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    Tag: MEGA

    Rand Paul's Folly - Or Snyder/Paul 2016


    By JGillman, Section News
    Posted on Mon Dec 09, 2013 at 09:22:53 PM EST
    Tags: Michigan, Rand Paul, Detroit, Rick Snyder, Cronyism, Snyder 2016, Bucket List, Useful Idiots, Corruption, Quicken Loans, MEDC, MSF, MEGA, Taxes, Theft, SB269, SB270, SB271, SB278, HB4480, HB4482, Puppetry, Bankruptcy (all tags)

    This Is NOT Your Daddy's 'Paul'

    Some of the ideas are familiar, but limited in ways typically embraced by establishment Republicans.

    Rand Paul's visit to Detroit was precipitated by a conference call being reported by the Detroit News. In it, Senator Paul speaks of enterprise zones, with taxes so low as to "bail yourselves out". Adding to this an loosened visa incentive for a flow of foreign "entrepreneurs" into the city.

    Paul, widely considered a 2016 potential presidential candidate, said he will introduce legislation Monday to create "economic freedom zones" by dramatically lowering taxes in depressed areas and loosen visa rules to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to immigrate to the city.

    "We hope to create taxes so low you essentially are able to bail yourselves out," Paul said Thursday in a conference call outlining his plan.


    So now instead of "jobs that Americans don't want to do," perhaps we will be talking about cities that Americans don't want to live or work in.

    I wonder how that would work?

    Maybe something like this?

    "Mr Chen, you are welcome to stay, invest, develop, and work in our country. However, you are limited to this particular region. If for some reason you are not satisfied there, I guess you are out of luck."
    Or in other words,
    "Welcome to the Hotel Detroit. Love it, or get the hell out of our country.."
    Right, somehow I can't see THAT happening.

    Which of course begs the question of what happens to those who emigrate, and decide to move somewhere a little safer than Baghdad of Michigan? When "loosening visa requirements," it seems that a genie let out is a little hard to stuff back in the lamp. Its hard to imagine 'restrictive' movement placed on those who simply seek a better life, and upon finding out that Detroit is no better than the hole they left, it is highly likely that they will indeed "seek" such a place.

    And it seems we have heard those words about foreigners feeling welcomed before.

    Go below the fold.

    (2 comments, 1894 words in story) Full Story

    And Republicans Support This?


    By JGillman, Section News
    Posted on Thu Feb 23, 2012 at 10:58:01 AM EST
    Tags: Michigan, MEDC, MEGA, Grants, Energy, Republicans, Upton, Hoogendyk, Solar, Picking Winners, Ovianics, Moral Authority, Taxpayer Abuse, Hypocrisy (all tags)

    Well, its just time to break out the old cartoon again.

    A Republican, Rick Snyder, is the father of the MEDC.  It was his baby, and lest anyone forget, it was created under the Republican Engler administration.  The MEDC, which has yet to produce a model that definitively demonstrates taking taxpayer funds, then giving those funds to hand picked "winners" produces net economic growth in our state.  The MEDC which essentially could be called a taxpayer funded venture capital scam.

    The MEDC's MEGA, The state of Michigan through Tax Breaks, and the DOE,  which gave us that "success story" A123 systems.:

    "When A123 Systems announced it was opening its lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Livonia in September 2010, then Gov. Jennifer Granholm wrote about it on the Huffington Post calling it "a Recovery Act success story."

    But there have been troubles for A123 Systems in the 17 months since then despite a lot of state and federal aid to prop it up.

    The state of Michigan gave it a $100 million MEGA tax credit that is contingent on the company creating 300 jobs by the end of 2016. A123 Systems also received another $41 million in tax breaks and subsidies from the state. The Department of Energy awarded A123 Systems a $249.1 million grant.

    But the company has not been able to meet its own projections. For instance, on March 28, 2011 in an SEC filing, the company projected total revenue between $210 million to $225 million for 2011. Its latest report shows they had just $118 million of total revenue through the first three quarters of 2011 and reported a net loss of $172 million."

    Yeah, that's a winner.

    In fact doing so well, taxpayers should be happy to know that the top brass in the company thanks them for providing a generous raise.

    But wait, I was talking about Republicans right? Right.  - Below the fold.

    (4 comments, 1158 words in story) Full Story

    A Message To Our Legislators - Beware False Choices

    Whole Lotta Incentives


    By JGillman, Section News
    Posted on Thu Jul 28, 2011 at 03:14:26 PM EST
    Tags: Organic, All natural Business, Mega, Whole Foods, Detroit, Subsidies, Payoffs, Dragon Fruit (all tags)

    I like Whole Foods' program. I have great respect for the man who started as an idealistic organic sales guy with a dozen or so workers and turned the program into what could be considered a model for the American dream.

    Who was it?

    John Mackey, The former liberal turned moderate/considered-conservative businessman who royally ticked off the administration a couple years ago with his scathing editorial on Obamacare. The editorial frankly is worth going over again. Its brilliant.  In fact, I would say the man is equally so, and understands how to squish those (organic) lemons into some fine lemonade.  It takes opportunity multiplied by desire for the lemonade.

    And maybe a little cash.

    Desire of course for the finest lemonade around, or at least a few good jobs, and the possibility of revivals in neighborhoods might what is driving this successful entrepreneur to look at a full blown grocery operation in Detroit.

    Continued Below ~

    (7 comments, 675 words in story) Full Story

    Poor or Pure.. Michigan


    By JGillman, Section News
    Posted on Wed Jan 13, 2010 at 11:43:33 AM EST
    Tags: Business, Michigan, MEGA, FORD, Subsidies, Stupidity (all tags)

    THAT is a deal I want.

    I cannot even imagine the improvements I could make to my business If I was given $188,000 per each new employee I hired. I would be able to "blow away" the competition by undercutting them.  I could man the phone sales lines 24 hours a day.  I could invest in new equipment, buy new product, etc...



    $188,000.00 is not exactly chump change.. It is about 4 and a half times the national average manufacturing yearly earnings. (Or twice that of the average UAW worker's earnings)  And since my compensation package is even less, I could employ each person for about 6 years..  What the heck.. I would shoot the moon and go for the 5 year plan and pay em more!

    5 years of employment GUARANTEED for each man woman or donkey working for us!  No fear of unemployment, (Though we would gladly pay the premiums.. the least we could do...) or hourly reductions, or benefits losses.. Again in the spirit of the thing.. I would even pay the small employee contribution..  Its a win win!

    (9 comments, 979 words in story) Full Story

    Michigan Business Done Right - Gifts?


    By JGillman, Section News
    Posted on Wed Dec 23, 2009 at 10:27:01 AM EST
    Tags: Michigan, MEDC, MEGA, American Greetings, Mackinac Center (all tags)

    About a week ago I finished the Christmas cards and rushed down to the post office where I waited in line just to buy the stamps for them.  Aside from that, I had a number of vendors, dealers, and customers who each got a special gift (box of Doug Murdicks Fudge) this year.  A small way of saying thanks for believing in our product and services we attempt to provide.  And even though the gifts we send are of a nominal value, I know they are appreciated, as usually the office workers  at a couple of recipient locations will call and thank us personally. Now that I think about it, that may say more about the Fudge maker's skills than our Christmas spirit.

    In the end however, we appreciate the continued feedback from those we deal with all year long, and simply want to show them our appreciation for their continued patronage, and let them know we won't forget them.




    Businesses have been doing this kind of thing for ages. Rewarding loyalty is in fact a key concept of retaining market share in the most competitive environments.  Movie rental shops will have punch cards, and some grocery stores will have a club card that gives a discount, and soda or cigarette manufacturers will have you saving bottle caps or peeling UPCs.  In fact, most of you who read this likely have a credit card that has a "cash back" feature, or some time of reward for using it frequently.  A degree in rocket science is hardly needed to understand why.

    Rewards for loyalty work great in business.  And rewards for loyalty sometimes work even better in government.

    (1 comment, 726 words in story) Full Story

    95% Pure


    By JGillman, Section News
    Posted on Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 09:20:04 AM EST
    Tags: Pure Michigan, Taxes, Michigan, MEGA, HB5017, HB5018, HB5088, HB5089 (all tags)

    One of the last things I have written on was on the Smoking ban, and the particular frustration I have with republicans voting for it, when it clearly falls in as a core issue that ought never be breached except by those who do not believe in liberty.  I assert that under the constraints the constitution of this state and frankly the federal government provide, it shall not happen.  The title of one of those was "Why is it always the WRONG 5%,"  Meaning: If we are going to disagree with our allies in the Republican party only 5% of the time, couldn't it at least be on something trivial?

    Well perhaps not even trivial, but at the very least simply non freedom stealing in an outright way.

    A perfect example of this would be from the misplaced priorities of our legislature in handing out more of our tax dollars to promote industries that meet the "government's idea" of a winner.

    (11 comments, 871 words in story) Full Story

    The consistent inconsistency of the Michigan Left


    By Nick, Section News
    Posted on Mon Jul 06, 2009 at 06:59:03 AM EST
    Tags: Granholm-Cherry, MEDC, MEGA, drop out rates, public schools, GM, bankruptcy, Detroit, corruption, ethics, consistency, lying liars (all tags)

    So much to talk about, so little space.  Alright, so, technically there's all the space in the world since this is a blogging community, not a newspaper and none of us are confined to word counts or column size restrictions... so let me rephrase.  So much to talk about, so limited my ability to juggle multiple topics in one blog post while maintaining some semblance of focus.

    Hmm.  Not quite as pithy.  Nevermind.  Besides, you get the point.

    I mean, we could discuss General Motors escape from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Ivory Tower even manages to poke a little fun at the Obama administration, which is a little bit jarring on first blush, but nice for a switch.

    We could discuss the Associated Press's revelation of additional shady business from elected Democrats in the Motor City.  Shady unless you consider using emergency funds to purchase a $1,600 floral arrangement good stewardship.

    Then there's the Detroit News taking the Granholm-Cherry administration out to the woodshed for lying about Michigan's graduation rates.  

    (And oh so much more... please read on...)

    (5 comments, 683 words in story) Full Story

    Louisiana? We're losing to Louisiana? Seriously?


    By Nick, Section News
    Posted on Tue Jun 16, 2009 at 07:45:04 AM EST
    Tags: Union, MEGA, tax break, tax hike, Granholm, Cherry, right-to-work, automobile, manufacturing jobs (all tags)

    A pair of stories in the news this morning that together speak volumes about the environment Michigan Democrats have created for job makers these last six-plus years.

    The Grand Rapids Press is reporting that Farmer's Insurance will today announce plans to create 1,600 jobs in suburban Grand Rapids.  Maybe.  

    I mean, the announcement is coming today and Governor Granholm will be there giving a speech and looking extra gubernatorial... but the actual creation of 1,600 jobs is a little more iffy.  

    The announcement is expected to coincide with expected approval of huge tax breaks for Farmers by the Michigan Economic Growth Authority Tuesday morning...

    The company would have 12 years after completing (two new) facilities to create 1,000 additional jobs at the campus in order to qualify for a 100 percent employment tax credit.

    Farmers would need to create 1,400 jobs by the end of the 17th year in order to qualify for the final year of tax credits.

    The only other certainty is that the Democratic governor had to offer a 100 percent tax credit (that's all of it, for the arithmetic-challenged) to convince a company already located in Michigan to consider expanding their operation effectively over the course of two decades.

    Fingers crossed, knock on wood and any other superstition of your choosing that Farmers comes through but the recent track record of MEGA hasn't been that hot.  Won't stop the mainstream media from fawning all over the Governor, though, and giving her credit for creating thousands of jobs that won't exist until her kids are approaching the big 4-0.  

    Going to go out on a limb and guess there won't be a reporter at the presser or anywhere else in the state with the stones to call the Guv on her tax policy hypocrisy, either.  The best kept secret in the state of Michigan is how much faith the Democratic administration actually places in tax CUTS as tools for economic stimulus and job creation.

    Meanwhile, over on the other side of the state where automobile manufacturing plants continue to be shuttered, laid off Michigan auto workers can do little but look on as another auto manufacturing operation gets set to open somewhere else.  The Detroit News is reporting that the auto manufacturing hotbed that is... Louisiana... is set to build a few extra cars.

    A well-financed company is close to choosing a shuttered north Louisiana site to start a new automobile manufacturing facility, creating up to 1,500 jobs, according to two elected officials from the region.

    State Rep. Jim Fannin would not identify the company but said the vehicles would be its first and would be built at a former Guide Corp. plant in Ouachita Parish. He said Gov. Bobby Jindal would make an announcement about the deal Wednesday.

    Monroe City Council member Arthur Gilmore said the project, which would build fuel-efficient vehicles, involves California venture capitalists Ray Lane and John Doerr of Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, which has been extensively involved in "environmentally friendly " projects and companies.

    Got that?  California environmentalists are set to open a green-car manufacturing outfit in Louisiana.  Not Michigan, where our workers, engineers and infrastructure have been built for the last one-hundred years specifically for projects like this.  Louisiana.  What do they have that we haven't?  I mean, besides a dynamic, successful economic conservative in the Governor's office.  

    Then again, maybe the more relevant discussion is about what Michigan has that Louisiana doesn't.

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