Monthly Archives: October 2014

About That “Michigan First” Line of Crapola

The level of Terri’s cognitive dissonance is just staggering. Perhaps, it’s time for another friendly reminder?

Folks, I’m big enough to admit when I make a mistake. When referring to Terri Land Hibma as a dunce, it truly is an insult to dunces everywhere.

You Betcha! (22)Nuh Uh.(1)

Rick Snyder on Gun Free Zones

I wish it weren’t true, I really do, but here’s the thing: the reason we still have gun free zones in this State is Gov. Rick Snyder.

Let’s review the political landscape in Michigan.  Michigan’s legislature is divided into two chambers: A senate and a house.

The Michigan Senate is made up of 38 members (26 Republicans and 12 Democrats – As of this writing).  The Michigan Senate has had this composition since January 1, 2011 and this composition will remain in place until the end of December this year (2014).

The Michigan House is made up of 110 members (59 Republicans, 50 Democrats, and 1 “Independent” Democrat – as of this writing).  The Michigan House has had this composition since January 1, 2013 and this composition will remain in place until the end of December this year (2014).  Between January 1, 2011 and through December, 2012 the composition was 64 Republicans and 46 Democrats — 9 votes short of a supermajority (66%) of Republicans.  The latter amount represents the composition when SB 59 was passed in 2012.

Let’s talk about SB 59, as ultimately passed by the legislature.  SB 59 would have (in brief):

  1. Overhauled the process to get your CPL to make getting your CPL much simpler, with one person (your local Sheriff) being solely responsible for issuing your CPL or facing financial penalties in Court for denying you without a lawful reason (as specified in MCL 28.425b)
  2. Force the CPL Issuer to grant a person who completed a nominal amount of additional training an exemption to the Concealed Pistol Free Zones outlined in MCL 28.425onearly eliminating concealed pistol free zones in Michigan.
  3. Made it illegal to open carry a firearm in a location described in MCL 28.425o.

While the third point rightfully posed some controversy in Michigan’s second amendment community, especially open carriers, Michigan’s “Big 3” (Michigan Open Carry, Inc, Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners, Michigan Gun Owners) Firearm organizations voted (via their Board of Directors) to Support SB 59 as it ultimately passed and urged the Governor to sign it.

Ultimately, Gov. Rick Snyder decided to veto SB 59.  He didn’t veto it because he’s so pro-gun he opposed making it illegal to open carry in a 28.425o zone, no…not at all.  In fact, that language was added to the legislation at the Governor’s insistence.  Rather, the Governor opposed SB 59 because (according to his veto letter) he wanted to weaken preemption:

“While we must vigilantly protect the rights of law-abiding firearm owners, we also must ensure the right of designated public entities to exercise their best discretion in matters of safety and security,” he said. “These public venues need clear legal authority to ban firearms on their premises if they see fit to do so.

So all those publicly owned pistol free zones described in MCL 28.425o?  Snyder wanted them to be able to ban guns, contrary to the State’s preemption law outlined in MCL 123.1102.  Senator Mike Green, lead sponsor of SB 59, refused to cave into this final demand of the Governor to weaken preemption, so the bill passed as it did and the rest is (as they say) history.

Senator Mike Green Later reintroduced SB 59 in the next (current) session as SB 213.  Sadly, SB 213 has gone nowhere because the Governor doesn’t want to address/eliminate Pistol Free Zones.  Since the Governor is a Republican (like a majority of the State House and Senate) the Republican majorities won’t take up the issue.  After all, many of the members do not want to further embarrass/alienate their parties Governor on the matter prior to an election.  Many of these members are counting on their Governor’s support during the election season (both the Primaries and the General Election) to help them get re-elected.  Fearing the Governor will withdraw his support from fellow Republican members who pass legislation supporting the elimination of 28..425o zones, the legislature has sat on SB 213.  Would this be the same if the Governor didn’t belong to the same party as a majority of the state legislature?

To answer that question, let’s look at history of previous legislature and Governor.  In 2006 the legislature passed Michigan’s version of “Stand your Ground”, the Self Defense Act of 2006.  Not wanting to alienate gun owners prior to the November election of 2006, Governor Granholm signed the law in July of 2006.

This political situation aside, it’s possible SB 59’s veto would have been overridden.  SB 59 passed on final passage with the following support, House: Yeas 68 Nays 41; Senate: Yeas 27 Nays 11.  In the Senate a 2/3’s majority to over-ride a veto is 26 votes.  In the House it is 74 votes.  In other words, the Senate had enough votes and the House would have only needed to flip 3 votes.  Of course, given fear of losing support of the Govenor, the legislature wouldn’t over-ride the Governor’s veto even if the votes were there.  This recently happened in Missouri where the Republican Legislature overrode the Democrat Governor’s veto on pro-gun legislation.

In fact, even the Liberal Huffington posts seem to suggest gun free zones are a bad idea.

You Betcha! (17)Nuh Uh.(0)

Surprise Surprise

Dick and Betsy’s cupcake caught in his own web of lies.

Another of cupcake’s bald-faced lies? “Cut the income tax rate.

Pure bullshit.
Dick_and_Betsy_house_pervert_attack_org

Enjoy Snyder and Calley’s Obamacare entrenchment, Greg.

You Betcha! (16)Nuh Uh.(0)

Speaking of Brown Showers…

We have a candidate for governor, which now proudly campaigns on Obamacare.

And, who is left to pick up the tab for that when Snyder/Calley is gone? Let, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), explain that for you. Did you notice a Republican said the states are going to pay for it? Why Hell, even a plumber knows that sh!t runs downhill.

Enjoy paying for that along with the Snyder/Calley fuel tax and registration fee hike.

You Betcha! (24)Nuh Uh.(2)

Where We Reach

sessionsNo doubt about it, Right Michigan’s numbers have been consistent; recently averaging 200 sessions a day from the wolverine state alone.

This RightMi.com snapshot (at right) of the past 30 days reflects about 85% of the traffic coming in from all over Michigan.  Wisconsin, Oregon, California, Texas, Viginia Illinois, Ohio and Florida coming in with the next highest numbers.

sessions-miThough the actual page views are up and visits are longer, the actual session numbers are off slightly this month, since reaching an average of 308 sessions per day in Michigan for the month of August.  The high locale in Michigan for August was Traverse City followed by Ann Arbor Lansing and Grand Rapids.

The graphic at left shows a breakout of the rest of the state for the August totals, which as an aggregate hit 9241

I thought it might be interesting to those who wonder where RightMi.com’s readership is primarily from.

You Betcha! (5)Nuh Uh.(0)

To Serve….

What happens when Terri Hibma’s former 2010 running mate (this two-time loser) is allowed to go unchecked?

Ben-Franklin-sheep-and-wolvesPolice in Grand Forks, North Dakota are hailing their new fleet of drones as the “vanguard of police work,” according to the Guardian. But privacy activists are worried that the drones may be a threat to constitutional rights.

Officers in Grand Forks have been operating a fleet of drones, some small enough to fit in a suitcase, others in a larger, fixed-wing design. The department is one of only about a dozen departments across the country testing drones.

MORE

Yes, jackboots without any restraint. North Dakota’s state Senate, much like those in Lansing, are useless. Why has there been no movement on HB 4455 of 2013? Why has Speaker Bolger taken it upon himself to make the fringe cupcake agenda a priority over securing our Natural Rights for all?

Transparency, the man asks? Sorry, that’s just not within the MI-GOP character traits.

You Betcha! (13)Nuh Uh.(0)

Give ‘em Hell, Kerry!

One of the highpoints from multiple outlets in the local media last night was the announcement from a certain incumbent US Representative candidate against a certain foreclosure king, some democrat (and maybe a Libertarian).

Okay, it’s kind of hard to tease this one.

Yes, it is official: Kerry Bentivolio WILL be running as a write-in candidate in the November 4th General.

It doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to add.

{More after the fold}

You Betcha! (20)Nuh Uh.(6)

CATO: Michigan Gets A “D”

Rick Snyder's tax policies earned the state a 44 out of 100 score in CATO's recent 'Fiscal Policy Report Card'

The average score for Democrat Governors according to CATO’s recent fiscal report card is 46 of 100.

Rick Snyder Came in at 44.  Though RTW and the MBT repeal was applauded, the push for higher gas taxes and the bloated overall budget, as well as the long term cost of Medicaid expansion to taxpayers walloped his GPA.  Along with charts, comparisons, and analysis, Cato writes:

MICHIGAN Legislature: Republican
Rick Snyder, Republican Took office January 2011
Grade: D
Due to political correctness, the word 'dun**' is no longer allowed on head dressings.

Due to political correctness, the word ‘dun**’ is no longer allowed on head dressings.

After a successful business career, Governor Snyder came into office eager to help solve Michigan’s deep-seated economic problems. He has pursued many important reforms, such as spearheading the restructuring of Detroit’s finances and signing into law right-to-work legisla­tion. He repealed the damaging Michigan Business Tax and replaced it with a less harmful cor­porate income tax. In 2014 pushed through a phased-in elimination of property taxes on busi­ness equipment, which will help spur capital investment. The cut was approved by Michigan voters in August 2014.67

However, Snyder received a low grade on this year’s report card largely because he is support­ing a $1.2 billion-a-year fuel tax increase. That would be a huge hike, pushing up overall state tax revenues by nearly 5 percent.

He also scores fairly low on spending. The general fund budget increased 7.3 percent in 2013 and an estimated 7.8 percent in 2014. The governor also supported Medicaid expansion under the ACA, which will be a costly burden on Michigan taxpayers down the road.

Surprised?

While there can be absolutely ZERO expectation that Mark Schauer would fare any better, the expectation of fuel taxes increasing is realistic as Rick Snyder has said he wants to Increase revenue from fuel sales .

“Increasing revenue” as most reasonable folks know is code for higher taxes.

Call Rick Snyder TODAY and ask him why he wants to raise our taxes. (<- no number – see? we learn from those TV ads and postcards)

You Betcha! (18)Nuh Uh.(1)

Kevyn Acts None the Weiser

It would appear, Mr. Orr has learned his place within the U of M cronies.

NerdOrrWealthy patrons vowed to bankroll a legal fight between the Detroit Institute of Arts and the city before mediators reached a deal to save the city’s art collection, Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr testified Thursday.

Orr testified about behind-the-scenes pressure applied by the DIA and patrons who believed the multi-billion dollar art collection could not be sold and was held in public trust — and explained why the city didn’t hire an auction house tied to a local billionaire. A costly, prolonged legal fight threatened to delay Detroit’s attempt to shed $7 billion in debt and emerge from bankruptcy court.

While not naming names, Orr said patrons vowed to fight any attempts to sell the 60,000-piece collection. Many of Metro Detroit’s leading families, including generations of Fords, have donated art to the internationally renowned museum.

“High-value net worth individuals who have an interest in the (DIA) were motivated and had the wherewithal,” to support a legal fight, Orr testified.

The city believed it could sell pieces of the DIA collection purchased with city funds during the last century.

MORE

Thanks, Ron.

You Betcha! (19)Nuh Uh.(2)