Jason

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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Michigan

Two More Conservative Events!

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MCU and MCC Hosting two more gatherings in this 60 days.

MCC-MCUConservative Michigan activists will have no shortage of training and communications building in the next 60 days.

On Jan 29 at 6 PM to Jan 30 at 4 PM, the Michigan Conservative Coalition puts on inaugural “Battle Cry Michigan” event, ostensibly aimed at helping activists “Take back our party” at the Firekeepers Casino.

Saturday starts off with “State of the Party” addresses on both the national and local level. After lunch, which is included, you will hear from those who are fighting the battles and their winning techniques. You will be equipped to go back to your county and make a successful difference in bringing the Republican party back to its conservative roots.

Questions can be directed to battlecrymichigan@gmail.com   or phone 616-987-1124.

MiCPAC – Michigan Conservative Political Action Conference returns to its roots at the original location Saturday, February 27, 2016 at the Holt, Michigan, Capitol City Baptist Church. 9AM-5:30 PM.

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Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Seven Years Of Bad Luck

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In advance of the State of the Union address MiGOP attempts to 'rally' the team.

mirror-mirror copyI received this from the Michigan Republican party yesterday.

Fair enough, it is the standard partisan preparation used when the opposing party has the soapbox.  Tonight, the president delivering the final state of the union speech of his tenure happens to be a Democrat, thus the Republicans must attack.   The co-conspirator who the GOP identifies is not Joe Biden as you will see, but Hillary Clinton, the former Bolshevik diplomat apparatchik of Obama, and the presumptive nominee of the Democrat party.

I take some issue with the presentation of this, as Obama and Clinton, and the Democrat party have done only what they have been allowed to do by Republicans. Our state Republicans included.  It begins:

Friends,

In our ongoing effort to arm you with information, we are pleased to send you talking points on the failed policies of President Obama and Hillary Clinton in advance of the State of the Union address tomorrow. It is vital to our nation’s future that we point out of the failures of the Obama presidency and all join together to elect a Republican who can defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016. As always, thanks for all that you do!

Naturally, the choir has assembled and is going to get its first sermon.

The stage is set; Obama/Clinton equal failure.  Don’t forget however, that we must elect a Republican who can defeat Hillary in 2016 (assuming she is not wearing stripes).  Of course this must be mentioned, as most certainly that person has not yet risen to the top of polling.  Yet.

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Conservative News, Michigan, Taxes

2016 Annual Personal Property Tax Exemption Reminder

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5076-2016Folks its that time again.

Our annual duty to make sure you pay not ONE MORE DIME to a bloated government than necessary.

Recall that 14-1 didn’t do away with the PPT entirely.

Michigan business with $80,000 or less in fixtures, desks, computers etc., are STILL required EVERY YEAR to fill out the form to get their exemption. You must fill out the MI Treasury Form 5076 with your local assessing offices by Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2015. You can use the link to the affidavit form (once again) here.

Fill it out and for best results deliver by hand to your assessing office ASAP.  You have until February 10, 2016 to turn this in.  Do not get this confused with the February 20th due date on PPT reporting of over $80K.

Never, EVER, give em no more than is absolutely necessary.

 

You Betcha! (15)Nuh Uh.(4)

Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Pure Michigan D’Oh!

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Sometimes our community promoters try just a little too hard.

Or not.

In Bay City, there was the contest which celebrated its 150 year anniversary. Business owners were probably told that hundreds and maybe thousands of folks would be flocking in and around to party down.  Whoo hoo! Way to go marketing team!

The contest had one winner.  It also had only one entry.

A man has won prizes worth nearly $2,000 after being the only person to enter a contest to celebrate a Michigan city’s 150th anniversary.

MLive reports that Taylor Langstaff had to do 25 activities in the Bay City area and stamp them off on a “passport” to win the prizes. ..

..Because Langstaff was the only entrant, he also received second through 10th place winner prizes.

Did I already say “Way to go marketing team!?”

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

Don’t You Have Pots To Scrub Julie?

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Lt Governor Julie Calley looking to ignore the responsibilities of home?

What about binkies and blankees?

there is news that the wife of L.t Governor Brian Calley will be making a run for a Michigan House seat this year. Commissioner Julie Calley has created a campaign committee to run in the 87th House District, a safe Republican seat that includes Barry as well as part of Ionia County.  While Calley is already engaged in the political theater, perhaps she doesn’t understand the time investment difference between duties as a commissioner, and that of a state rep.

nowAnd yeah.. I get it.  The title is a little provocative.

I realize the life of a housewife (or beta male) isn’t all laundry, cooking, and washing dishes.  Though we hope the Calley household has some of those things taken care of (for the sake of the chilluns and hygiene), a realistic life at home is far more fulfilling.  Even while the National Organization for Women (see picture of iron-Clad logo at right) might suggest to impressionable young mothers’ (or other less dominant members of our species) minds that getting out of the house away from the kids is good, perhaps there ought to be an examination of the whole situation first.

The family unit needs to be a little more traditional to produce good results.  Focus on the Family’s Jill Savage outlines some of the most important facets regarding why a stay at home parent is a good thing.

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Michigan

Tom DeWeese Back In Michigan

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Lakes Area Tea Party hosting Property Rights expert Tom Deweese January 11, 2016

In August 2015, Tom Deweese made a swing through Michigan.

He is coming back, and with urgent news.  The Progressive left is still plodding on with a ‘new and improved’ Agenda 21 guaranteed to relinquish us of our private property rights.  From the LATP Website:

Happy New Year! Join us on the heated patio at The Uptown Grille for our January Lakes Area Tea Party Meeting!

Monday, January 11th, 2016

Dinner/social time at 6:00 p.m. Meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.
Please plan on joining us for dinner. Come early to make sure you can get a seat and to also enjoy great food and drink at the Uptown Grille. 
3100 E West Maple Rd, Commerce Township, MI 48390 map

Awareness of Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development is racing across the nation as citizens in community after community are learning what their city planners are actually up to. As attention grows, so does the demand for Tom DeWeese’s riveting presentation on
Agenda 21!

Read the rest THERE.

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