Jason

Firearms, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

A Close Call

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Shunned former 'Republican' representative joins anti gun lobbying efforts

fosterIn 2014, voters of the northern Michigan 107th house district did the rest of Michigan ‘a solid.’.

It was becoming clear that the incumbent Republican for that district was in no way representative of the conservative values he had pretended in his initial bid. From accepting tens of thousands for his upcoming campaign loss from pro-homosexual lobbying interests, added to an otherwise liberal voting record, Frank Foster had completely alienated the very (tea party) base he had enchanted in 2010.

Foster lost to Lee Chatfield in the primary of 2014, marking a rare incumbency defeat in the Michigan house races. Voters turned him out in a 6 point rout:

“In Northern Michigan, a good thing happened Tuesday.  Frank Foster, a man who by virtue of his lunch dates in Lansing alone, should not be representing the 107th district was voted off the animal farm.  Voted most desirable date to go to the Capitol prom by lobbyists, he was a top recipient of food and drink topping Randy Richardville the Senate majority leader in 2013.”

His departure has hardly left him out in the cold however. He is apparently remaining in the political scene as a gun grabber.

An examination of the minutes from a recent hearing on preemption bill (HB 4795)  before the committee on local government reveal Foster is still active, and has apparently gone completely to the dark side.  His time there was to represent opposition to legislation which provides further 2A protections for gun owners from abusive local government.

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Humor in Michigan, Michigan

That’s Gonna Hurt.

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It's 'count day!' - This won't take long.

The joy of living in the hinterland!

Snow days are wonderful if you are somewhere between the ages of 5 and 18. However, when the buck is delivered based on attendance for the district?

count-day

D’oh!

(PS: count day will be tomorrow)

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Government Incompetence, Michigan

Michigan’s Two Trillion Dollar Budget

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Governor Rick Snyder takes the budget to nerd year six.

SnyderSnorkelOK, not really 2 Trillion.

Likely more than last year however (a given since it’s never been less).  Its that time again, when Rick Snyder rolls out his revenue projections and planning on how to spend it down.  He’ll pop it out there, and the race horses in the legislature will lap it up like a milkshake at post time. From the Michigan office of Propaganda:

“Governor Rick Snyder presents his FY 2017 budget today at 11 am.

In the budget, the Governor proposes strategic investments to tackle challenges head on.”

Wow.

And if you think that was exciting, watch him live at 11 this morning by clicking on the link above.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Religious Freedom

Battle Cry – Ted Patterson

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ICYMI - Highlights from the Battle Cry event.

If like me you were not able to attend this year, here is the first of a few highlights from the Battle Cry event this last weekend.

Ted Patterson serves as the Executive Director for the Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership, and is a national consultant who has used the confrontational model to grow grassroots organizations and lead successful political projects around the country.

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Michigan, Philosophy

A Winter Interlude

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Departmental self promotion is apparently nothing new.

Oh.

I guess Kirk Steudle wasn’t the first propagandist within the roads department.  Apparently some of his predecessors also made films to let us know what a grand job the highways departments are doing. From “gay holiday crowds where everyone is having a good time” to the storm blasted snow drifting over our roads, this film teaches us what Michigan is all about.

How could we possibly know otherwise?

Enjoy.

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Cronyism, Fees, Michigan, Taxes

Speaking Of Headlee

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Asked often enough about government: "Is this even legal? "

pig-collieOne might question the way in which money can be transferred to ‘cover’ other expenses.

We know that pensions are untouchable, but in times of financial distress, some governmental entities are finding out that health care is NOT off the table.  However, others are developing more abusive ways to maintain the ‘status-quo.’  From Bloomfield TWP:

Bloomfield Township taxpayers have been receiving higher and higher bills for water and sewer each year.  Yet in a controversial 5-2 vote in late 2015, Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees transferred  $2.76 million of the fees collected from the citizens water/sewer bills and deposited those millions into a Retired Employees Health Care Trust.

Can you say “turning a fee into a tax?”

Is there any wonder why some might say that creativity in government can be a bad thing?

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

Inside Michigan Officially Falls On Its Side

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Michigan Political subscription newsletter drives into the ditch.

On the left side.

Susan Demas has hardly ever pretended to be fair or balanced, much less a fan of conservative or GOP causes in the state. Her liberal bent was often on display in her distorted reporting style, so when Bill Ballenger sold the subscription based newsletter he founded in 1987 to her it seemed to many, that the end had come to his labor of love.

Demas’ statement upon taking the successful newsletter Inside Michigan Politics on its last ride was

“Inside Michigan Politics is the gold standard for political journalism in Michigan.  I look forward to ensuring that IMP continues its tradition of fair and non-partisan reporting and analysis. Most of all, I look forward to the opportunity of working with Bill, who has been a friend and mentor to me for many years.”

A friend indeed.

She fired him for having an opinion that was not in line with her view of the Flint Water crisis.

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Michigan, Opinion, Part Time Legislature

How Did We Ever Survive Without THIS?

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New bloat in state government a waste of time and effort.

From the still shaking-my-head dept.

Melanin content might soon have its own do-nothing department.  ‘Racial justice’ warriors found their champions in our legislature, as the Michigan Senate found thirty-four willing huzzahs beating out the two belligerent harrumphs on 2015 senate bill 90.

Passed 34 to 2 in the Senate on January 14, 2016, to create an “Office of African-American Affairs” in the state Department of Civil Rights, and a government African-American Affairs Commission consisting of 15 political appointees who have “a particular interest or expertise in African-American concerns,” with the mission of developing “a unified policy and plan of action to serve the needs of African-Americans in this state”

Ok.. but what about section 26 part 2 of the Michigan Constitution?

§26 (2) The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.

And given that, it begs the question:

“What’s the point?”  What might this commission accomplish outside of the areas that government has business operating in?

Unless it is ALL ABOUT getting federal aid.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Republicans, Taxes

Michigan State Of The State 2016

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Its that time of the year again.

stateofstate-winnerOh boy.

Last year’s spectacle included such lofty goals as improving third grade reading, talking about Michigan’s energy future, and a bit of in-your-face breaking the law. Certainly, there isn’t much that could be done to put such a performance to shame.

Unless something actually happened in the meantime.

I suppose we could expect him to talk up the miserable failure of the tax increase package which happened on May 5th. An 80-20 loss in these strange times must certainly be the new ‘winning’ formula.  Up is down and down is up, and obviously the citizens wanted it so bad they voted “NO.”  So a new roads tax package was crafted from ..the old tax package.

But, 2016 is going to be different.  I can feel it.  Things are looking up.  Well, of course we have to get by the Detroit schools issue. I know he will talk about making that a priority.  Maybe the impending doom in Wayne county finances? Perhaps the collapse of ‘Healthy Michigan,’ due to its incredible and unpredictable success?

Maybe it might be concentrated on all the good things that are about to happen to Flint?

Michael Moore may be calling for the guv’s head right now, but I guess he must not understand the new standards of bizzaro progressivism.  Truth is, Snyder is more personally responsible for poisoning the Republican party brand than he is any of the chilluns in Flint.  It was at RightMichigan where the original warnings  were issued for that anyhow.  But we couldn’t possibly have known how bad it could be.

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