Rent Seeking

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Clash of Titans Coming to Michigan

by 10x25MM • April 13, 2015 • 0 Comments

After Proposal 1, After Plan B, Electricity Front and Center

Part I: Background

Later this year, Michigan’s electrical utilities are expected to satisfy the 10% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements of PA 295 of 2008. Partial reregulation of electricity in Michigan under the same PA 295 of 2008 denied choice of supplier on 90% of electricity consumption, while exempting large, politically potent, electricity consumers. At the same time, the U.S. EPA is progressively tightening their noose around the neck of the coal industry with an array of ever more restrictive regulations upon coal-fired power plants. A political clash of titans is looming in Michigan.

Taken together, these circumstances will trigger a wild four-way donnybrook pitting electrical utilities, electricity consumers, and environmental wackos against one another later this year. But this is only three parties, so why do you say four-way? Large industrial consumers have substantially escaped the consequences of PA 295, while smaller Michigan consumers – including residential consumers – have experienced the fifth highest rate of electricity cost increases in the nation. These two electricity consuming groups’ interests do not coincide.

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Breaking Wind: Oh it’s a Gas Alright

by Corinthian Scales • April 11, 2015 • 1 Comment

Busy weekend so, short and sweet.

Natural Gas to Wind Energy: You’re Nothing Without Me

Been saying it for years, “so, when you going to cut off its gas supply?” All should go brush up on this stuff before we all get stuck with more of it. A good starting point can be found here, and here.

“Alternative energy, let us never forget, is just that: an alternative to energy.” — James Delingpole #epa #gop #tcot

— forever banned (@forever_banned) June 3, 2012

Yep. Now, add this monolith of government control in the pipeline, which has already spawned it’s new Tsaritsa, and if this outrageously schemed package of theft and redistribution embedded with fraud passes on May 5, I am relatively sure that I will be putting my place on the market before others figure out that they cannot give away a house in this state due to the exorbitant cost of living expenses from higher taxation reinvented by a Republican governor with every lever of power in Lansing, dominated by the same Party.

I certainly don’t relish the idea, however, I’m tired of being fleeced by those sent to Lansing.

You Betcha!

(19)Nuh Uh.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Kalkaska Republicans Say NO-WAY Hoser

by Jason • April 11, 2015 • 3 Comments

Proposal 15-1 continues to invite negative response from Republicans in Northern Michigan.

Tom Backers offers reasons to say no, while Snyder Shill David Waymire talks about “Fairy dust and Unicorns.”

You Betcha!

(15)Nuh Uh.

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Cronyism, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Proposal 1 Comment Of The Day

by Corinthian Scales • April 7, 2015 • 9 Comments

Well, yesterday’s, as I just noticed today but, it is noteworthy: Click here.

You see, once one moves past what I call Chuck’s cutesy outhouse-genius mentality of telling wondering tales, it all comes down to the $116,000,000.00 baked into Proposal 1 that Chuck & Co. would like to get their hands on for Rick Snyder’s perpetual Detroit bailout and his Utopian moving of chattel schemes.

There are many viable Plan B options in the works, and we all know that. The end.

Ps. we all should thank our lucky stars for term limits. Moving to a part time legislature is way past its needing, too.

Pps. does one wonder why Chuck is so sensitive about protecting the insurance lobby sitting on $18 Billion without ever opening up their books for audit?

Just sayin’…

You Betcha!

(22)Nuh Uh.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

February Michigan Unemployment 5.9% – Really?

by 10x25MM • April 6, 2015 • 1 Comment

Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank Questions BLS State Level Employment Data Revisions

Kurt Weiss at the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB) reported on March 25th that Michigan’s February 2015 seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 5.9% from January’s 6.3% figure. This was followed on April 2nd by the DTMB release of non seasonal adjusted employment data for February 2015. This quite large one month drop is great news for Michigan workers, if it indeed reflects our labor market. But does it?

Twelve Month Discrepancies Between Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data Differentials

The DTMB Michigan non seasonally adjusted (NSA) employment report for February 2015, at the bottom of page 6, showed that Michigan’s civilian labor force declined by 33,000 workers over the twelve preceding months. But the seasonally adjusted (SA) employment report for February 2015 at the top of page 2 showed that Michigan’s civilian labor force increased by 7,000 workers over the same twelve months. The growth of Michiganders employed over the same twelve month period also shows a 5,000 worker NSA/SA discrepancy: 101,000 not seasonally adjusted versus 96,000 seasonally adjusted. And the shrinkage of Michigan’s unemployed worker population over the same twelve month period shows a 46,000 worker NSA/SA discrepancy: 134,000 not seasonally adjusted versus 88,000 seasonally adjusted.

Valid seasonal corrections should produce twelve month differentials which agree with comparable item non seasonally adjusted differentials over the same twelve month period. Here we have a 0.85% discrepancy in Michigan’s total civilian labor force, a 0.1% discrepancy in civilian employment over the same twelve month period, and a 12.5% discrepancy in the shrinkage of Michigan’s unemployed worker population over the same twelve month period.

How did this happen?

The DTMB turns its employment data over to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics for X-13ARIMA-SEAT seasonal adjustment. BLS also adjusts underlying data periodically for changes in the Michigan population estimates of the U.S. Census. The two (SA and NSA) February 2015 DTMB employment reports both reflect substantial BLS revisions undertaken in early 2015. A note at the top of page 2 in the DTMB February 2015 SA employment report:

Note: The data in this release reflects recently revised historical estimates. Seasonally adjusted labor force estimates for 1976-2014 for Michigan and 1990-2014 for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA were revised. Previous published data should be replaced with this new series. In addition, seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised for 2010-2014. For newly revised data, please contact DTMB at 313-456-3090.

The DTMB February 2015 NSA employment report bears a similar note on its first page noting that it was also subjected to substantial revisions.

So Michigan’s employment data has been subjected to substantial revisions at BLS which produce seasonal adjustments that do not cross check against comparable item non seasonally adjusted data over the most recent 12 month period.

Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Life at “inception”

by Corinthian Scales • April 4, 2015 • 3 Comments

Get a load of this smear job (No, I’m not giving links to Finley for any advertising hits).

click on image to enlarge

So, basically, slimy nincompoop Nolan wants an amoral society of worker-bees funding a big bifarceisan government or, debt slaves. Well, the bald bastard has just that in the Snyder/Calley administration. It sucks only in other fashion from the prior big spenders.

Nevertheless, there is the ugly truth about what the MI-GOP has become. For those who will be voting next month, when you look around the room at everybody, and you don’t see who “the mark” is – it is you. Tho, I’m rather confident the Party apparatchik will double-down on stupid.

History proves it has again and again!

You Betcha!

(13)Nuh Uh.

(2)

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Rep. Franz Explains the Disaster That is Proposal 1

by Corinthian Scales • April 2, 2015 • 8 Comments

Wait until you discover zero sales tax dollars goes to roads, and the Education Fund doesn’t mean money going to schools. Enjoy.

Think those additional costs on shipping goods to stores aren’t going to be passed along to you on top of the direct personal hit to the wallet? Better think again about that.

Thanks for voting against this convoluted, Snyder invented perpetual tax hike during the lame duck, Rep. Franz. Also, thanks for being the only Rep. to address this, and the fact there are multiple “Plan B’s” in the works.

And, to you out there who are appalled that Lansing had the audacity to foist this abomination onto us, you better get off your asses and Vote NO on May 5, because the news outlet editorial page propagandists pushing Snyder’s agenda is already ramping up their “it’s all we got” meme as noted here and here.

Remember, requirement is 50% + 1 stinking vote is all it takes to entrench this mess into our constitution.

You Betcha!

(48)Nuh Uh.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Roads are a Healthcare Issue, huh?

by Corinthian Scales • April 1, 2015 • 1 Comment

Gov Rick Snyder: Crumbling roads are a healthcare issue, too. pic.twitter.com/EUhkewDl7z

— Dave Murray (@Michigandmurray) March 31, 2015

OK, Slick Rick, here’s an $18,000,000,000.00 “insurance policy” waiting for fixing only roads.

So, Snyder’s goal is to protect the insurance industry lobby? Rick Snyder and Brian Calley have a huge credibility problem, yes?

And, Snyder is wasting our money on his frivolous ~~River of Opportunity~~ Lake of Lobbyist special interest payola pursuit of this universally despised constitution tampering disaster Proposal.

You Betcha!

(21)Nuh Uh.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

“All those in favor say ‘Aye’. Any opposed? Seeing none, the motion is approved.”

by KG One • March 31, 2015 • 3 Comments

This is not the time for chutzpa!

If our elected representatives in Lansing are in need of any suggestions to “find” money to reallocate towards more important matters affecting Michigan, a local vote that was taken yesterday afternoon by an advisory committee would be my recommendation for a great place to start.

{Story continues below}

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Spring is Beginning to Blossom in the Mitten

by Corinthian Scales • March 26, 2015 • 0 Comments

Here comes the Boom!

It’s been a relatively quite week at the gas pump, based on the national average holding at $2.426/gal versus last Monday, but while some motorists are enjoying mild declines, the Great Lakes has taken over what the West Coast saw weeks ago.

Prices are soaring throughout the Great Lakes with big spikes most prevalent in Illinois, where prices have increased an average 29c/gal versus last week. Michigan trails, having risen 25c/gal in a week, while Indiana, Wisconsin, and Ohio have risen 15c, 13c and 12c, respectively. Meanwhile, Kentucky saw an increase of 10c/gal.

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