Jason

Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

Maybe Bat Guano?

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Mike Shirkey forgot to use the dollar sign for his 's'

It is what it is.

Mike Shirkey, Michigan’s Republican Senate leader said what he felt at the time, but forgot that triggered people trigger.  Obviously his position is one of institutional respect, and the branches of our governmental authority must work together for the benefit of Michigan.  But straight out calling the governor and her Democrat counter parts a bad name?  Heaven forbid we continue our word oppression of the overly sensitive progressive.

It started earlier this month with Shirkey’s spokeswoman saying the governor “has proven herself untrustworthy” following a series of public events where Whitmer supported an organization — and then vetoed their state funding in her budget standoff with Shirkey and the GOP.

Then Shirkey spouted off in a speech before a group of College Republicans at Hillsdale College, reportedly painting Whitmer and her fellow Democrats as being “on the batshit crazy spectrum,” The Hillsdale Collegian student newspaper reported Thursday.

Oh crap, now he did it.

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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

ICYMI Tlaib Ethics Issues

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Did Rashida Tlaib convert campaign funds for personal use?

Did you know you can be paid to be a candidate?

Rashida (MOFO) Tlaib, former Michigan Sate Representative from the 13th district and now congress critter sensua de-luxe was on the payroll of her own campaign.  As if she was a staffer, the guttural grandstander received wages to be a candidate.

And it was completely legit.   To a point.  As explained in a fairly recent ethics probe candidates need to eat too:

The Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) explained that “payment of a salary to a candidate is not a prohibited personal use as defined under Commission regulations since, but for the candidacy, the candidate would be paid a salary in exchange for services rendered to an employer.” See Using Contributions to Pay Salaries to Candidates, 67 Fed. Reg. 76961, 76971-73 (Dec. 13, 2002). In reaching this conclusion, the FEC explained: “[B]ecause many candidates must forego salary in order to conduct the business of the campaign, a candidate who is dependent on an income is put at a severe disadvantage compared to an incumbent who is free to campaign at all times without any reduction in compensation or to an affluent challenger, who can afford to campaign without receiving any compensation.” Id. at 76971. Put differently, “candidates without significant resources might not be able to forgo salary payments in order to run for Federal office.”

Thus a social worker who couldn’t work her regular job was introduced to an overflowing campaign kitty.

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Elections, Michigan, Opinion

Just Arrived

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Vintage 2016

Gift bottles for all my favorite #DTS sufferers.

I’ve heard there was a version for Hillary supporters, but I would have to think they only wanted sour grapes.  No thanks!

2016 was sweet, and red.   Hoping the 2020 Vintage is just the same!

Have a great weekend!

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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Off To The Races

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Super PAC fires first shots on GND.

AOC and her ‘crew’ has friends in the Senate, right?

Restoration PAC today announced a new statewide TV ad buy in Michigan asking incumbent liberal Senator Gary Peters to clarify his position on the Green New Deal.

Peters told the Detroit News he supports “many aspects” of the radical plan, but has been cagey about specifics.

“Considering the Green New Deal is the most radical, far-reaching planned destruction of the American economy in our lifetime, the least Gary Peters can do is spell out what he likes and what he dislikes about the plan,” said Restoration PAC founder Doug Truax.

The :30 ad airs across Michigan starting today and costs $879,294.

Restoration PAC was formed in 2015 and since has become one of the most effective conservative SuperPACs in America. It has focused primarily on U.S. Senate races but has also launched TV and digital advertising in the 2016 presidential race and several House races.

It’s ad will be one of the first salvos aiding the removal of Peters and hopefully adding another R to the Senate roster in 2020.

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Michigan, Philosophy

Whack A Mole

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Michigan’s favorite NPV advocate is back at it.

Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, and nearly everything we still hold dear. Reminding us that the left never sleeps, and that anyone can be bought, Saul Anuzis has popped his head up for yet another game of whack-an-NPV-Mole.

Lying about what Trump said at a rally in support of the dumbest progressive unconstitutional effort since 1913 and the income tax, Anuzis and deposed RNC hack Michael Steele heap on the stupid.  And Tom LaDuke is having none of it.   LaDuke reminds us on Redstate

The two men that wrote this piece for the Detroit News are Saul Anuzis former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and Michael Steele who is the former chairman of the RNC and current MSNBC talking head. Both men are relatively famous for leaving both the state party and national party in a bit of a mess after they left their respective positions.

Now here is what Trump ACTUALLY SAID in Dallas from Rev…

Remember these phony people, there is no way to get to 270 you had to get to … So I kept going to Maine. I love Maine, but Maine too, you get one. It’s cut in half. Maine, to you get one. I went there four or five times because … They got me up, the phonies, they got me up to 269, couldn’t get to 270 so I went … I won, by the way, I won Maine too. I got one. But I went there and I went there a lot. That’s the beautiful thing about the electoral college, you go everywhere. You don’t just spend the three … winning the popular vote would be much easier. I’d rather have that. I’d go to four states and relax. I went to 21 States.

Let’s look at the money quote again.

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Economy, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

At What Cost?

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Spending more in one area of the economy comes at what price?

One of Governor Whitmer’s veto targets may have been a good thing.  In one way anyhow.

For all the wrong reasons, the governor popped the fuses on a number of causes that have had state support for years.  Charter schools ability to get on-par funding with their failing counterparts, health subsidies to regional hospitals, and busing for kids in remote regions closely associated with the house speaker’s election district.

All of these met the veto pen as leverage for her 45 cent a gallon gas tax.  Clearly, the governor has shown where her heart lays on particular issues. Using at-risk children and health providers as leverage to get her 45 cent tax on the working poor.

One particular veto however, has a silver lining.  The end of taxpayer dollars used for advertising a particular industry.

Under the guise of benefit to all, the tourism industry has enjoyed a 13 year subsidized existence with the Pure Michigan campaign. 

The state has run the Pure Michigan campaign since 2006, ultimately placing advertisements outside of Michigan in hopes of luring in tourists and their dollars. It has had some memorably creative moments, such as the ads narrated by Michigan actor Tim Allen and overlaid by the theme music from the movie “Cider House Rules.”

We all like the music, and know the voice.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

Rest In Peace BK Bill.

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Moderate Democrat Dies at 97

The most obvious example of what a RINO is, may have gone on to warmer climes than Northern Michigan.

The pro-abortion, high taxes, consummate milquetoast, yet super ‘nice guy’ Bill Milliken has passed.  I offer prayers for his immortal soul, and to his family that they find a path to Christ, one not usually found by pretending that God condones the unholy murder of his children in the womb.

As only God is our final arbiter, perhaps we will someday see how he responds to those who openly advocate for the destruction of His gifts.  In our worldly plane however, we can still offer respect and pray for a level of forgiveness that our creator alone can grant to those who have consistently violated His trust.

However, while we are still here, it may be prudent to remind folks why BK Bill Milliken was wrong. In 2016, much to the horror of Democrats and a few moderate GOP types, some of us did

Indeed, we could be passive and obtusely respectful. Or better yet, use the occasion to remind why just because they have our colors on, some folks are simply not on our team.

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Michigan, Opinion

Whitmer’s Wrath

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Gretchen Whitmer wants it all, and now!

Negotiating is not this governor’s forte.

During the budget battle she admonished the legislature for not jumping on board with her 45 cent a gallon tax increase.  None of her party’s house or senate members even tried to make it happen.  She was all on her own.

But Gretchen wouldn’t allow the state to move forward without a budget, so she signed what was given her.  She signed it, using the veto pen in a way she may have thought would bring the legislature back to her.  Yet in actuality, she revealed her own apathy for certain segments of government largess.

And at the same time she did another curious thing.  She sent a message to our state workforce, suggesting that if anyone so much as speaks to our legislators, they might regret it.  By lining out protections for those employees within, who also want good government.  From West Michigan Politics:

State employees are no longer protected if they expose questionable activities to state legislators.
Here is what Whitmer removed:

“”The department shall not take disciplinary action against an employee for communicating with a member of the legislature or his or her staff.”

A Whitmer administration source says that language is somehow “unenforceable,” which simply doesn’t add up.

No, it does not.  Why veto the protections then?

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

Norm Hughes – Rest In Peace

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For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. - Matthew 16:25

May the Lord take you into his arms my friend.

Norm Hughes passed away yesterday.  Norm was instrumental in passing Right To Work in Michigan, and was the founder of the Michigan Conservative Union. Norm was a stalwart in the conservative cause, and brought many together in order to help this state and our nation to preserve decency, common sense and tradition.

He did so at great expense, and sometimes great sacrifice. It was an honor to have known him.

He is survived by his wife Susan, and several hundred patriots throughout the state of Michigan who were brothers and sisters in the cause of conservatism.

Rest in peace brother Norm

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

And Then There Is This

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MiGOP reminder of Whitmer's absolutism.

I share the common distrust of the powers that be in Lansing to hold off on NEW gas taxes.

It seems that even the post directly preceding this has noted potential end-around solutions that will provide new income streams from taxpayer to bureaucrat for whatever purpose. We advise strongly against new enabling features that give local government more ways in which to screw us.

In the meantime we can at least enjoy the fact that the legislature did force Whitmer to show where her priorities are not, by witnessing the line item vetoes made. I agree with several of them, but frankly think at this point she owns any discontent from those sectors.

The next couple of years will be interesting.

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