Cronyism

Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Rent Seeking, Republicans

The Old Joke Never Loses Its Luster

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Know how you can tell when Jase Bolger, and his Majority are lying? Their lips move.
Republicrat

The state House approved sweeping legislation Thursday to increase road repair funding $453 million through reformulated fuel taxes, budget shifts and higher fees on overweight or oversized trucks.

The 10-bill package, approved by the House Transportation Committee the day before, goes to the Senate for consideration next week. It follows a plan announced last month by House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall.
….

Bolger said the series of proposals responds to public demands for better roads but with available money rather than higher taxes.

These sociopaths actually *think* that? Liars, all.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Not a Gadsden to be Found

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Living in Michigan, is one step closer to getting a whole helluva lot more expensive.

A House committee on Wednesday voted to permanently shift money from Michigan’s general fund to transportation spending. Another panel approved legislation bringing the diesel tax in line with the gasoline tax and taxing fuels on price instead of a flat per-gallon basis.

Fuel taxes would grow with inflation.

The $450 million is just a third of what Gov. Rick Snyder says is needed to bring Michigan roads up to par. Michigan’s gasoline taxes are among the country’s highest while its per-capita road spending is among the lowest because the sales tax on fuel primarily goes to non-transportation funding.

Then, there’s the 900% increase on business.two-headed-snake

Permits for oversized and overweight trucks would jump to $500 under House Bill 5452, as amended and advanced by the transportation committee. Overweight permits currently cost $50 for a single trip or $100 for multiples. The original bill would have doubled those fees, but Rep. David Rutledge (D-Ypsilanti) won an amendment to raise the rates even higher.

MDOT gets to run further amok entering into agreements, too. Sure is a winning stratagem all them TEA folk have chosen with allowing the bastards to run wild simply because the Majority in Lansing has an “R” after its last name.

Out of sight, out of mind.

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Cronyism, Michigan, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Speaking of Deadwood

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Go HERE, listen to this bizarre-o-land “Mike & Mike” smear job performed on Rep. Tom McMillin.

These rank-and-file Party apparatchik politicians never meeting a seat at the taxpayer trough they don’t like just make my skin crawl, anymore. Bishop actually passed the buck on the largest tax hike in the history of this state (not to mention also allowing the vote on the smoking ban), stammers around on the pension tax vote, endorses the Nerd’s performance of expanding SnyderCaid welfare, DRIC bridge, and Income Tax hike, all the while sitting there rubbing elbows with this jagoff that voted to fund Obamacare, and further crap like the Patriot Act, and CISPA. Ya, right, as if Rogers is all about national security? Despicable beyond “embarrassment”.

Mr. Wu, what says you about Bishop, and Rogers?

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Democrats, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Set Up To Fail

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Michigan Paid Up Only 55% Of Enrolled in ACA

healthThe number of paid enrollment across the country is bad enough but in Michigan only about half have opened their wallets.

Michigan’s number is less than the 67% national percentage of enrolled + paid ACA participants in the federal exchanges.  (note the 67% may change soon as Oregon joins the federal program, currently with 0 participants) That 67% figure undermines the 8 million number that the administration says are signed up, resulting in just over 5 million to date having signed up and paid.

In Michigan only 55% of enrollees in the ACA have opened their wallets. And along with those 55%, there are some other numbers that stand out; Of the under 18 year olds, only 6% are enrolled and paid, the 18-25 year olds only 10%. Given that the plan to fund the ACA was with these healthy young specimens paying their fair share up front, this is going to pose a little problem for ongoing operation of this scam. Heck, even the 26-35 demographic has only a 17% E & P.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Republicans

Amash V Ellis Money Quote

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ellisThere is very little you need to know about Brian Ellis

Ellis who is challenging constitutional Republican incumbent Justin Amash in the third congressional district race holds little support from any grass roots.  Ellis’ primary financing is from himself and Washington lobbyists, with less than 3% coming from small donors.

But the real kicker is what the former Granholm appointee and Michigan strategic fund huckster says openly.  From the Washington Examiner:

Ellis also has no patience for Amash’s insistence on abstract ideas like the Constitution and liberty. “He’s got his explanations for why he’s voted,” the Weekly Standard quoted Ellis saying, “but I don’t really care. I’m a businessman. I look at the bottom line.”

Oh.  How nice.

Though we’ve probably reported on this before, its good to have a reminder there are still plenty of RINOs to go around.

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Cronyism, Democrats, Humor in Michigan, Rent Seeking, Republicans

They say Complete Streets is a goal?

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OK, I’m first to admit that I have totally overlooked the therapeutic benefits of our fuel tax dollars going towards creating bike lanes on congested potholed roadways, and other resourse expenditures such as, Rick Snyder’s “Showcase” $1,000,000.00 per mile bicycle path.

How silly of me to discourage Progressive folks such as Rick Snyder in his pursuit of Jennifer Granholm’s utopian but costly agenda. To borrow one commenter’s expression with regard to BAMN in other topic, “suck it” John Lindenmayer.

Video H/t to Irish’s salute to Earth Day

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan Politics

Rick Snyder tells Michigan Taxpayers (living outside of Detroit) to go spin on it.

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This story is certainly getting very little attention across Michigan.

I just cannot imagine why?

After living large from the public trough for decades, using the same pubic treasury to pay hush money in order to avoid embarrassing behavior from the public spotlight, money from the public treasury going to businesses that have bought off city council votes and getting a disproportionate share of a myriad of breaks and special carve-outs from Lansing during all that time (and I’m just starting here), Governor Snyder is going to play the crony capitalist game one more time and put Michigan Taxpayers on the hook again.

 

{Continued below the fold}

 

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

Ethics, Integrity, And Long Knives

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wayne-afp009“He’s our hometown boy.” Said one of the executive committee members of a vote taken this last Thursday.

The vote, was one by the executive board of the Grand Traverse County Republican Party on whether to endorse State Senate Candidate Wayne Schmidt over Greg MacMaster in the 37th State Senate primary contest.  The vote to choose one candidate over another in partisan (GOP) races would normally be considered off the table except under extraordinary circumstances.  At least that is how it is designated in the by-laws of a number of other GOP county parties.

Questions must be asked.  Is it prudent or even a legitimate practice? Is it fair to the candidates?  Is it fair to the membership, and does it misrepresent the opinion of the party at-large?

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