Rent Seeking

Conservative News, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

And in Other News… Water is Wet

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Happen to notice this gem of true Romney/Rockefeller Republicanism in the Twitter feed sidebar? Unfortunately, with most focused on Snyder and Calley’s annually increasing $2,000,000,000 tax hike ‘wants’ on May 5th, pragmatic clown Nolan pumping our legislators to ram through Bolger’s Wholesale fuel tax hike boondoggle with same ratchet mechanism, which much to our disappointment this guy breathed new life in that false premise of throwing $1.2B more at a deeply flawed MDOT, and the looming Wayne County bailout. Did I forget to mention Snyder and Calley’s costly Green Energy mandate with 100% government bureaucrat control? Yes, that too. Well, here’s another one of Snyder and Calley’s latest big government central-planning ‘wants’ is deserving some attention, too.

happy-snyderIn an interview that aired Monday on Michigan Public Radio Network stations, Snyder said it will be a “huge issue” if Michigan residents are no longer able to qualify for the incentives [wealth redistribution]. He said U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, is leading discussion of a possible congressional solution if the tax credits are denied.

Short of that, Snyder said he would ask the Republican-controlled Legislature to make Michigan’s a state-run exchange.

“That raises the issue, should we be looking at a state exchange, and that’s a dialogue I’d have to have with the Legislature,” Snyder told MPR’s Rick Pluta.

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Wouldn’t the Romney clan’s other Utah friends like Mike Leavitt, just love that? Cha-ching again! says those connected with BC/BS of Michigan. And, if one has read about Upton’s so-called “off-ramp” they’d quickly realize it’s just more of the same fixed market government overreach (yep, Ron Paul included) serving to illustrate how “R” is for reversing into a ditch when those with a “D” gladly drive off a cliff with the accelerator pedal mashed through the radiator. Is there reason why Rick Snyder is on the Top 10 List? You betchya.

And, it only gets worse.

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You Betcha! (17)Nuh Uh.(1)

Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

“Grand” Bargain the County Edition

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via WXYZ

bailouts“Fitch downgraded $203 million in building authority bonds, $186 million in limited general obligation bonds and $51 million in stadium refunding bonds. … jail boondoggle that wasted $130 million and counting.

Wayne County has a structural debt of $50 million and $40 million more is needed each year to bring its pension system back – the underfunding accounts for about 70 percent of the long-term debt of $2.9 billion.”

Hmmm… bond issues, huh?

You Betcha! (17)Nuh Uh.(4)

Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking

Octogenarian who Aimed the IRS at Conservatives now Advises Businesses on Government Investigations

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I guess the old saw holds true… it takes a crook.

Retired [Chose not to seek re-election] Michigan Sen. Carl Levin said Monday he is joining a Detroit law firm as senior counsel and will advise businesses on government investigations.

SudsBamaLevin, 80, who was the longest [self]-serving senator in Michigan history after serving [occupying] six terms, will join Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP in April as senior counsel, the law firm said.

The focus of Levin’s practice at Honigman will “include aiding corporations with internal investigations and crisis management; assisting corporations with social responsibility and compliance issues; and facilitating alternative dispute resolutions and mediations.” Levin will also serve as an advisor to the firm’s Government Relations and Regulatory Practice Group.

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As an asides, here is a fun piece of some Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn handiwork.

Yep. The old fart younger brother of Sander (where does Sandy live?) will be right at home in that cesspool of shysters.

H/t ‘featured image’ source here

You Betcha! (14)Nuh Uh.(0)

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

Michigan Roads – How Bad?

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paser-1You are about to be buried in pseudostatistics and factoids purporting to demonstrate just how bad Michigan roads are. We have already demonstrated that the TRIP vehicle maintenance factoids fabricated by a devious road contractors’ business league are a complete fraud.

Now State of Michigan government entities are unleashing a wave of propaganda intended to drive your vote on Proposal 2015-01. Two State of Michigan government entities have prepared campaign flyers on behalf of Proposal 15-1 using Michigander’s tax dollars: MDoT and the Transportation Asset Research Council (TAMC).

Both MDoT and TAMC have spent years preparing slick pamphlets decrying the sad condition of Michigan’s roads, citing PAvement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) data collected by TAMC with MDoT and local road agency help. These pamphlets claim that 30 – 40 % of Michigan roads are in poor condition. But are they really?

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Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

To Collect for who They Serve….

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Thank to the folks over at MCC exposing this corruption.

Getting rather common, huh? Yep. It’s everywhere.

Once again, we well informed RightMi.com readers get to see the benefits of public sector unions, and there are many – for them. Why Hell, our LEO even game grant money as means to prop up their pension funds. Unfortunately, this is not a Democrat vs. Republican problem – it’s an American citizen problem. We are not of the privileged Elected Class who set the rules and bends them as they so choose (yes, LEO’s masters made that “irrelevant“).

You Betcha! (18)Nuh Uh.(0)

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

Ron Boji et al. Pocket $134,000,000 for Their “Better View”

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Our wayward Elected Class spending saga continues via WXYZ

This pay-to-play wasteful spending has got to stop. So does this crap.

“I don’t like to look backwards. I’m a guy who looks forward and solves problems,” Pscholka said.

Snyder_54B_ballonWhat a pompous, can-kicking schmuck, but, there it is as plain as day. Rick Snyder’s playbook line used to justify his actions as a big spending, everyone connected gets a kickback Republican. You folks tired of hearing it yet? Guess not. Methinks, there’s a growing consensus they all should just be thankful there is a disinterested, ill-informed, and apathetic electorate otherwise all the Oath sworn f****** would be hearing footsteps in their sleep.

In other words, this is the government that has been consented to by our vote. Pay up, suckers…

SB 509 and SB 1149.

Ps. thanks for the empty words, Colbeck you fraud.

You Betcha! (24)Nuh Uh.(0)

Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

It Would Be About Time

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moore-moneyTaxpayer provided incentives for one industry or another have always been morally wrong and with questionable results.

Maybe this time we can end ONE particular part of an ongoing ‘eating out of our substance’ for the purposes of one industry’s benefit.  HB4122 will do this, and we support its passage.  The Ivory Tower reports on the effort to push through this bill with some commentary on both sides of the debate.  Supporting removal of the subsidies is one former lawmaker:

“The film subsidies send much of the $50 million allocated to them, out of state — to Hollywood millionaires and billionaires,” said former state Rep. Tom McMillin, a leading opponent of the incentives. “A lot more jobs will be created by keeping that money in Michigan and employing Michigan workers to fix roads or keep the money in the pockets of business owners across the state, so they can hire more employees.”

Indeed, one of the missed points when giving taxpayer money away is what the benefit might have been if it had been left in the hands of those who produced it.

This is a start.  Rumors of a bill to end the MEDC have been floating around, and would be well received by overtaxed Michiganians, but so far no such effort from ANY lawmaker has borne any fruit.

You Betcha! (12)Nuh Uh.(0)

Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Wednesday Edition: Our Tax Dollars at Work…

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Read for yourself: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2015-HR-0026

Helluva job you’re doing there, Dave.

roach-motelDave is the owner of the Portage based real estate appraisal firm Maturen & Associates Inc. He holds a Michigan Certified General Real Estate Appraiser license, a Real Estate Broker license and the SR/WA designation from the International Right of Way Association (IRWA). He held a Level 3 Assessor Certificate for over 30 years. Dave worked for 13 years for the Property Tax Division of the State Treasury Department.

Dave served on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners for 12 years and was chairman from 2012 to 2014. Prior to that he was a Brady Township (Kalamazoo County) Trustee for 14 years.

What an asset. Heavy on the ass part.

You Betcha! (8)Nuh Uh.(2)

Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Cradle to Grave

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Our *feel good* tax dollars at work…

not-convinced-wasted-workplace-ecard-someecardsIt’s possible Michigan students might have a state lawmaker reading to them in the classroom this month.

The leaders of the education committees in the Michigan Legislature are challenging their colleagues to each read to 1,000 Michigan students as a part of March is Reading Month.

Rep. Amanda Price, R-Park Township, and Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township, issued the challenge to their colleagues last week. If each lawmaker reads to 1,000 children, the legislators would read to a total of 148,000 Michigan school children during March.

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Memo the Republican Majority in Lansing: You gaggle of inept simpletons are the last people who should be invading schools reading to children.

Yes, Snyder’s newest agenda pimp, John Walsh, proves that nobody can accuse Sen. Jones of being a liar.

Education is the parent’s responsibility – not yours.

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Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Sen. Jones is on a Roll

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As if it wasn’t just a few days ago we here at RightMi.com learned of Sen. Rick Jones creating carve-outs for his fellow retired LEO brethren. Today, we learn that Sen. Jones has taken it upon himself to gift a little extra in the till to those beloved public sector retirees in Schuette’s Office.

Hinky_Bill2015 Senate Bill 12: Allow pension double-dipping by “retired” Attorney General employees

Yes, unanimous vote so, it must meet Lansing’s bifarceisan two-party standard. Still have doubts about the legalese jihadi cabal ruling supreme? Just look no further than their former revenue recruiting LEO who champions a wallet lining statute.

Makes one wonder if it’s an old prosecutor’s office bootlicking reflex or, just riding out of office in a payola bang?

You Betcha! (19)Nuh Uh.(1)