Democrats

Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Michigan

Opportunity

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Coming soon - Some great lemonade?

Call me the eternal optimist.

Folks need to look at recent events with a little different perspective.  At least the folks who hold ALL the power right now.  There are good outcomes that are possible if the GOP collectively gets its head straight.

Our federal spending is bloated, and perpetually deficit ridden.  Federal government shutdowns provide an insight into what is truly important to the general population, and leadership.  It can also be used as a character test of those who claim certain positions (ie: being against Obamacare, cutting welfare, illegal immigration cost) during voting events.

There is nothing that holds the GOP held Senate to the 60 vote limitation used to provide cover for the shut down.  Democrats, if ever they hold power again, would sidestep the rule so fast it would make the obamacare passage mechanics look amateurish to accomplish their stated goals of totalitarian socialism.

Military, ports, courts, borders, and federal highway systems are primary needs.  State welfare subsidies,housing, education, federal property ownership, environmental interference, business manipulation (cronyism), and personal medical insurance practices are not.

Start with the federal defunding of California, and make Michigan a close next.

If GOP ideas are good, put them in place and let the results speak for themselves.  If some legislators express an inordinate amount of fear about blowback, then we know where our weak sisters are, and they can be replaced ..now.

The #SchumerShutdown is the time to move forward and demonstrate the inadequacy of the Democrat philosophy to provide a constitutionally based operating plan that offers maximum state and individual benefit in the longer term.

It is an opportunity that ought not be missed.

You Betcha! (11)Nuh Uh.(0)

Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Now, how do you suppose HIS name got there???

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Politics and corruption are practically synonymous here in Southeastern Michigan.

Recent names (for most readers here, anyways) include such notables like Coleman Young (the first), Kwame Kilpatrick, The (almost) entire Conyers Family, etc.

Excluding VERY rare circumstances, they have been allowed to go pretty much unchecked by state and local officials since there apparently is some “unwritten” rule prohibiting county prosecutors and Attorneys General from investigating fellow politicians, regardless of party affiliation.

No, I don’t get it either.

Fortunately, this hasn’t stopped the Feds though from doing the job that local and state officials have been reticent to do.

I’ve honestly lost track of the number of investigations on Coleman Young (the first). Kwame Kilpatrick will be a guest of the Texas Penal system for at least two-and-a-half decades (obviously pending the outcome of another appeal attempt). Monica Conyers got to relax for several months after spending some quality time in Camp Cupcake. John Conyers got caught literally with his pants down around his ankles.

And then there is this guy???

Now, who is it you may ask?

{Continued below the fold}

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Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Left Coast Incompetence Will Slow Your Computer Tuesday

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Another major triumph of Silicon Valley engineering incompetence.

Microsoft is going to slow down most all Intel 64 bit CPU computers on Tuesday, January 9th, in their regular monthly Windows updates.  This after the corrupt finks at Apple got caught slowing down IPhones just before each new model was released.

Microsoft have to compensate for a fundamental design flaw in Intel’s processor chips which has gone unnoticed for 10 years. Expect a 5% – 30% slow down, depending on your tasks and your specific processor.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Taxes

The Echo Chamber

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Well, it took them long enough.

The first so-called “major revision” in the tax code in roughly 30-years.

Jason touched on this a little earlier with the statement released by Chairwoman Romney-McDaniel.

Speaking for myself, I’m going to hold off final judgment until I get a chance to read exactly what was in final bill. On the plus side, at least it doesn’t touch the continuing resolution.

But where I want to go with this is a little differently from where I have gone with in the past. This time I’m going to focus on the other side…Team “d”.

Not so much in what they have said, but in what they are doing. Or, more specifically, not doing.

{More below the fold}

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Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

Karma and Hypocrisy

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Karma: Fate or destiny resulting from one’s previous action.

Hypocrisy: The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess.

The supremely unctuous Stephen Henderson, Managing Director of Opinion and Commentary at the Detroit Free Press, got canned Friday for sexual harassment. Free Press Editor and Vice President Peter Bhatia has elected to shield us from the lurid details, a courtesy not afforded by the Free Press to the many others accused of sexual harassment during the current national feeding frenzy.

The allegations originally surfaced in a press conference the Reverend W. J. Rideout III, pastor of Our God’s People Church in Detroit, held last week. Reverend Rideout got suspended from his radio show on WFDF 910 AM for his efforts. Steve Neavling, a former Free Press reporter who was fired for his contretemps with homosexual teen groomer Charles Pugh in 2012, pursued the story on his own WFDF radio show as well as his Motor City Muckraker web site. Neavling had to enjoy the predicament of the Free Press, and probably Henderson too. Henderson was already a big shot at the Detroit Free Press when Neavling got railroaded.

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Conservative News, Democrats, Firearms, Michigan, Republicans

Albion College Charges Student Republican For Firearms Humor

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We Will Raise A Loyal Generation Of Communists!

Albion College student Alexander Tokie emailed a political position paper on the subject of ‘white privilege’ to his fellow College Republicans in September. The email concluded with a very funny reference to a .45 ACP pistol and putative hunting permits for Antifa and ISIS:

….Take the liberal tears from the idiot you just destroyed in your debate, dissemble your American made Springfield M1911 .45 caliber handgun and apply the tears in order to clean the mechanism, reassemble and proceed to purchase ANTIFA and ISIS hunting permits and max out on tags.

Mr. Tokie’s position paper leaked and the entirely humorless administration of Albion College has charged Mr. Tokie with violating Albion’s policy against the ‘use of, or threatened use of, physical force or violence’.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Democrats, Elections, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

Team D Candidate for Michigan AG effectively takes herself out of the race.

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Yet she cannot tell Michigan Voters about the $2-million she received by telling us that we were somehow wrong?!?

In a bid to somehow become relevant, Team D candidate for Michigan AG Dana Nessel released a campaign video citing her genitalia as the deciding factor  on whom to vote for in 2018.

Strangely enough, in her montage of people who are accused (but not convicted), several people are strangely absent.

Anyone want to guess which political party they belong to?

Here’s a hint

And another.

And another.

And another.

And another.

And who can forget this one?

Even more strangely is how the people mentioned above aren’t all dead by now…but I digress.

So below is the video in question. I’m certain that the donations will be flowing into her campaign coffers after this announcement!

 

 

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Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Republicans, Taxes

Sleight of Hand

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Fast Times At The Detroit Public Schools Community District

Norman Shy, the Detroit Public Schools vendor who stole $ 3 million with the capable assistance of 12 DPS principals and one DPS administrator, has begun paying his court-ordered restitution. The Detroit Free Press reported today that the Detroit Public Schools Community District has received $ 1.5 million from Mr. Shy, out of the total $ 2.7 million in restitution U.S. District Court ordered Mr. Shy to pay in September 2016.

The problem here? Mr. Shy’s scam looted the pre bailout/bankruptcy Detroit Public School District, not the new Detroit Public Schools Community District. The new Detroit Public Schools Community District was created in July 2016, before Mr. Shy’s sentencing but well after his 13 year long scam concluded.

The legacy Detroit Public School District still exists as a ward of the State of Michigan to pay off more than $ 500 million in ‘operating debts’. Debts which, in part, are directly due to Mr. Shy’s scam and dozens of other thieves. Michigan taxpayers at large are paying down those debts of the legacy DPS District, and will be paying until 2025 – if not longer.

Mr. Shy’s restitution payments should be paid to the legacy DPS District, not the new DPSC District. Its not like Michigan taxpayers owe these monies to the new DPSCD. Michigan taxpayers fronted the DPSCD $ 617 million as part of the 2016 bailout/bankruptcy, and the new, ‘debt free’ district is now being financed just as generously as every other school district in Michigan.

$ 1.5 million is real money.  Restitution should be directed to those financially damaged.  In this case, it is the taxpayers of Michigan – not the new Detroit Public Schools Community District – who were looted by Mr. Shy.

Anyone still wonder why Michigan residents are so ill disposed towards Detroit and its very creative government accounting practices?

You Betcha! (10)Nuh Uh.(0)

Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Fees, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Republicans, Taxes

Decision Time: DW&SD Rain Tax Comes To A Head In Court

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Detroit Water & Sewerage Division Has Colluded With Trial Lawyers To Avoid A Constitutional Test Of Their Outrageous 'Stormwater Fee'

The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department’s Non Residential Drainage Rate became a political hot potato in 2013 when the City finally started applying this breathtaking, disguised tax to all non residential properties within the City.  Mayor Duggan is scraping the bottom of the barrel for every revenue dollar he can find.

Prior to 2013, the City of Detroit only extracted this rate from 12,000 non residential property owners, although 41,237 non residential property owners should have been paying it. They also extracted this rate from the State of Michigan and Wayne County for roads in Detroit, after a lengthy appeals process which ended in the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Detroit shielded politically preferred and connected property owners from this tax for 35 years, notably the politically powerful black churches.  But that ended in 2013 when the City of Detroit “discovered….that there are some errors with respect to our billing of stormwater charges”.

This rate, which is often referred to as a stormwater fee or the rain tax, is not inconsequential. It is now $ 660 – $ 750 per acre, per month. Run of the mill churches with on site parking were rudely surprised with $ 3,500 monthly charges in 2015, on top of their already expensive water bills. They thought as religious entities they were tax exempt. Tee-hee.  No one in Michigan is truly tax exempt!  Michigan Public Act 178 of 1939 (MCL 123.161 et seq.) converts unpaid DW&SD stormwater fees into a property lien, same as unpaid property taxes, so these fees quickly result in property foreclosures.

Ever wonder why Detroit has such a problem with commercial property blight? Now church blight is in the offing.

Non residential property owners in Detroit have just received a legal notice in the mail announcing a proposed settlement of a Wayne County Circuit Court class action case filed by Michigan Warehousing Group LLC and Midwest Valve and Fitting Company against the Detroit Water & Sewerage Department over the DW&SD’s outrageous stormwater fee. This case is identified in the Wayne County Circuit Court as 15-010165-CZ. The parties reached a settlement agreement which is carefully constructed to cripple legal challenges to the constitutionality of the stormwater fee in higher courts and handsomely pay off the trial bar.

The settlement notice fails to inform non residential property owners that another, far more comprehensive class action law suit is progressing in the Michigan Court of Appeals. Detroit Alliance Against The Rain Tax v. City Of Detroit in the Michigan Court of Appeals, Case Number 339176, just got consolidated with a similar suit on 24 October and appears ready for litigation – also as a class action.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Fees, Firearms, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.

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“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin

This piece started off when I was asked for my $0.02 this weekend on something in the local paper (which I freely admit that I do still read), written by someone whom I consider an absolute imbecile (which I’d told my friend on multiple occasions what I thought of this particular writer).

Still, if this wasn’t coming from a friend of mine, it probably would’ve ended differently.

{Post continues below the fold}

 

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