Elections

Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Minimum Wage Insanity Passes GOP ‘Firewall’

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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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Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Sports

Dems Freaked Out Over Peters

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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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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

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

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

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

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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?

 

{Continued after the fold}

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan

Payola Or Pretense?

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

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

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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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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Moneybags

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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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Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Conyers NOT On Ballot

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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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Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Blast From the Past

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Memory holes are fun.

mcc2009-05-graphic6LRG

Time’s second most outrageous was a $1.9 million appropriation for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York. The earmark was inserted by none other than Congressman Charles B. Rangel, D-New York, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is where federal tax laws are drafted. According to Time, the project’s total price tag is $30 million, and it has been dubbed the “Monument to Me” by its critics. The magazine notes that a more junior member of Congress questioned Rangel about the propriety of members using taxpayer dollars to sponsor projects bearing their own names. “I would have a problem if you did it,” Rangel replied, “because I don’t think that you’ve been around long enough.”

Only 108 members voted to cut federal taxpayer subsidies for the Rangel Center. Five Michigan Republicans and four Democrats were among the 316 who voted to save the earmark.

Well, at least voters in CD-6 and CD-10 understand the mindset of Fred, and Candi in their wagon circling little D.C.-GOP world they live in.

None of it should surprise. And, to think that Camp replaced Charles… go figure.

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Opinion

Pure Gross Waste of Tax Dollars

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Hey y’all, guess what. Our big spending Lansing Majority is about to stick us with the tab to change out frivolous road signs. You read that right. My Rep., Peter “I love Red Light Cameras” Pettalia (video here) just recently got some traction in the House for his buffoonish legislation to rename tourist-trap roadways with the Pure propaganda trademark. Added MEDC approved bonus? MDOT will have control over the “indeterminate” costly bid process! Cha-ching for some crony relative with a sign business.

Now, for some credit where credit is due.

Amendment offered by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on March 26, 2014, to require the proposed signs to also disclose the amount of cash subsidies and selective tax breaks the state paid to corporations and developers through its “economic development” programs, with the information posted in the same sized font. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on March 26, 2014.

Thanks for trying, Rep. McMillin. You’re a true lone voice of Conservatism in Lansing. Consistency matters.

Maybe now some of y’all will have a better understanding why I take offense at these two sleazy CD-8 sociopaths.

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