Government Incompetence

Cronyism, Economy, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Sports

Sausage Making

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Regional 'payoffs' still ignore proper role of government.

Cronyism is now everywhere.

I have written at the beginning of Snyder’s terms that he was the guy who essentially brought the neu-cronyism to Michigan.  He invented the current form, and served as its first overlord.  Money spent in ways that used to invite constitutional challenges, now routinely passes through the sieve of Lansing into favored projects and could be expected to always get the blessing of the governor.

I doubt the new governor will do anything but enhance it’s reach as she attempts to cajole lawmakers from the ‘other side’ to embrace her sure-to-be bizarre mechanizations that raise the cost of government further.  Sadly, it is a Republican legislature that continues to make this kind of thing happen:

$10M In Sports Funding Coming: Is Indoor Traverse City Sports Complex Next?

By Beth Milligan | Dec. 29, 2018

$10 million in state funding is headed to northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula to create a regional sports commission – an initiative that dovetails with an effort by Traverse City Tourism to explore opening a year-round indoor sports complex in Traverse City.

Governor Rick Snyder signed off Friday on two supplemental spending bills totaling $1.3 billion for numerous projects throughout the state, including road upgrades, contamination clean-up, and education initiatives. The bills – approved earlier this month by state lawmakers – also include funding for community projects throughout Michigan, including $10 million to establish the Northern Michigan Regional Tourism and Sports Fund and to create a Great Lakes Sports Commission.

…

… Traverse City Tourism hired a consulting firm earlier this year to conduct a feasibility study on whether there is a need for such a facility in the area, how much it would cost to construct, and if it would be financially sustainable. The firm’s results are expected in January. But Traverse City Tourism President/CEO Trevor Tkach says preliminary findings “prove there is enough demand to run a cash-positive business if the facility gets built.”

Maybe “cash positive” means profit?  Maybe, maybe not.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Government Incompetence, Opinion

77 Years Ago Today.

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Sadly, what passes for the media in Michigan has totally forgotten the significance of today’s date in American History.

The same will very likely be said for what your Children, Grand-Children, Nieces or Nephews will be taught in their public schools today as well.

From NPS Website

Never forget.

Make sure that they never forget our history.

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Government Incompetence, Michigan, Taxes

See, We Told You So.

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No fewer than a dozen warnings that this would happen ..repeatedly.

Scales just commented this grand disaster.

From the people who watch such things, we just wanted to remind you that the fix you thought was there? Wasn’t.  As reported in the Detroit News Detroit schools need mo money:

“Without state support to address its growing capital needs, Detroit’s public school system poses a potential threat to Detroit’s economic revitalization, Moody’s Investors Service said Tuesday.

The rating agency said for fiscal 2019, the Detroit Public Schools Community District has budgeted $9 million in capital expenses, out of a budget of roughly $760 million. Detroit’s school buildings have $500 million in capital needs and deferred maintenance.”

Disappointing, yet not altogether surprising.

Before giving anymore, perhaps Michigan’s investors actually look at who gets da money?

Anyhow, it never should have happened to begin with.

I have solutions for any of these school issues.  If anyone in the game really wants to fix it once and for all, feel free to reach out.  It would take a little courage, but the repair would last forever.

[call me]
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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking

Well, that didn’t take long to go back to their old ways.

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Another chapter in the quest to rewrite history that progressives cannot accept.

When Gov. Snyder and Michigan Republicans bailed out the Detroit Public School System and City of Detroit a few years earlier, many posters on this site (myself included), warned everyone that it wouldn’t take long for inept & corrupt former political structure to reassert itself when the time presented itself.

Well, guess what?

{More information after the fold}

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, 2018 US Senate Race, All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans, Taxes

Are they even aware of what they’re selling?

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So in the midst of all of the post-election analysis, we’ve heard the “experts” from other outlets drone on about why the 2018 Election went the way it did.

We’ve heard them tell us that this is the vaunted “Blue Wave” sweeping across America. Despite the rash of ballots “miraculously” showing up in places like Florida (and apparently now here) along with Arizona, democrats still only control the House.

We’ve been told that this is the year of the woman. Yet, I’m waiting to hear why superior candidates like Lang and Epstein didn’t benefit from this?

Finally, the media (or infotainment complex…take your pick), dredges up their favorite rationale for last Tuesday Night’s results: It’s all President Trump’s fault.

If you get past their self-created echo chamber, you might have noticed the marked lack of coverage of the rise in America’s economy that has taken place since the ‘16 election (far higher than any democrat or their sycophants claimed was possible) , unemployment numbers falling ACROSS THE BOARD, and a newfound respect for America around the world since a certain Chicago street hustler was no longer in a position to embarrass our Republic by bowing down to foreign leaders at every opportunity and generally showing no backbone with the same by conceding at every opportunity.

I’m going to bring up a topic that the so-called conservative policy wonks running the multitude of losing campaigns are loath to ask themselves.

{Post continues after the fold}

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Oh no, you’ve caught me in another lie! Now, what do I do?

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Jocelyn Benson obviously thinks that women voters aren't very smart nor can think for themselves.

Jocelyn Benson obviously thinks that women voters aren’t very smart nor can think for themselves.

Perennial Michigan Secretary of State Candidate Jocelyn Benson was on Michigan Matters last weekend.

Despite claiming to be THE candidate for Michigan SoS (even noted democratic contributor Nolan Finley felt that she was more up to the job than Mary Treder Lang), she succeeded in shoving her head firmly up her anal database even before she bothered to open up her mouth.

Let’s just say that Carol Cain’s question right from the start immediately gave Ms. Benson the deer-in-the-headlights appearance for this so-called “Ready-for-Prime-Time” player.

Submitted without any further comment (the fun starts at this link right at the 1:00 mark).

 

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Elections, Government Incompetence, Michigan

Exclusionary

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Another compelling reason to leave Michigan's constitution intact.

Michigan’s Proposal 2 of 2018 is purposefully exclusionary.

Writers of proposal 2 do not want anyone with political knowledge to directly participate in the process of designing political districts.  Perhaps it makes it easier to control the process of those doing it?

Experience is apparently a bad thing.

It leaves me wondering a little.  If a person who had no concept of how plumbing worked was to design your home’s piping scheme, how happy might you be with the result when the water is finally turned on?

Please share with all your skeptical friends, instructing them to pass along as well.

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans, Taxes

Coming up next: Christians against Christ!

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In a move that I heard rumblings about them for some time now, but felt they had slightly more of a chance of existing than, say, The Nain Rouge, Dogman, The Little Blue Man or even Luke The Spook, The Detroit News reported today that a group calling themselves “Republicans and Independents for Whitmer” have finally made their existence known.

Yes, the name is exactly what is says, although the “republicans” in the aforementioned name aren’t even on the radar when it comes to promoting anything even remotely close to Conservative Values.

Calling them RINO’s would actually be a complement to them.

I’m a little pressed for time today and have to keep this short, but will share one quick quite from Sen. Shirkey and Rep. Chatfield on these knuckleheads before I have to run.

“Anyone claiming to be a ‘Republican for Whitmer’ is someone opposed to lower taxes, limited government and fiscal responsibility.”

I will be touching on that glaringly obvious problem within the Michigan GOP and expanding on this post a little later.

 

Who loves ya, baby!

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Government Incompetence, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

Republican Kakistocracy concedes election to Gretchen Whitmer

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But it is clear that Donald Trump has not earned my respect or my vote.” – Republican state Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons (October 8, 2016)

This is the same Republican state Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons,  Guv wannabe Bill Schuete just tapped on to be his LG.

I told you so just doesn’t cover it.

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Government Incompetence, Michigan, Opinion

Michigan Taxpayers Could Save $2,000,000,000.00 A Year

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Michigan pays dearly to self immolate.

We spend a lot on ‘adult education.’

Michigan’s 2019 budget includes $405,000,000.00 in community college funding, but a whopping $1,658,932,000 in university funding.  The sacred cow University of Michigan share of the taxpayer pie is nearly that of the total community college amount, yet my guess is that there are more Michigan based students attending those community colleges than at the 15 universities we sponsor.

We must of course remember that this is subsidies for institutions that cater not to the tender innocence of childhood, but rather to those who would be otherwise considered self supporting and responsible for their own educational progression and care.  Even so, they might still have minds of mush, which makes this other thing a little more poignant.

Our universities are destroying our nation.  And we have been giving them the fuel.  From the hill:

Today, after 22 years of being a college professor, and having traveled much of America to lecture, I am sad to say the situation is not the same. The core principles and foundations that keep the United States intact, that provide our citizens with their civic personalities and national identities, are being annihilated. The gravest internal threat to this country is not illegal aliens; it is leftist professors who are waging a war against America and teaching our young people to hate this country.

I agree with his point.

Read it in it’s entirety.  Its time we own this, and then act accordingly.

Or we have learned nothing.

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