Rent Seeking

Cronyism, Economy, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking

$20 Million for a Friend? Go Figure

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I felt the need to say something for the 20 people who still visit this blog.

What’s worse: corruption… or corruption that gets swept under the rug because everyone in Lansing was too busy playing footsie with “economic development dollars”?

Let’s rewind. There’s a $20 million grant. It went to Fay Beydoun, a former MEDC board member and—oh yeah—a fundraiser and donor for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Now, was this money competitively awarded?  No.

Was it slipped into the 2022 budget as a legislative earmark with no open bidding process?  Yes.

And who controlled both chambers of the Legislature in 2022?  Republicans. Of course.

You remember those guys, right? Always talking about “fiscal responsibility” until there’s a chance to fund some opaque “accelerator” no one’s ever heard of.

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

Cronyism, Economy, Healthcare, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking

Debt, Beds, and Bureaucrats: The Real Healthcare Sickness

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It is still and always will be evidence that government is simply–too big.

OK, fair points ..as produced by fear mongering Democrats.

Scales seems to believe I’ve spent five decades (yeah–he is being tongue-in-cheek)  at the pulpit preaching some Reagan-era economic gospel, and now, cue the red hats and Chinese manufacturing, the altar’s finally cracked. Nice imagery. But my friend.. let’s turn down the incense for a moment and get serious.  (It’s great discussion–that needs to happen however)

The video shared paints another emotionally charged picture—hospitals bought by private equity, loaded with debt, and discarded like yesterday’s newspapers. And it’s supposed to prove that capitalism—deregulated and unchained—is to blame for failing healthcare in urban OR rural areas.

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, 80th District Special Election (2015), All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Flint Water Fiasco, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans

The Fly

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The end of a bad run only two years away?

Thrown together for your amusement/entertainment.

From the perspective of a fly on the wall in Lansing.

You Betcha! (13)Nuh Uh.(0)

2022 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Cronyism, Democrats, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

Dark Money In Michigan?

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Say it ain't so

If you subscribe to the news:

Allies of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used millions of dollars from secret donors and a web of nonprofit organizations to promote her policy agenda and celebrate Democrats who joined in championing it, according to a tax filing obtained by The Detroit News.

Michigan  Democrats who rail on about dark money in Politics..

The article hit on one specific group: The Road To Michigan’s Future which has a few recognizable figures.  Former Lt Governor Cherry as one.

Which begs the question “How long will it be before old politicians just go away??

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Constitution, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Education, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking

And WE are considered the dangerous ones?

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All I’ve got to say is, “WOW! What a difference 48-hours makes.”

Rather than waste my time focusing on a bunch of community agitators this weekend, I spent most of it focusing on the NASA feeds watching the SpaceX Launch yesterday.

Little did I realize how quickly an arrest over someone using fake ID (and apparently his unwillingness to follow basic commands) quickly spiraled into a series of riots which not only burned a large chunks of Minneapolis to the ground, but spread to a number of other cities across America, including several here in Michigan, resulting in at least one death (so far) and an as-yet to be determined dollar amount of property damage.

Which begs a rather obvious question regarding perceptions and politics?

{And exactly what they might be you may ask yourself? You know the drill.}

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2020 Presidential Election, All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Economy, Education, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans

I would be far more concerned with our governor’s actions at this time, than with a bug.

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They say that in building and maintaining a brand, messaging is vitally important.

The Guv didn’t stray too far from that lesson tonight.

{The Right Michigan rundown from her (second) Statewide Huwan Virus Town Hall continues below the fold.}

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You Betcha! (9)Nuh Uh.(1)

Cronyism, Education, Liberty, Michigan, Rent Seeking

Globalization of Healthcare is Blurring State Lines

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Globalization of healthcare marches merrily onward with a Michigan bill hearing this week. Corporate lobbies always play a strong role at these events. This time, there’s a twist.

Big Healthcare lobbied for Obamacare in Congress, and drives most healthcare bills in DC and Lansing. More obscure healthcare lobbies are leading centralization of state health occupational licensure. It still violates market principles, and it’s important to your healthcare.

Individual healthcare rights are losing out to population care. Given what’s at stake, we should probably make an effort to push back on this one.

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Cronyism, Democrats, Economy, Elections, Fees, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Governor Whitmer Thanks You For Your Political Donations

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A bunch of crazies were elected on Whitmer's coat tails in the 2018 election cycle. Thanks to the largesse of your electric utility. And you.

Anyone with DTE electric and gas service donated about $ 1 towards Governor Whitmer’s election last year. DTE donated $ 840,000 to the Progressive Advocacy Trust and the Michigan Democratic State Center.  The Progressive Advocacy Trust is an ill disguised front for the Ingham County Democrats, Ms. Whitmer’s home base.

Both groups supported Whitmer in 2018 through cascade contributions made in turn to Build A Better Michigan in the 2018 primary election and A Stronger Michigan in the 2018 general election. All these groups gamed Michigan election law, laundering corporate contributions and transforming them into political advertising supporting Whitmer.

The laundering was quite effective. You would never know that DTE was contributing to Whitmer by looking at BABM’s financial disclosures. Whitmer concealed the corporate contributions further by using snail mail to file her campaign finance reports.

These contributions eventually wound up at Whitmer’s media shop, Great America Media, a Democratic campaign management outfit on K Street in Washington which placed all her mass media advertising.  They paid for her TV ad campaign.

Build A Better Michigan was actually found to have violated Michigan campaign finance laws. Only because they were screwing other Democrats in the primary election cycle.  No one of importance would have cared if only Republicans were being screwed. BABM got a sweetheart deal from our new Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, paying only $ 37,500 and agreeing to dissolve itself.

Tu quoque

A Republican group, Michigan Jobs and Labor Foundation, was fined $ 18,000 for identical campaign law violations in 2014 The MJALF fine equaled its illegal 2014 advertising expenditures. Build A Better Michigan spent $ 1.8 million in its illegal 2018 advertising campaign, so its $ 37,500 fine was 2.1% of its illegal expenditures.

Governor Whitmer and DTE got a sweetheart deal from our new Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson.

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