I don’t know what has been more infuriating this week; watching the one-sided coverage on what unfolded in Charlottesville last week or watching what passes for “leadership” in the republican party seeing who can get away from President Trump the fastest?
The sad part here is that I can easily see what happened last week spread to Michigan much sooner than people think.
{More after the fold}
(9)Nuh Uh.
(0)As badly as we need this done, do we care why he’s doing it, or even whether he gets the credit?
“If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.” (Winston Churchill, to his private secretary, Jock Colville, on June 21st, 1941, the evening before Operation Barbarossa)
Churchill was well known for being a consistent and vociferous opponent of communism, and had often spoken quite unfavorably about the Soviet Union, and particularly of Joseph Stalin (who was well-known even then as the brutal monster that honest history records). However, in seeking to stop the menace of Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Churchill was willing to adopt an ad hoc “enemy of my enemy” approach, and initiated the Anglo-Soviet Agreement for joint action against Germany.
Given much of the recent hullabaloo regarding a badly-needed grassroots initiative having been likely co-opted, by a moderate opportunist apparently seeking a means to advance his political ambitions, and given that I have personally stood directly in the path of those ambitions at least twice in the past seven years, what I’m about to say is going to sound exceedingly strange, but I’m going to say it anyway.
(20)Nuh Uh.(1)On the plus side, I've just found a sizable down payment for that Michigan Income Tax cut.
Can anyone find an exemption for “sensitive places” in either the Michigan or US Constitutions?
I cannot.
And just who makes the asinine argument for “sensitive places”?
{Click below to find out.}
(9)Nuh Uh.(0)And no. I don’t mean that thing where we exercise out "right" to set off large quantities of fireworks next month.
Last weekend, I spent some time with some friends who now live out of town.
We did the “usual touristy” things like Greektown and the Casinos.
They wanted me to go with them to the Grand Prix, but I’m more of a NASCAR Guy than IndyCar.
Afterwards, I insisted on changing things up and that we go down to Lafayette to eat.
I told them that it was part of the “Authentic Detroit” dining experience and that sort of thing.
They had never been down there and after initially scarring the hell out of them (along with equally confusing them with how the food was ordered/delivered), they settled down a bit and we started to catch up on things. They began to comment on local stuff, basically regurgitating what people like Gov. Snyder, et al, were shoveling to the rest of the country about how things have turned around since the bankruptcy.
I laughed at their comments and replied to the effect that, “Yeah! They wish!”
“Look at all of this new stuff downtown? How can you argue that things aren’t better?”, they replied.
I told them that “Yes”, the Downtown Area has improved. Large amounts of government money tends to eventually do that. “Yes” places like the Riverfront have gotten nicer.
But then I added, the same cannot be said for the rest of the city.
They didn’t believe me.
They couldn’t accept the fact that everything was as bad as I told them it was.
I told them, “Fine, want to go on a little trip?”
They were a little apprehensious to say the least, but we loaded up into their car and we went happy motoring…away from the freeways.
I took them in places where even Crowder wouldn’t dare to venture!
We went up and down places like Jefferson, and then Warren and Mack where it didn’t take that long to notice the large swaths of bombed out/burned out neighborhoods (at least I think they were neighborhoods at one time), large piles of trash and abandoned/stolen vehicles (along with boats…yes boats) strewn about, pretty much every other building covered with graffiti, I told my now visibly scared “driver” that I wanted to stop at the next party store because I wanted to get something to drink.
Yes, I did that on purpose.
So, while we parked across the street and started walking towards the party store, I got bombarded with a ton of questions (besides is this really safe) like why that particular store had a chain-link fence around the roof topped with razor wire, why there were thick metal plate doors next to the entrance and why was there a flashing green light on the sign outside of the building. When we went inside, they did a double-take at the walkway surrounding most of the perimeter of the inside of the building separated by 1-inch thick Lexan.
I casually grabbed a 2-liter of Rock N’ Rye, they didn’t get anything (I cannot imagine why) and we went back to their car. I still had more to show them.
Continuing our “tour”, they still couldn’t get over the flashing strobe light on the sign.
“Oh that? That’s Green Light.”
And here is where out story turns to next…
{More after the fold}
(7)Nuh Uh.(2)If Pres. Trump fails to veto this, I easily see him a being a one and done president.
Perhaps yesterday’s coverage of the May Day “celebrations” touched something inside of Congressional republicans?
Perhaps the were “channeling their inner Obama™”?
Whatever the reason, sometime over the past few days, Congressional republicans clearly demonstrated some severe cognitive dissonance with the American Voter (to say nothing about the election results from last November).
More below…
(9)Nuh Uh.(0)And what does this mean when it comes to other campaign “promises” made to The American People like tax reform, the wall, bringing back American business and removing illegal aliens?
It really shouldn’t have been difficult.
Not at all.
All you had to do was to fulfill the promise that you made when running for Congress and REPEAL Obamacare.
It was not as if this day wasn’t coming?
After sneaking Obamacare through in literally the dead of night, the democrats learned a valuable lesson on stupidity and the resulting payback from it when they lost the House.
Give us the Senate, chimed in republicans and we’ll repeal it.
After numerous attempts to do so we are told that they cannot do it.
Give us the White House and we’ll repeal it.
So, after gaining majorities the House, Senate and the White House, everything was in place for a quick (and ridiculously easy) repeal.
Or so we thought.
{Oh, I‘ve got more below}
(10)Nuh Uh.(0)Annual Freedom Summit & Conservative Gathering for Michigan is next month!
The Michigan Conservative Union is hosting it’s annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Holt this year.
The MiCPAC event theme of “Civility and Ethics in Philosophy and Politics” is the guide for the premier annual conference for all elements of the Michigan Conservative Movement—Life; Faith; Freedom; liberty;Tax Limitation; Traditional Values; 1st, 2nd & 10 Amendment;Academe; Business; National Defense and others.
Speakers at this conference will be Dr. Lee Edwards of the Heritage Foundation, Trevor Louden– New Zeeland Author and patriot, Richard Thompson -Thomas More Law Chief counsel, John Anthony – Sustainable Freedom Author, Dr. Meg Edison -Docs4Patient Care Pediatrician, Prof. William Wagner– of Salt & Light, and Rev. Richard Zeile Michigan School board.
Aside from the nationally recognized conservatives above, will be other notables from around the state; You will hear legislators and local elected officials on how they make a difference. Confirmed are Larry Rocca, Macomb Co. Treasurer; Jason Gillman, Tom Norton, plus Lt. Col. David Agema: E-Verify- American Law for American Courts, Hon. Norman R. Hughes, MCU and MFTW; State of the Movement, Janice Daniels, Jerry Allen, Author Priscilla Miller and others.
This high impact event is being held
April 28-29,2017 Capitol City Baptist School 5100 W Willoughby Rd, Holt, MI 48842
For more information and to register, click here, or on the logo to the right.
(7)Nuh Uh.(0)So, will this be the swan song for Snydercaid?
Like we didn’t see this coming?
And by “we” I mean real conservatives, not the bland neo-con, conservative wanna-bees around election season who revert back to their true selves the day after the general.
Thanks to the number-crunchers over at the SFA along with President Trump, Gov. Snyder’s signature achievement (Snydercaid), is in jeopardy of closing up shop due to its costs, and someone who had the foresight to include a weakness in the legislation which can be exploited when it grew into an ever-growing percentage of the budget.
What’s even worse (also on page 6 in the SFA link above):
“The new Federal law would increase GF/GP (General Fund/General Purpose) costs sufficiently to trigger this provision by the end of FY 2019-20. Thus, assuming no changes to the statute, the Healthy Michigan Plan would terminate.
If the State opted to continue the program (which would require Legislative action and a gubernatorial signature to change the statute), the GF/GP costs would increase significantly in subsequent years as noted above. Obviously, if the Federal legislation is enacted, the decision on whether to change the statute to continue the HMP would be impacted by the fiscal considerations outlined above.”
Gov. Snyder knew that this day was coming. He even went to Washington to personally lobby on its behalf.
But when you act like a wishy-washy, mealy mouth wimp who will not take a stand, people remember things like that.
Speaking of “never forgetting”…
(13)Nuh Uh.(0)"Public-Private Partnerships" Are bad business for government.
SB 97 passed 32-4 last Friday.
Seriously flawed in it’s very concept, the bill grants private operators the ability to operate as-if they are the chartering government itself, sans the payback at the voting booth. Contracts could extend far beyond term limitations, and the ‘authorities’ created would be of a new design.
It will place those who fail to pay the private concern as immediately liable for fees as-if it were a government entity. It also brings back the spectre of eminent domain, and abuse of authority.
It also grants special rights to those who profit from such projects as described in the bill from paying property, sales or use taxes taxes.
Tell me I am wrong.
Please.
(9)Nuh Uh.(1)I live in Tim Walberg’s district. In fact, his residence of record is about 10 miles from my house. Those of you that live in a Rural setting may appreciate that this is “right around the corner”. I’ve not been a huge fan of Tim Walberg because of his repeated support for the PATRIOT ACT. I once confronted him over his support for this act at a tea party meeting and he and I got into it a bit. Anyhow…I smiled this morning while doing some quick research for this piece to discover Walberg sponsored legislation (albeit in 2015) to reform Civil Asset Forfeiture. Good job, Tim!
I hope Tim continues his Civil Asset Forfeiture reform efforts in the new congressional session.
The new leader of the United States Government, on the other hand, disappoints on this front. Many of you may have seen this video, I made this post for the benefit of those who have not.
A Texas lawmaker has the audacity to introduce legislation that requires the State Government there convict a fellow of a crime before they gank his stuff! GASP! What’s Trump’s solution? Ruin the lawmaker’s career!
I think we need to call out bad actors on Civil Asset Forfeiture (and other violations of civil liberties and due process), whether they are Republicans, Democrats, or a beloved (by many, not I) newly elected President. I recognize he’s not the only bad guy in this regard. Civil Asset Forfeiture was popular during alcohol prohibition — the better part of 100 years ago. Let’s hope Mr. Trump sees the error of his ways in the future.
One thing is for sure: he must NOT be given a pass simply because he’s a Republican (at least he says he is now — he was a Democrat between 2001 and 2009).
(6)Nuh Uh.(1)
