Jason

Conservative News, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Sunday Round up

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Here is a different take on the culture war. Contagious transformation – Genocide Alert: Homosexuality Systematically Killing Black Americans!

Indeed it is. Grassroots in Michigan – A Tax by Any Other Name is Still a Tax

True Story – Steve’s been talking about this. Motor City Times –  Detroit News behind the MCT curve on the impending ‘tsunami’ of retail store closings

Fear deregulation of electricity in Michigan! Or maybe not. The Other Club – Citizens for Enervating Michigan’s Economy

Those stupid ‘selfies.’ The Shekel – Snapping ‘n Sharing Selfies Snares Stupid Scoundrel

Izzy Sez take a look at the different perspectives here. Watchdog Wire – Hot topic: What Should Lansing Legislators Do With Michigan’s $1 Billion Surplus?

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Elections, Michigan

And The Carnage Continues

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Are we at all surprised?

Yesterday Local TV 7&4 had a story on the lay off of 43 employees, and the director had only alluded to the reaosns why.  Today the report is much clearer and more direct.  Add to the layoffs a little North of where I am at is the Munson health system which will be facing significant reductions in revenues to the tune of $15 Million averaged EACH YEAR over the next ten years.

Bravo.

Visit the Upnorthlive.com site for continuing updates on this.

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Elections

Gosh, I Wonder What They Are up To?

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From the Good-Reason-To-Go-Part-Time Department.

SB 0815 introduced yesterday by BIEDA and HOPGOOD to change the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.  Addtions include adding:

Committee includes a political organization recognized by the internal revenue service under 26 USC 527 that has an officer, director, board member, or trustee who is a resident of this state.

To the committee identification language.  Also adding:

     (k) For a candidate committee of a candidate who controls or directs a political organization recognized by the internal revenue service under 26 USC 527, all donors, contributions, and expenditures of that political organization. A candidate controls or directs a political organization if any director, officer, or board member of the political organization is employed by or serves as an agent to the candidate, as determined by the totality of the circumstances.

Nothing else changes

 

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Elections, Michigan Politics

This Is A Big Deal

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voteMany Michigan ‘Snowbirds’ seem to have gotten wise to the February election trickery.

After expending taxpayer dollars to maximize win potential with the most obscure voting time, these Northern Michigan schools have found a much wiser electorate. Elk Rapids, was looking to cash in on a “close call” in November, published glossy mailers and went full tilt propaganda. It is only one of the following which has fallen backwards.

Elk Rapids School Bond Proposal – Totals (100.0%)
Candidate Votes % Votes
No 1,425 55.9%
Yes 1,126 44.1%

There are more.

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Elections, Michigan

Don’t Forget, Tuesday Is Voting Day

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voteFebruary 25, 2014 is a voting day.

Remember, Tuesday is that special voting day where your local school districts count on snowbirds to be absent from the rolls so they can get millage requests passed.  In Elk Rapids, its a bond that has failed a couple of times, and last time by only a few votes in the general election. (November) They figure it ought not be hard to get it through while many of the property owners are absent.

Never mind the cost of a special election to taxpayers when nothing else is on the ballot.

Around Michigan there are dozens of examples of this type of electoral abuse, so lets not make it a rewarding venture.  Do a favor, and give your over taxed friends a call and reminder.  Unless there is a really good reason, off cycle elections are generally made to “slip one by” the voters as a rule.

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All the Other Stuff, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Peters To Be Protested (News Conference) Outside His Home

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SATURDAY: Dexter Woman to Confront Congressman Gary Peters for Attempting to Silence Her ObamaCare Story

boonstraApparently Gary Peters wasn’t happy about AFP criticisms over his support and vote for the health care catastrophe known as Obamacare.

An ad that Americans For Prosperity has been running with a story of a woman severely affected by the law, was challenged in court.  AFP and the woman in the video are apparently going to the source of the lawsuit.

Americans for Prosperity-Michigan Activists to Join Julie Boonstra for News Conference Outside Rep. Gary Peters’ Home in Bloomfield Hills

LANSING, Mich.—Julie Boonstra, the Michigan mother and leukemia survivor featured in a new Americans for Prosperity Gary Peters issue ad, will seek to confront Congressman Peters at his residence in Bloomfield Hills today. Representative Peters has taken legal steps to silence Boonstra’s story and force television stations to pull the issue ad in which she is featured, off the airwaves. Click here to read the legal letter from the Peters Campaign: http://americansforprosperity.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Peters_letter.pdf

With some of Americans for Prosperity-Michigan’s most dedicated activists supporting her, Boonstra will stop by Gary Peters’ residence in Bloomfield Hills today in an effort to confront him directly about his attempts to intimidate and silence her. The media is invited to attend.

It will be interesting if he so much as goes out to get his mail.

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Conservative News, Michigan

When Less Means More

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Clearly, we dodged a bullet by not establishing a state run exchange. The AG appears to be watching for 'ricochets.'

Attorney_General_Bill_Schuette_410797_7For anyone who wondered WHY we did not establish a state run exchange, the answer is clearly about surrendering authority.

Not unlike the camel’s nose, the exchange was a buy-in to undermine state sovereignty. Fortunately, Michigan attorney general Bill Schuette appears to be trying to make sure the mandate does NOT apply to Michigan residents. From MLive:

Attorney General Bill Schuette is arguing an IRS rule offering tax credits to individuals buying health insurance on the federal exchange from states without their own exchanges violates the U.S. Constitution.

The argument was made in a “friend of the court” brief filed in a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where individuals and businesses from states without insurance exchanges are challenging the ability of the IRS to offer tax credits for buying insurance through the federally established exchange.

Schuette and the attorneys general for Kansas and Nebraska argue that allowing the IRS to offer the credits overrules the decisions not to set up exchanges under the Affordable Care Act that 34 states made and is invalid under the Tenth Amendment.

Schuette’s on the right track.

Additionally, it should be noted that this might not be the most popular move, and could be painful to his campaign in the general. As many Michiganians are expecting a federal subsidy, it may not happen or they may lose that subsidy if this action is successful.

This is a courageous and quite correct move.

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Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Republicans

A Short Treatise On Extremism

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EOne of the most concerning comments a Constitutional Conservative Republican can hear from a fellow Republican is that they are “extreme” in their views.

The schism within the party should seem a remarkable thing if one was to examine what ‘extremism’ truly is.  Is there a defined line in the sand, or a point in which an accumulation of thoughts and philosophy render one susceptible to branding with a scarlet “E”? And like much of the politics playing out across the US, Michigan has developed what appears to be a Left-Right paradigm within a party presented as being on the right side of the political spectrum as long as can be remembered.

That, OR the window of tolerance for views once held as standards has been closed.

Extremism is subjective.  It is a moving target. And it is a relative condition that exists ONLY from the perspective of those who would label one with such hyperbole. This is unarguable.  If someone were to examine another person’s political views and agree with them, they would not likely make the claim that they too, are ‘extreme.’  Their philosophical centering at-rest is the foundation on which their opinions are formed, decisions are made, and with politics, support and votes are rendered.

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Democrats

Dontcha Just Hate When This Happens?

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talib-numberedFrom the not so incredibly surprised department.

As most anyone who has owned a home and might have considered owning another knows; you don’t get to double dip.  Only ONE free pass per household. The Lansing State Journal reports:

“Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, and her husband Fayez claimed a 100 percent personal residence exemption for both the Detroit home they live in and a rental property they own in Dearborn, city assessment records from both municipalities show.”

You don’t say?

(H/T to Joan F and Steve D BTW)

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