Tag: MEDC (page 5)

The MEDC usually has simple results of failure, highlighted by jobs claims not materializing, eventual bankruptcies, and occasionally giving our money away to fraudsters.  Channeling the zen masters in Lansing's sacred halls of executive investing excellence, it provides a leg up to those who know how to play the system for their advantage over other businesses. Countless photo opportunities for politicians who 'bring home the bacon' can be counted on, as long as the MEDC efforts are funded with millions of our hard earned dollars.  Photo ops equal exposure, equals career doors opening for friends and family, and through the entire process equals some serious bling for those actively participating in its promotion.

Picking winners has never been so lucrative.

This time its potentially more dangerous. Last year, after my failed bid in the Republican primary, I produced a radio spot which predicted the A123 situation's end quite accurately.

The DEQ recently was recognized by an International environmental group for its pollution prevention efforts.

The department was a 2012 North America Gold winner of the International Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practices by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-profit organization that recognizes, rewards, and promotes environmental best practices around the world.

How do you like them apples?  Nothing like the cost savings associated with keeping the incredibly expensive global green hoax alive with such not-ready-for-primetime ideals that are rewarding subsidy to foreign nations, or are being bought by Communists for pennies on the US taxpayer Dollar.

"Michigan's citizens are tired of the divisive political culture in Lansing," Snyder said on the campaign trail. "Midnight deals, closed-doors meetings, lobbyists and special interest influence have stood in the way of long-term solutions.

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Continually feeding us the economic benefit angle of government intervention in free markets, leaders love to pad the wallets of their best buds in industry. To do so requires a "cause" however,as simply jacking the public treasury for personal gain is abhorrent to those on BOTH sides of the political divide. Climate change has become one of the easiest causes to gather around, because the science is so ambiguous, its been simply easier for governments to act and perhaps err on the side of caution.

So we promote and enhance business models that are designed to combat climate change with other peoples' money. Also included in these 'causes' is the argument that "new jobs are created" with the development of such technology.  Such was the case with A123 Systems:

"In 2009, A123 received millions in federal and state funds, for the creation of jobs for Michiganders. Taxpayers  unwillingly, or unwittingly saw their paychecks shrink for promises never realized, and now they may have ultimately subsidized a technology transfer to a competing world power."

But the cherry in the pie is something even more disturbing.  Adding insult to injury, the failure to produce promised results for taxpayer paid incentives and gratuity is now lining the pockets of the failed executives who apparently understand private public partnerships better than the rest of us.

Its a place where only the taxpayer loses:

"The top executives who presided over its failure - and supported the president's cap-and-tax initiatives early in his term - are likely to receive millions of dollars in bonuses, thanks to their scheming earlier this year and a bankruptcy court judge."

Yessirree.  Article V, Section 18 is merely PLPD coverage on the family car.  Out of pocket repair bills is exactly the exposure that every Michigan family faces with handing the keys to their little darlings behind the Lansing wheel.  What's that?  A smart family should know to also carry collision, or, Full Coverage if entrusting others with risks to the family vehicle?  Well, with just checking the old inbox, that is the message that the good folks over at the Michigan Capitol Confidential are driving home on Prop 5.

The idea behind a Tax Limitation Amendment is to make it more difficult for the political class to pilfer the pockets of taxpayers. Research -- most notably by scholar Mancur Olson -- has shown time and again that in democratic nations the wishes of an electorate are often ignored by narrow special interests that seek costly "favors" from the government. Politicians all too frequently accommodate those favors (be they subsidies or tariffs or spending hikes or other items) in part because their contributors and powerful constituents support them. Increasing taxes also is often a path of least resistance.

Constitutional restrictions are an effective way to handcuff politicians and stymie the special interests who lobby them for more money. Academic research on balance seems to show that such restrictions do check the growth of government and tax burdens, too.

Amen!  So, the natural question must be asked, why is it that the biggest opponent of Prop 5, Rick Snyder, a CEO, and CPA mind you, is behaving like a teenager who incessantly tells dumb 'ol mom and dad who are liable for his actions that he can text and drive?

via The Detroit News

The Michigan Republican Party on Tuesday pulled a cable TV ad that bashes Detroit while touting Oakland County's GOP.

County Executive L. Brooks Patterson saw the 34-second ad and asked state GOP Chairman Bobby Schostak on Tuesday to pull it, saying it was unnecessarily negative.

Patterson, who is undergoing rehabilitation for injuries suffered in a car crash, received a resounding no, spokesman Bill Mullan said.

"I've always run political campaigns built on positive messages. My campaign has asked the independent entity that produced this ad to take it down, but they've refused," Patterson said in a statement on Tuesday. "Detroit has its challenges. But my administration has always tried to be part of the solution."

More with video of pulled commercial

And, folks still try to tell me that there is a Two Party system.  Again .. Shut up, Brooks.  Your 73-year-old duplicitous tongue needs to head out to pasture, and tell tales of how you remember your legend to your grandchildren.  Everything has a built in obsolescence, Brooks - you, like this dangerous fossil, have finally met yours.