Elections

Depopulating The Upper Peninsula

energyinfographicjpg-01Under the new EPA rules that our congress (incl Dan Benishek) has ALLOWED to be developed, the probability of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula being vacated is elevated.

This is no hype.

The upper peninsula is served primarily by Coal fired electrical generation.  Replacing that is cost prohibitive, and efforts to upgrade existing service has already begun, yet fails to meet the now even more stringent regulatory efforts by the Obama administration.

With even the cleanest combustion, the product is CO2 and water vapor.  Both are greenhouse gasses, but one is being used as a lever by those who wish to get complete control over the population; where it lives, what it eats, and how it heals itself, etc..

The failure of Congress to remove funding for the EPA has allowed the poser in chief to continue ratcheting up the difficulty level for Americans to live without the threat of government shutting them down.  This is not good policy, but rather a means to an end for an ideological presidency.

We have little time left.  Start getting involved

 

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We’re looking at a new level of cognitive dissonance coming from Lansing.

A long time ago, I would be asked to accompany family members who wanted to go to the local Fretter or Highland whenever they wanted to buy any appliances/electronics (yes, I know that I’m dating myself here). They always had this question in mind, ‘How An Appliance Home Warranty Can Help Protect Your Budget?’ Part of it was because they knew that I had a vehicle big enough to bring home whatever they bought without much trouble. The other was that I could usually be counted on to hook it up after I brought it in.

One of the things I hated most about those experiences was dealing with the salesmen when actually making the purchase.

Even though my relatives were usually buying something listed in the newspaper ad so what we should be paying going out the door wasn’t a mystery, at the counter the salesman would always give them that sincere look and always ask them if they wanted to purchase additional items to go with what they were there to buy in the first place. Looking a little baffled at the salesman’s question and not appearing certain about how to answer, I’d step in at that point and tell them firmly, but politely, that I’ve hooked up enough TV’s, stereos, etc. to know what else I would need to get it to work and would’ve had it on the counter if we actually needed it. Being a little put off, but still undiscouraged, they turn to them again and ask about getting additional “warranty/insurance coverage” for their purchase. More often than not, it wasn’t any better than the manufacturer’s warranty. I strongly told them “no” for a second time.

At the time I didn’t know this, but they were using a technique called “upselling” which is a used for the benefit of the seller in additional to the actual sale of the item.

“Upselling” is also a technique being used by the Republican Leadership in Lansing to rationalize to the people they represent why they have abandoned their own stated principle of, ‘government practicing fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.’

 

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Minimum Wage Insanity Passes GOP ‘Firewall’

Sausage Grinding In All Its Glory. Minimum Wage Today, Higher Gas Taxes Tomorrow.

snyderIn a move reportedly designed to head off a ballot initiative, a higher minimum wage was passed and signed by Governor Rick Snyder.

Snyder yesterday signed ‘bipartisan’ legislation raising Michigan’s minimum wage by September to $8.15, and to $9.25 an hour by 2018, a move he said “will help hard-working residents without hindering the state’s improving economy.” SB 934 is now Public Act 138 of 2014.

Oh, and by the way; It should be noted that a majority of the House Republicans voted NO on this. (albeit a small one)

We support those voting no, including one of our Northern Michigan legislators who gets it.  Greg MacMaster (R-105) says

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Dems Freaked Out Over Peters

If Democrats Were Happy With Gary Peters To Replace Carl Levin, Then ...

Shane Battier Photo Courtesy of NBA.COM

Sometimes you have to read between the lines.

Probably little known to team Gary Peters, is that Lon Johnson was looking for a trade.  The Michigan Democrat Party seems to need a new power forward:

“.. “That was an amazing point in my career,” Battier said. “I was really nervous I was gonna be the reason we weren’t going to win a championship. I took it upon myself to say, ‘If we lose, it’s not going to be because I didn’t fight my ass off.’ I had to guard West, and he beat the hell out of me like he always does. But we somehow reinvented ourselves, and that was the birth of small ball.”

Battier is nearing retirement now, and he can no longer shoot, dribble, or defend like he once did. The Michigan Democratic Party recently called him to see if he might consider running to replace U.S. Senator Carl Levin, Battier said. He declined, but he’s closer to retirement than he is to the player who helped Miami unlock its identity. ..”

D’oh!

Rimshot!

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Constitutionalist Incumbent Bentivolio Still Putting Whup Azz on “El Gringo Bandito” David Trott

Bentivolio Still Maintains Double Digit Advantage In CD11 Race.

bandito-trottFrom a MIRS Tweet

Not surprised.

Trott would likely lose in the General to anyone nicer than Hanibal Lector anyhow.  But we’ll be watching.  The “El Gringo Bandito” Reference BTW, was just too good to pass up.

Perhaps you might just go and READ IT.

 

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Detroit Bailout: Why the “Grand Bargain” is actually a Faustian Bargain.

Not actually Gov. Rick Snyder

 

Like most Conservatives here, I was disappointed, but honestly not surprised in the least, by last weeks vote in the Michigan House on the “Grand Bargain”.

I say this because leading up to the vote, when my sources go dark, or when they do finally return my calls and begin to waffle, that is almost always an indication that things are going bad rather quickly.

I’m not going to mince words here. Aside from absolutely hating that misleading term “Grand Bargain”, I still can’t see why people in Lansing can’t/won’t do their homework on what is really going on here and why they are reticent on calling a bailout what it actually is: a bailout.

You’re probably asking yourselves; what causes people like that to lose their way?

Limited government and fiscal responsibility were once hallmarks of the Republican Party platform a long time ago.

Let’s take a look as to what happened, shall we?

 

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Payola Or Pretense?

Is The Traverse City School District Ignoring A Gift, Or Is That 'Gift' Completely Valueless?

What does the largest government body North of Clare do when it sees a case of vendor provided payoff to an employee?

It blesses the transaction.  <– yes, that is the punchline

As yet another example of misplaced priorities, and a misunderstanding of the roles they play, the Traverse City Area public School board trustees have approved a ‘settlement’ which involves a payment from the soon-to-retire superintendent Stephen Cousins, and a gift from one of the school’s vendors to make up the difference between the $25,000 owed to the school district by the superintendent and his $14,800 cash reimbursement component.

First a recap of the facts as we know them.

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Sure: Carl Levin just up and Decided to *Retire*

Or, perhaps why Mr. Julianna Smoot‘s White House memo read, “Carl, cannot run for reelection. Tell him thanks for playing along, and dos svidaniya. Now, bring me Gary Peters”.

Read all about the documents obtained at Judicial Watch.

And, don’t even start about being unaware of the Marxist Levin slime that established his political career in the Progressive’s Utopian Cesspool of Detoilet, nor act oblivious about the Socialist-lite Republicans that have propped up that agenda for decades – you all were made aware.

Levin-detroit-300x234

Never fear, Weeper Boehner and Eric Holder have the situation *normalized*

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Moneybags

BuySeatMy wife asked me, “who is this guy?”

She was referring to the now frequent television commercials for fourth district congressional candidate Paul Mitchell. And if you have never heard of him before, its because he has not held political office that you might recognize.  Another bucket list brigade member, GOP primary candidate Paul Mitchell has already piled tons of cash into Michigan’s 4th congressional district race in an effort to present himself as a real contender.

Cable and broadcast buys for April and May have already exceeded a quarter of a million dollars, and sources have indicated he intends to whiz away his entire bank account to feel extra special if necessary.  And who cares if anyone knows who he is, or what he stands for?

Ah yes, the “what do you stand for?” question. That place where people look beyond the claims of a candidate being a conservative first, and actually predict what kind of legislator they might actually be.

And if the nape hair instincts kick in at the point where you realize a candidate has no record to examine, is blowing a wad of his own cash, and was the finance chair for the Michigan Republican Party, then you might be paying attention.

Oh yeah.. All that.

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Conyers NOT On Ballot

180px-John_Conyers_1977_Congressional_photoPolitics is always interesting.

Forever termed congressman John Conyers will not be on the ballot this year. Conyers has been in congress since 1965, (The picture at right from 1977.) and quite possibly will be gone after 2014.  From Fox news:

“Longtime Congressman John Conyers of Michigan doesn’t have enough signatures to appear on the Aug. 5 primary ballot, an elections official announced Tuesday.

Conyers’ nominating petitions were insufficient, Wayne County Clerk Kathy Garrett said in a statement.

It follows her report last week finding Conyers more than 400 signatures short of 1,000 needed. Garrett said Tuesday that he had 592 valid signatures after challenges.”

It comes as no surprise that Conyers’ signature counts included WAY too many that were not registered voters.

The REAL talent is in the Democrat party however.  Many were likely dead for decades as well.

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