Cronyism

Conservative News, Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

Why Did It Take So Long?

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And how much taxpayer money has been lost to cronyism over the last 7 years?

kwamewoodWe’ve been lied to.

Michigan politicians have been telling us that the film credits were needed to compete with other states for years. Its just not so.

People in the industry have been remarking how successful other states have been by giving filmmakers taxpayer money to ‘create’ jobs in those states; all the while competing against Michigan’s excessive subsidizing of the vanity industry which HQs in Hollywood.

But the bottom line?

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Why telling it like it is should be a newsworthy event.

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Why telling it like it is should be a newsworthy event.

I’ll be honest, the whole kerfuffle regarding the “Confederate Flag” hasn’t drawn very much interest for me because of the following reasons:

One, it’s not directly Michigan-related.

Two, it doesn’t affect me personally or anyone that I know (and I know quite a few people who fall into the category the race-hustlers are trying to round up on their side).

Three, I’m actually amused at the time spent distracting focusing attention away from real issues like disintegrating family structures, a education system whose outcome is criminal, cities which have devolved into war zones, the job situation (just to name a few), which are the direct result of actions taken by democrats (See: Cloward-Piven).

But someone sent me this video, and it…well check it out for yourself regarding one Kid Rock, a do-nothing group of “community organizers” (isn’t that a redundant description), their respective list of accomplishments…and the Confederate Battle Flag.

Yes, the content is “safe for work”.

 

 

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Fees, Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Michigan Senate Republicans invoke “leadership” strategy gleaned from watching South Park.

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Just when you thought that things couldn’t get any stranger?

I bet you’re wondering which strategy that is?

Well, wait no longer (Here’s a hint: We’re at Phase 1)

{Click below the fold for details.}

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

“We should just start calling this law SCOTUScare”

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So Sayeth Justice Antonin Scalia, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

And they are correct.  Justice Roberts and the presumed swing vote Justice Kennedy are completely happy supporting their leftist counterparts in rewriting the law and acting in a defacto legislative manner.  In the meantime our cowardly Republican congress plans its next budget including the money used to screw over the population in a direct violation to the constitution.

The biggest cowards of course being our own Tim Walberg, Dan Benishek, Candace Miller, congressBill Huizinga, David Trott, Mike Bishop, John Moolenaar, and perpetual sandbagging liberal Fred Upton. Without their support for continuing funding of the Obama plans, all of this would be moot.  Without their capitulation to the sell out speaker of the house Obamacare would have been repealed by the purse.  Without their complete and total disrespect for the Constitution of the United States, Obama and the complete and total change of our Republic under his guidance would be but a memory.

As for the ‘Democrats?’ We have know for quite some time that the Marxist infiltration of THAT party is complete.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Taxes

15 Million Dollars Worth Of Dark Sky

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Emmet County commissioners are apparently out of touch with the electorate.

I Could have predicted this.

Perhaps I would have; if I lived in Emmet County.  However, there should still be nothing surprising about an apparent divergence of priority between the voters and the elected numbskulls who ‘serve’ them.  The same type of thinking that drives the nonsense in DC can be just as bad locally, and have a more immediate financial effect.

Reading the bills, or allowing a real debate to happen before committing millions of dollars extracted forcefully from taxpayers should be paramount.  The latter option was never allowed to happen however.  A year ago, Emmet County commissioners jacked the electorate without the chance to object, leaving them to foot the bill for a $15 Million boondoggle.

As quick as a shooting star, Emmet County commissioners (pictured above) approved a sale of $15 million in bonds with nearly half of the proceeds being used to build an observatory and a new event building at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City.

Without the chance to object.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Fees, Flint Water Fiasco, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Part Time Legislature, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Unconstitutional: Great Lakes Water Authority Lease Violates Michigan Constitution

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--- Absence of Enabling Legislation Clearly Violates Article III, Section 6 --- 40 Year Lease Period Clearly Violates Article VII, Section 30

GLWA Detroit Seal ImageFriday, the Great Lakes Water Authority board approved a 40 year duration lease of Detroit Water & Sewerage Department’s assets and operations outside of the city of Detroit. This approval passed by a 5 to 1 vote with only Macomb County’s representative on the GLWA board opposed. The terms of the lease subordinate the DW&SD to the GLWA, a new intergovernmental authority created out of the ashes of the City of Detroit’s bankruptcy by a Memorandum of Understanding.

This deal was constructed as a lease to evade the 1963 Michigan Constitution‘s requirement, under Article VII, Section 25, for a vote of Detroit’s electors to approve the sale of any public utility. However, by constructing the deal as a lease, the City of Detroit is essentially granting a lease franchise covering the DW&SD’s water and sewerage operations to GLWA. The 40 year term of this lease franchise clearly exceeds the 30 year maximum permitted by Article VII, Section 30 of our 1963 Constitution:Michigan Constitution of 1963 Article VII Section 30
Merriam-Webster defines a ‘franchise’ as “ the right to sell a company’s goods or services in a particular area; also, a business that is given such a right”. Exactly the nature of the GLWA lease agreement with the City of Detroit. Should you doubt that the City of Detroit constitutes a ‘company’, Merriam-Webster defines a ‘company’ as “ an association of persons for carrying on a commercial or industrial enterprise”. Exactly what DW&SD has been doing for over 100 years.

State Representative Kurt Heise (R-20th) from Plymouth has challenged the establishment of GLWA under the 1963 Michigan Constitution’s Article VII, Section 28:Michigan Constitution of 1963 Article VII Section 28
Taken together with the 1963 Michigan Constitution’s Article III, Section 5:Michigan Constitution of 1963 Article III Section 5
it establishes our Legislature’s authority over intergovernmental units. But these two sections do not unambiguously grant the Michigan legislature exclusive authority over intergovernmental units, so there is probably legal wiggle room here.  Contrary to Representative Heise’s contention, a good lawyer could make a case that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court could establish the GLWA under Article VII, Section 28 and Article III, Section 5.

However…..

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Democrats, Fees, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

$ 3 Gas Across Michigan: Warming You Up For A Gas Tax Ratchet?

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House Road Funding Package Puts Gas Tax Increases on Autopilot --- Tax on B5 Diesel for Heavy Trucks Cut 20%

Southfield, MI Gas Prices 12 June 2015

Southfield, MI Gas Prices 12 June 2015

Michiganders woke up this morning to discover that regular unleaded gasoline prices are now $ 3 per gallon, a $ .25 increase, or more, from yesterday. Refinery problems, summer driving season, and SE MI’s special fuel blend are blamed in the press, but really this price shock is an intended consequence the Federal Reserve’s zero interest policy and their determination to boost stock prices. Oil derivatives are cheaper than dirt when there is no cost to money.

Wall Street wasn’t happy early this year when plunging oil prices drove down stock averages. So someone is furiously selling off Treasury paper and buying oil & gasoline futures contracts. Treasury interest rates have been rising in lockstep with oil & gas prices, on the same days, even the same hours. Officially, no one knows who is behind these trades, but the Federal Reserve is sitting on $ 4 trillion in Treasury paper and is fighting any effort to audit their holdings. A coincidence? Not likely.

Your government extracting more money from your wallet.

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