Jason

Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1

Video Of The Day – Special Interest Deals

by  •  • 0 Comments

"Oh Yeah .. You Did.."

Classic “vote No” television ad as the first salvo in the epic failure that will be Proposal 15-1

The original ‘grubering’ in Washington merely required the power hungry congress critters to stick the fork in the voters.  In this new catastrophic mess, it requires full participation in the self flagellation.

Indeed, effective ads need to mock the stupidity that are presented in the proposals appropriately.

This one does the job well enough.

You Betcha! (15)Nuh Uh.(1)

Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Republicans

The King Says Vote Yes On May 5th

by  •  • 17 Comments

No level of protection for the taxpayer is left, as any defining lines to cross are swept away like sand.

That’s right, ‘the king’ dictates a yes vote.

Enjoy the commercial Rick Snyder has made with taxpayer dollars. All we did was add the funk for all the junk in Lansing’s trunk.

When the bureaucracy cannot (or WILL NOT) tell the difference between an opinion and a directive (express advocacy), no citizen protections are left in play. The Bureau of Elections had already tipped its hand that a denial of my complaint was coming prior to receiving it. The spokesguy Fred Woodhams made that announcement even admitting they had not yet seen it.

How could it possibly be doing its job if it had already made the decision without review of the facts? How could the process be properly run, if the denial of the complaint had to be crafted and spun to fit a predetermined outcome? Strangely enough, Woodhams himself has previously said that no statements about such things should happen prior to review.  In 2012:

“Secretary of State Spokesman Fred Woodhams said that the office had received the complaint as of Friday. Woodhams said the Secretary of State’s office does not comment on allegations until they have an opportunity to review it.”

Pretty FUNKY, yes?

Indeed.  Something stinks in Lansing, and it ain’t the Red Cedar Drain.

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (36)Nuh Uh.(1)

All the Other Stuff

A Brave New Warrior

by  •  • 4 Comments

The most precious gift we shall ever behold.

Owen-RobertLife.

I still recall the day I held my son in my arms, and thought “there is nothing and no-one as beautiful as this boy.” A thought that I carried through well beyond his first temper tantrum, or worst smelly stinky changing. Candy and I have done what we can to guide him, and we couldn’t be happier. He has made us proud, married a smart and beautiful woman, and they have now brought us even greater news.

Candy and I are now celebrating with tears of JOY at the blessing given to us with the birth of our grandson Owen Robert Gillman tonight.

GipperHe is a healthy 6 lbs 12 Oz, and seems ready to take on the world.  May God bless him, watch over him, and guide him.

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

~ (Psalm 127:3-5)

 

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

2015 MIGOP State Convention, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

THIS Is Why

by  •  • 1 Comment

Should the new MIGOP Chair have credibility, and a proven track record?

Experience is critical.

We have already suggested the best course for the Michigan Republican Party is to choose Norm Hughes to be Chair.  So are we biased?  Only that we want it to be an EFFECTIVE platform for conservative Republican values.  Name should mean far lass than the ability to bring in fresh blood, get people excited, and hold our Republican politicians to the platform with which they cloak themselves.

From a post by Norm Hughes on FB today:

“Last night at the 7th Congressional District Republican meeting in Jackson, Ms. Romney-McDaniel said she moved to Michigan from California seven years ago, She did help in a couple local elections, was a surrogate for uncle Mitt in 2012, elected to the Republican State Committee in 2013, the Republican National Committee in 2014 and in 2015 seeks the State Party Chair. That seems like a pretty fast track.

There are lots of things an effective member of the RNC can and should do for Michigan Republicans. She has a forum to speak and represent the Party, work with the grass roots and raise money. Let’s see her perform as a great RNC member. As your next state chair I will do all I can to enable and resource Ronna to be great in the important roll she was entrusted just a year ago.

The mechanics of effectively running a state Party takes lots of experience and contacts. We need someone who has shown the ability to recruit, train, inspire and lead grass roots. Someone who has run a district and county Party and knows what that entails. Someone who has run major campaigns and has experience helping the GOP win presidential elections and send REPUBLICAN presidential electors.

That is why I answered the call and seek the Chair. Together we can re-build the Reagan big tent, unify the Party and expand our base.

Bingo.

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (16)Nuh Uh.(2)

Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1

Presumptive Bureaucracy And Wagon Pi.

by  •  • 4 Comments

Why would our public servants feel compelled to offer opinion on a matter that is not yet before them?

There are 9.9 million people living in Michigan.

Of that number 77% are of voting age, and most are legally able to cast a ballot. And of those who can and do cast their preferences, most have no clue of their responsibilities beyond placing their mark, and walking out from the curtain a couple of days a year.

Indeed, the roughly 7 million registered voters of Michigan will in their lifetime: Miss votes, Make uninformed Votes, Will unknowingly vote in opposition to their interest, and never truly hold their elected officials accountable to promises and integrity of office. They will not complain when lied to, or even call out their own party’s elected when the situation demands it.

But this one will.

Why on earth would we have platforms, rules, and constantly repeated promises of action when at most we might get lip service and disappointment? Why would we have laws to protect the public from abuses of government, when the slight of legalese is used to exempt the perpetrators from culpability?

And why will so few actually speak up against it? Perhaps it should come as no surprise that those few might not want to be told they are wrong, and won’t try in the first place.

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (25)Nuh Uh.(2)

2015 MIGOP State Convention, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

A Time For Choosing

by  •  • 4 Comments

There is only ONE Logical choice for Chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

There is no question that it is time for a change in the Republican Party.

We won’t sugar coat it.  Bobby Schostak and the ‘elite’ within the party have produced only a fractured base over the last several years.  Each time the grassroots begins to feel a part of the process, it is told to wait its turn, be pragmatic, and swallow hard with the neo-progressive efforts at reaching out to the socially and fiscally broken ideologues which normally associate with left of center political organizations.  This is unacceptable.

The cronyism and political patronage that has shown itself repeatedly hardly allows any self respecting conservative Republican to make the claim that there is integrity within the party.  The failure of party leadership to step up and offer guidance to an administration and legislature that has done more to advance liberal planks than the last (Democrat) administration is outrageous.

But it is not the party platform that is wrong, the party leadership has been.  And now we are expected to look at the coronation of handpicked succession, and expect anything different?

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (25)Nuh Uh.(3)

Michigan, Taxes

Michigan Business Owners! The Clock Is Ticking.

by  •  • 0 Comments

Yes, you still have to fill out the form every single year.

PPT-2015Recall 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 to fill out the form to get their exemption. You must fill out the MI Treasury Form 5076 with your local assessing offices by Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015. You can use the link to the affidavit form here.

Fill it out and for best results deliver by hand to your assessing office ASAP.

And remember, give em no more than is absolutely necessary.

 

You Betcha! (8)Nuh Uh.(0)

All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1

Arrogance Of The Aristocracy

by  •  • 6 Comments

Having no one to tell them "NO" previously, our leadership brazenly assumes immunity from the law.

Watching Obama the other night was something many of my friends could not do.

As he quite literally leaned on the podium and gave an in-your-face ‘I don’t give a damn about your efforts’ speech to the congress, he further provoked with the threat of veto for anything that did not meet his agenda. The soft sneer of disrespect to the people’s house and its ‘opposition’ inhabitants was palpable.  But it was not unexpected.

How else might a top executive act when he is given every thing that he wants? In what other way would he comport himself when weak threats are buttressed by inaction and outright political cowardice?  The Republican controlled House of Representatives has hardly put its foot down each time the president has acted in an unconstitutional manner, and there is little indication it might in the future.

So the law does not matter to this president, and for many of the same reasons, it does not matter to Michigan’s governor.  When people seek power, they are sometimes willing to overlook the blatant disregard for checks and balances, and pretend the emperor is indeed fully clothed.

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (38)Nuh Uh.(1)

Conservative News, Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking

A Letter To Amazon

by  •  • 4 Comments

An open letter to Amazon.com Owner Jeff Bezos on the Main Street Tyranny tax.

Regulars have seen the attempts here to correct the misinformation about the main street fairness act.

Michigan lawmakers were snookered by Kowall and Verheulen into passing their tyranny in the lame duck; a time when there would seem to be no voter backlash.  We call that cowardice, and reprehensible.   This morning I penned (typed) a letter to Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon.com:

Jeff,

I am an online retailer.  I have been fighting the mainstreet fairness taxes for several years now.  Recently, Michigan legislators in a lame-duck session voted to address nexus issues in the state in an attempt to collect use taxes from out of state vendors such as Amazon and other drop shippers.

Clearly you have been arguing that the commerce clause is the remedy to what the states are trying, and frankly you are right.  Quill v North Dakota settled the matter, and if there was EVER a reason for Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3, this is it.  The states cannot use tariffs or taxes to discourage (or encourage) trade with other states.  It is one of the enumerated powers of the congress, and the states have little business attempting to work around it.

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (22)Nuh Uh.(4)

Conservative News, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy

Lt. General William G Boykin At The Tea Party Powwow

by  •  • 5 Comments

Retired Special Ops General Speaks to conservatives in annual forum

The 2015 Powwow has ended, and even with threatening weather and bad roads and a misplaced tone of indignation, it went well.

The reality on the ground is that along with the Patriot voices radio hitting 5000+ listeners to the live stream of the event, we had nearly 400 on hand attending or participating in some way.  Some good folks were on hand (I will have photos out at some point) and some good information sharing to be had.

Boykin3For me, the highlight of Saturday’s activity was the speech by Lt. General William G Boykin which was as entertaining as it was inspirational.  An outstanding orator, he spoke on his service, the sacrifices made around him, and his thoughts on where we are as a nation.

The video is a little over an hour, but is well worth every single minute.  Forgive the weak camera work.  It was hard to keep up with it while thoroughly enjoying the presentation at the same time.

You Betcha! (29)Nuh Uh.(1)