Cronyism

Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans

So You Want To Buy Something?

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So far, second thoughts might keep the additional burdens of doing business in Michigan at bay.

I have lost some big sales in other states because of ‘Amazon Laws’ in the past few years.

Its an amazing thing that happens when your cost of doing business in a state goes up by 10%. (Michigan will be 6%) You lose customers, they pay more, or you eat the costs.  The first option is of course the worst of the three, but when profit margins range between 15-20%, 10 points represents at least HALF the profits, and can be discouraging to even attempting to sell.

California has some of the most used shipping ports, so its natural that many warehouses are located there. It also has quite a large population.  Our business has historically sold more to California customers, than those in Michigan. But a few years ago, I was notified by one of my suppliers who drop ships for me in that state, that unless they had an exemption form on file for the customers, they would have to charge an additional 10% for the product to cover THEIR tax liability; CA Sales tax being 8% and an additional 25% tax for assumed mark-up.

I had a choice.  I could in some cases ship product all the way here, then ship all the way back, and salvage a few pennies, OR I could simply find a supplier for similar product in other state warehouses willing to ship to California.  The unnatural commerce that had to evolve (and quickly), wound up raising the cost of doing business.  It raised the cost and in some cases slowed service for the customers in California who were STILL expected to report their ‘USE tax.’

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

Crush The Little Guy.

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Kowall and Verheulen play along with monster rent seeking bills.

Bills 4202 and 4303 are designed to do just that.

Every layer of regulation has a time cost.  Never mind that (PER THE LAW) our business already collects sales tax from those who buy retail in Michigan. The big box stores want us to go through enhanced reporting requirements and spend additional time in the entire process of collecting tax as a service to the state.  This form of rent seek is commonly used to suppress competition.

Kowall and Verheulen or anyone who votes for this are the enemy of the ‘small e-tailer.’

Period.

Kowall-Verheulen-Taxers

You Betcha! (21)Nuh Uh.(3)

All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Republicans

Hey, who wants to pay a higher gas tax?

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“It’s a first step. It’s a big step – don’t get me wrong. In a bipartisan way, the Michigan Senate was ready to say, `We want to fix roads and we’ll take tough votes to do it,”‘ said Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, a Monroe Republican.

“What I would say is the House action doesn’t get us there fast enough or far enough. It also creates major consequences to schools and local partners — that I don’t want to see negative things happen to them,” said Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.

And these guys are “republicans”?

So, who’s thirsty?

{Not to fear, more below the fold}

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Kowall & VerHeulen Pushing MORE Regulation On Michigan

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Big Box retailers have found foot soldiers willing to do bidding in HUGE rent seek.

Kowall-Verheulen-TaxersHeads up!

Word on the street is that HB 4202 and HB 4203 are on the schedule for second reading today in the Michigan House of Representatives. That means it would be up for FINAL PASSAGE tomorrow. You can read below all the details about the bills. Bottom line, if they are enacted, you will be paying MORE taxes.

Please take a moment and contact your representative today. Let your opinion be known! These phone calls and emails do matter. They do affect how a representative votes.

Find your representative’s contact information here.

We will keep you posted of the progress (or lack therof) of these bills tomorrow.

House Bills 4202 (Kowall-R), and 4203 (VerHeulen-R), will impose new taxes on consumers in Michigan and will further burden online sellers, especially the mom and pop shops that operate out of a small store front office or the business owners home. They will be subjected by government to an abundance of new compliance requirements. It will stifle competition as many smaller competitors to the big guys (like Amazon) will likely be forced to downsize or worse yet, go out of business.

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Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy

Policy Or Purchased Privilege

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Michigan Senate passes late night watering hole expansion.

I can keep this short.

Expanding hours for certain bars within cities is becoming a possibility.  OK, fair enough, if legislators feel that this could help serve a need of those business owners.  But perhaps we ask this question: Is it a special privilege when one licensed liquor seller can sell further into the night by purchasing a special license, or is it just plain good for the community?

We should probably recognize that good public policy is hardly the goal of our elected class any longer.

This one’s on the house.

beer-house

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections

Yeah, but can we trust him?

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Dovetailing on the good news from Trucker Randy yesterday, according to today’s Detroit News, Speaker Bolger has declared that BOTH HB-5959 (Rep. Foster) and HB-5804 (Rep. Singh) to be dead this year.

***Side note to Chad Livengood: Both bills were written to create a protected class in Michigan, NOT prohibit discrimination. I will be more than happy to cite numerous examples in Kentucky, New Mexico, Oregon ,Texas and New York (just for starters) to prove you otherwise. I shouldn’t have to remind you that you are a reporter, not an editorial page writer.***

{Still, I’ve got more after the fold}

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Detroit, Proposal 15-1

Here’s your cue. Now, smile for the cameras!

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Are we really getting our money's worth on roads? The real answer just might surprise you.

Hey, did you know that the sky is blue?

Okay, maybe not in your part of Michigan and maybe not at this exact moment, but just go with me on this.

Did you know that if I were to spill coffee on my lap that it would hurt? I mean really, ,really, really hurt…a lot.

Hmmmmm, I wonder if I can get anything for the suffering I’ve endured?

And did you know that Michigan Roads are in terrible shape?

I’m so glad that we have a governor who is just so well-versed in the obvious.

{Oh, you’re going to love where this is going after the fold.}

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Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Seems About Right

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The Michigan Senate Majority Leader gives 'honest cops' a good name.

And we haven’t even started the ‘Cotton’ picking.

When we start wondering about the passage of hospital related legislation in the state senate, perhaps we simply consider the source of the new legislation to be only as old as government itself. Something as simple as power brokering through backroom deals and a few well placed donations can alter public policy.  We have seen how the $100,000 given to Jase Bolger has brought about the threat of the unthinkable changes to the Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act.  Even now we should be looking at the reasons for our gas taxes being raised as well.

Though I disagree with bed counts and certificates of need, pushing legislation for ‘good friends’ specific projects violates the spirit of equal opportunity under the law.  Specific legislation that benefits donors as a result of donations offered, ought to be considered criminal if not already.

So when we see 2014 Senate Bill 1073 (Granting medical facility rationing exception to McLaren Health Systems Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on September 11, 2014)  to authorize a special exception to the health care facility rationing imposed by the state’s “Certificate of Need” law?  We should be concerned.

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Cronyism, Democrats, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Get Uncle Carl A Towel

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Carl Levin's use of the IRS to punish his political enemies may yet see the light of day.

That man is likely sporting a sweaty brow by now.

We know Michigan’s senior US Senator, Carl Levin has had a hand in the IRS shenanigans of the last few years. Using his power as one in one hundred, he guided one of the recent criminal activities seen during the reign of this ‘administration.’

“Lie No. 9: Lerner says that there was no political pressure to investigate tea-party groups. In fact, Senator Carl Levin (D., Mich.) repeatedly pressed the agency to investigate conservative groups falling under Lerner’s jurisdiction. What we have, then, is this: Under a Democratic administration, the IRS was under pressure from Democratic elected officials to investigate political enemies of the Democratic party. The agency did so. Its commissioner lied to Congress about its doing so. When the inspector general’s report was about to make these abuses public, the agency staged a classic Washington Friday news rollout at a sleepy American Bar Association tax-law conference, hoping to minimize the bad publicity. Lerner lied to the public about the nature, scope, and extent of the IRS intimidation campaign.”

It came as no surprise that he would bail out of his current seat before the fire is turned up too high.

His Letter of 072712,  May only provide cover (though showing a significant aggressive stance towards tax exempts) for the underlying pressure he was putting on IRS officials to directly target conservative organizations which carry the 501(c)4 designation.  There is now the possibility that more of his involvement comes to light, and that records thought to be lost forever, have now turned up.

Bill Still talks about a recent discovery of Lois Lerner emails found conveniently AFTER the elections.

We’ll be waiting for the media dump right here.

H/T Stephanie at FedUpUSA

 

 

 

 

You Betcha! (7)Nuh Uh.(1)

All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Proposal 15-1

So, why aren’t we being more direct? And is this a good place to start? (see item linked at end of post)

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“Because we’ve seen Gadsdens flooding Lansing, over the State Income Tax hike? Medicaid expansion? The non-bailout Detroit Bailout A/K/A DIA Bailout? Doubling Tipping Fees (garbage collection tax for the mouthbreathers)?

With an alleged Republican executive branch? – Corinthian Scales November 14, 2014″

I’ll be 100% honest here, this comment from Corinthian Scales (along with Kevin Rex Hines’ follow-up…linked here) on the Snyder(Calley)/Richardville Gas Tax Hike, really bothered me over the weekend.

Despite 1,200 miles of driving and numerous other issues I’m currently juggling this weekend that aren’t exactly going according to “Plan ‘A’ “, both gentlemen’s very direct comments regarding this issue gave me reason to pause over the weekend.

Ultimately, I feel that this is a guestion that should to be addressed if the Conservative Movement here in Michigan (and elsewhere) is to have any long-lasting relevancy.

{More below the fold}

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