversight by the legislature. The schools have enough to operate on, but do not have some of the tools in which to better manage what they get.  Snyder's additional sales tax is NOT the way to solve this.

There really has to be a question forming in the minds of even the most ardent Republicans.

We are NOT ATM machines.  How the hell did we get here?

We need to know where you are at.  Is Rick Snyder at all trustworthy to see through another 4 years? Would readers of this site vote for a Democrat to prove a point? Would a third party bid be a better way of giving Snyder's unpredictable 'antics'?

Take the poll.  

Remember this, and the fact that the entire mess we are facing is due to his coalition backing the ACA at a point where it was vulnerable for being recognized as a tool for the baby killers.  As a pro-life congressman, he was snookered.  Fooled like anyone who capitulates with even a single aspect of the worst legislation that has ever emanated from Washington DC.

And now even while our state senate legislative body considers falling into their own version of bait and switch, there are some on the other side who want a better chance at retaking the governor's seat; and planting the once fooled representative from the UP into it.

"His pals complained that the apparent anointed one, former Congressman Mark Schauer, was not catching fire and that Gov. Rick Snyder might beat this guy. They told Mr. Stupak he was their guy."

Folks, we must remember that memories are short.  Stupak would beat Snyder based on that very fact. And the fact he has indicated a non-interest in running? Consider it a courtesy for the time being. This is what the literary world calls 'foreshadowing'.

As promised, Governor Snyder will have to face the reality that the conservative base might well leave him to fend for himself as he repeatedly (and without remorse) promotes expansion of the ACA in Michigan.  Joan Fabiano and Jen Kuznicki in an article and open letter to the Governor explain that Republicans should, and will not be casting their vote for him in the coming election.

"It is with careful consideration that we decide on a course of action that is, in our view, politically problematic, but nonetheless a forthright answer to a governor who will not listen to his base: Conservatives should not help this Governor get reelected."

Many are concerned that The 2014 Democrat candidate for governor is likely to take advantage of this, and they are correct.  Thus another reason to fight for, and support the legislators who stand up for limited government intrusion into our lives; something clearly pointed out as part of the problem with the ACA by Fabiano and Kuznicki:

'Unsustainable consequences of the passing of the "Affordable" Care Act will leave millions without a job, and millions with cut hours and wages.  Those consequences lead us to believe that expansion will overwhelm the system, rip off doctors, temporarily prop up hospitals, all leading to requests for more taxpayer funding on both the State and Federal levels.

Medicaid expansion is not solely a fiscal issue, it gets to the heart of the role of government in our lives.  Take into consideration the life of a restaurant worker who has been working full time.  Due to Obamacare, he will be facing a cut in hours because of the fees placed upon his employer by the cynical law.  He will lose his health insurance as a result, and he will be eligible for Medicaid if the state expands it.  You have, at the hands of government, changed that man's life from being a hard-working climber to one that has been knocked back by a government he is in charge of.  He has lost half of his income so that the government can manage his life.'

In an unexpected move, Former Congressman Bart Stupak has endorsed across the aisle, and named Jason Gillman the man to beat for the governorship of Michigan.

Speculation ended only yesterday, when the 1st district Democrat declared that he would rather run against fellow first district citizen, businessman, and author Jason Gillman, for Governor of Michigan, than he would against the current incumbent Rick Snyder.  "My goal is to win back the state for Democrats, and I think I could actually beat Gillman," Stupak said. "And anyhow who is that guy?"

Stupak's campaign manager Dennis Lennox was hired by the former trooper and legislator after it was determined that he was personally responsible for a long string of Republican losses. Lennox reportedly said "What can I say? Its not everyone who has such consistent results," and when questioned about his last paying job, he simply replied "please talk to my attorney."

Stupak was recently recruited by Michigan Democrats by newly installed Dem Chair Lon Johnson. Johnson who lives in the 1st district apparently still 'owed one' to the former congressman not for political favors, but from "that time when he was a trooper and was really cool and let me off with a warning." according to Johnson.

The pandering reached epic proportions, but somehow I was not entirely surprised. Aside from essentially ignoring the single most important legislative feat (FTW) in his term (as if he was ashamed) he reached out with political correctness I haven't seen since the 90s.  I fully intend to analyze the complete transcript within a couple of days, but one item is particularly troubling.  The governor, in a bid to bring everyone on board broke out the tired old "investment" theme to sell a tax hike.

"Michigan is currently short about $1.2 billion a year to fix our roads, .. We can pay today or continue to delay, but that will cost us twice as much. We'll need $12 billion over 10 years - and that's just in today's dollars. Continuing to delay lets the costs balloon to $25 billion in 10 years ..."

Its a false argument.

I agree with user fees.  In fact no one is more in line with applying a tax as close to its purpose as I.  If there is a tax or fee on an activity, it ought to at least have something to do with that activity. So its easy for those who are conservative minded to get alongside the governor.

Except, ..before saying additional taxes ought to be applied, shouldn't we examine those that exist, and see where that money goes?  Is it not requisite that we understand what our current "user fees" are used for, before adding to them?