Elections

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Herding

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Taking away the options, our elected class leaves us with no choice, right?

sheep-brandedSo, do you say “Baaaa” or “Moooo” on Wednesday May 6th?

That is, if you intend on voting for proposal 15-1.  And all the animal sounds notwithstanding, will anyone reading this accept the fact that they have pretty much been ‘herded’ like common farm critters if they decide to support the measure?

Consider how ‘heeling’ with a border collie is done.  By taking away the options for movement, a nip at the herded animal’s feet, and the dog  manipulates the path of the animal so that it pursues the desired direction.  When one goes astray, the new direction is blocked ensuring a return to the planned route.

When looking at proposal 15-1, it should not have gone unnoticed that the scheduling of the proposal’s vote is at the time when the roads are at their peak ‘crap’ condition.  The end of winter and at a time when patching work by the local road commission has not completely caught up with the seasonal destruction.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

How ‘Special’ The Snyder Calley Team Is

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Among other things, the state needs to pay up.

ballotAnd we’re here to remind them, as this isn’t the first time its been said.

Here’s hoping every township, and county clerk is ready with a bill for services on May 6, 2015.  In fact, maybe it might not be a bad idea to remind your local election officials to ready the receipt pile and get a stamped envelope ready to submit the invoice for officiating one of the most senseless proposals yet.

Proposal 15-1 is going to cost us money no matter what.  Legislators added about $9 million or more dollars to the cost of doing state business when they punted to the citizens of Michigan in that December lame duck. A recent special election in Grand Traverse County cost over $85,000 and we have about 90,000 for population.  At a cost of about $1 per Michiganian, each county, city, and township government is having to officiate what is accurately called a ‘special election.’

And how special is it?

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1

Turkeys, Sausages, and Turd-Polishing

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Will Proposal 15-1 become a bridge too far for the GoverNerd?

According to a colleague of mine, the power of government (at any level), over its law-abiding citizens, is directly derived from the taxation authority. Think about that for a moment or two. In a truly free society, the government has no means to control the behavior of its citizens who aren’t actual criminals, nor will those citizens tolerate any such action from their duly-elected public servants. And while the citizenry does indeed pay taxes – because even in a free society, the government still has the authority to tax – control of the taxation mechanism isn’t left to the arbitrary whims of government functionaries, and the true tax burden is plainly visible for all to see.

By that measure, it’s been at least five decades since Michigan was a truly free state. Since being gifted with an income-based taxation model, and a full-time legislative model, the state that was once the engine of freedom has progressively mutated into a socialist laboratory, at best a generation between now and whatever bankruptcy chapter awaits a nominally sovereign state collapsing into receivership. And in that regard, I don’t think it overly dramatic to suggest that this statewide special election to decide the fate of a legislative piece of sausage is similar to Gettysburg . . . if we don’t stop them here, then where will we ever be able to stop them at all?

The upside is that We the People received a bit of good news on this front yesterday, though how this’ll ultimately play out is still an open question.

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

Spring is Beginning to Blossom in the Mitten

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Here comes the Boom!

TV-ADSIt’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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Remember, that’s why: Tis not 1 percentage point – it is a 16.7% Sales Tax Hike – 30% Registration Fee Hike – ultimately a 200% Tax Hike on Fuels

Oh! Ya, and with this “feature“.

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

More Info On Proposal One

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The contentious May issue is complicated, but understandable. It just takes time.

There is a ton of information to be shared on the road funding issue.

TV-ADSRightMi.com has pointed out many of the flaws, and the bad policy associated with the late night lame-duck session passed monstrosity voters will be asked to approve May 5th.   We pointed out the obvious in a graphic (to the right)  only 24 hours ago, and as of this writing, the graphic has been viewed over 2200 times on Facebook alone.  (still climbing fast) We invite those who are here looking for information on this constitutional disaster to sift through a few pages on our site for all you need to know about the single biggest tax increase many of Michiganians will face in their lives.

And the argument is fierce. On one side we have the shills for the road industry pimping the YES vote, and the other side we have families who don’t much feel like picking out the switch so ‘daddy’ government can beat them down with an additional $500 a year in taxes.

Then there are the studies.  Like the one published by the Mackinac Center’s James Hohman:

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Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Just Vote Yes, Willya?

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Safe Roads YES! is already running media ads . . . why aren’t their opponents?

So, about three weeks ago, Safe Roads YES! launched their radio and television ad campaign, designed to convince us that jacking up our per-person state tax-and-fee burden by roughly $248.12 – permanently (not including inflation adjustments to the wholesale fuel tax) – is a good idea. To do so, they’re using the standard tactics of bogus statistics and emotional appeals, praying that the typical low-information voter isn’t going to do even the basic homework into the legislative piece of sausage that the GoverNerd and his hodge-podge of allies are doing their damnedest to slide by us roughly six weeks from now.

And you’d think that at least one of the organizations or individuals lined up to oppose the Michigan Sales Tax Increase for Transportation Amendment would have already snagged media buys for at least one well-produced television commercial. I’ll freely admit that I don’t spend much time in front of the boob tube these days, but I can’t seem to get through even one prime-time television show (regardless of channel) without seeing at least one Pro-1 30-second spot. The reason that bugs me (both the pro-1 ad campaign and the absence of an anti-1 ad campaign) has less to do with polling, and more to do with my understanding of voter behavior.

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Elections, Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Bejebus! Our Proposal 1 inbox is Smoking Hot This Morning

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A reader sends this juicy morsel from Paul Egan a few days ago.

STOP-167■ Allow cities whose transit services carry more than 10 million passengers per year, which includes Detroit, to spend up to 20% of its share of Michigan Transportation Fund money on transit, rather than city roads and streets.

■ Add language to allow the Michigan Transportation Fund to receive money from any source, not just fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees.

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GasTaxRegistrationFreesHikeCan one say Regional Transit Authority? Us well-informed RightMi.com readers sure can. Matter of fact, there is a Tag for that, and we here will allow the missed it by 4% registration fee hike to remain in this Tag, here.

But, back to that RTA… isn’t it nice of the movers and shakers within SEMCOG to provide means of special assessments and property tax hikes by statute for the ongoing bailout of Wayne County? Gee, all of Michigan should thank, slick Rick and Lt. Calley, for that, no?

OABTW, did I happen to mention that I had the opportunity to shake hands with our beloved Republican governor on St. Patty’s Day? True story.

I was at a local convenience store reaching for my wallet and accidentally intercepted Snyder’s hand.
CamachoSnyderBecause every president really needs a *Smart Guy™*…

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

Vote yes or you all will D-I-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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That’s the latest narrative for unaccountable MDOT from “Vote Yes” spokesperson governor Snyder.

GasTaxRegistrationFreesHikeGov. Rick Snyder joined Wayne County Executive Warren Evans [see here], Washtenaw County Sheriff John Clayton, Brad Williams of the Detroit Regional Chamber [these guys] and others for a morning press conference at a fire station in Dearborn [allah shazam].

Snyder, holding chunks of a broken road and bridge, reinforced the public safety message that the “Safe Roads Yes” campaign is emphasizing ahead of the May 5 vote.

“Can you imagine one of these coming through your windshield?” the governor said, going on to state that 14 percent of the bridges in Metro Detroit have plywood installed beneath them to catch falling concrete. “Your life is in jeopardy.”

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McLellan_Mac_Cen_Vote_Yes_man-behind-the-scenePathetic. You know what? I’m getting a little sick of the scare tactic bullsh!t coming from Snyder to justify his big spending, and crony contractor friends. Even a party bootlicker like Tom Shields recognizes this is a major backfire, however, milquetoast Willy’s protégé hailing from Ann Arbor, is tone deaf on the matter and I strongly encourage Snyder, along with his Lt. toad to carry on with this “we’re all gonna dieeeeeee” meme. I mean, what’s better than having tax-hike loving Virg Bernero in Prop 1’s corner?

STOP-167Perhaps, commercials showcasing a school bus with a disgruntled AFSCME driver in them? Maybe, some mom who maintains her own life in the very same fashion that MDOT maintains theirs and the squandering of our tax dollars while lying about it?

Remember folks, Prop 1 is a $2,000,000,000 hike with annual tax hike ratchet mechanism on fuel with a whole lotta public sector union payola (everywhere) and fraud embedded into it.

Stop-100Is that how our state constitution should be changed?

I think not.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Ugh, work is stupid!

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Let’s all take a break.

Just when you thought that the Three-ring Circus that tries to pass itself off as “leadership” couldn’t make an even bigger ass of themselves than they already have done to date, they just turn around and surprise you.

Same cast of characters. Same city.

And another example of ungrateful children pretending to be mature adults wasting your hard earned money.

{Click below to find out who they are and what they have done this time}

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