Michigan Politics

Michigan Political considerations.

HB 5108 Fights Crony Capitalism, Protects Personal Property Rights

You bought it...you own it!

Tickets

It doesn’t matter the industry impacted or how long a law has been on the books. Any law that restricts our personal property rights in favor of crony capitalism should be abolished. That’s why lawmakers need to take action on House Bill 5108.

Right now, if you try to re-sell your sports or entertainment ticket above face value, you are a criminal under Michigan law. It doesn’t matter whether you are trying to unload a couple of tickets from your season ticket package or whether you can no longer go to that concert and only want to sell your tickets for face value plus “convenience fees.”

That is, unless you use a specially-designated “vendor” given a monopoly by the team or venue over all ticket resales. Companies like StubHub and Ticketmaster are milking honest fans by tacking on additional fees just for the “right” to resell a ticket that you already own and are turning around and paying a kickback to the venue for their state-protected monopoly.

House Bill 5108 will end this ridiculous law and open the secondary ticket market up to be more fair and free – everybody will have the same rights and nobody is forced to break the law or pay additional fees just to resell their own property.

The House passed the bill in the spring. And given the Republican supermajority in the Senate you would think this bill would be a slam dunk, right? Apparently not because the bill has been stuck in committee for months.

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Michigan Post-primary Fundraising Reports

The deadline for post-primary campaign finance reports for the Michigan state legislature was September 4.  The following details the total amount raised in competitive general elections, and cash on hand (COH) in competitive general elections.  Ratings for the races are included.

Governor (Lean R)
R: Rick Snyder 10M (2.8M COH)
D: Mark Schauer (2.5M COH)

Lieutenant Governor:
R: Brian Calley 371K (78K COH)
D: Lisa Brown waiver

Attorney General (Lean R)
R: Bill Schuette 3.0M (1.9M COH)
D: Mark Totten 258K (146K COH)

Secretary of State (Likely R)
R: Ruth Johnson 723K (252K COH)
D: Godfrey Dillard  no report yet

State senate:

7. Lean R
R: Pat Colbeck 184K (28K COH)
D: Dian Slavens 172K (157K COH)

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Calling Mi GOP, Do you really support gun rights?

Mi GOP Supports gun rights, right? Nah The death of a perception...

Many of you may be aware that I was asked to disarm nearly a year and a half ago at the Michigan GOP State Convention.  Just a few weeks ago (8/23/2014) at the Michigan GOP State Convention in Novi, my dear colleague and good friend Tom Lambert (Vice-President of Michigan Open Carry, Inc) followed in my footsteps of having my rights disregarded or minimized by the GOP.

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Founding Fathers & Mothers Dinner

September 14, 2014 at 6pm is the date for the Founding Fathers & Mothers dinner to benefit the Constitution Celebration.

The annual Founding Fathers & Mother dinner is upon us.

Annually, we gather to celebrate the anniversary of the constitution (September 17) on the Sunday immediately following or preceding the date itself.  We also announce our “Grand Defender” award winner; a person selected from three or four constitutional defenders from the preceding year.

Tickets are available @ $35 for adults and $15 for children 5-12.  The proceeds benefit the constitution celebration projects, one of which is the bringing of the VietNam Moving Wall to the Grand Traverse region.  Complete info is on the pdf by clicking the image below.

poster-dinnerposter-dinner

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Study: 40% of Michigan Families Can’t Cover Basic Survival Expenses

Huge Decline in Wages for Michigan’s Working Families

Pay Falls for Low-Wage Men yet Women Still Far Behind,” found that real wages of Michigan workers have fallen by more than ten percent since 1979 for broad sections of the working class.

Hourly pay for low-wage workers of “prime working age” in Michigan fell 13.4 percent between 1979-2013, while pay for mid-wage workers of prime age fell 12.7 percent.

The collapse of wages in Michigan also illustrates president Obama’s and Governor Snyder’s “insourcing” policies, which involves pushing for lower corporate taxes and lower living standards and wages for workers in order to make American cities “attractive” for business. Snyder Obama Meet

Speaking at a Milwaukee factory in 2012, Obama celebrated the results of his and Snyder’s “bailout” policies in Michigan as a model for the rest of the country: What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other cities.

Declining work rates, stagnant wages, the rise of female-headed families, inferior education, and the arrival of millions of “immigrants” with poor education and low skills are little engines pushing up the poverty rate.

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Bridgewalk Timelapse

Labor Day 2012 from the office of Michigan's department of propaganda.

Because it gave me an opportunity to point out something notable.

The MDOT appears to be better at producing video than it is in maintaining our road infrastructure.

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More Than You Might Be Led To Believe

A great deal of support on the floor of the GOP convention in Novi Michigan for challenger Nakagiri

“I appreciate your enthusiasm” Says Candace Miller as the 300 Nakagiri volunteers do the sign walk.

There were so many, that the next nomination was delayed a moment. (yeah THAT’s the ticket) Truthfully, the video camera work was a little sloppy because I was looking around trying to gauge how many Snyder/Calley supporters were sporting new trouser cookies.  As we have known for a week however, signs unfortunately don’t equal votes.

It was just plain fun as a people watcher however. As a takeaway, we don’t have to think there are no folks actively seeking to better the party. We are NOT alone, nor are we done yet. 

Please enjoy the video.

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And On Monday

New Minimum Wage for Michigan Employees Kicks in .. and

We slide a little deeper into the fiery pit of progressivism

Because everyone knows that ALL employers are filthy rich.

Because everyone knows that ALL employers are filthy rich.

Beginning September 1, 2014, Michigan employers will face an increase in the minimum wage rate from $7.40 to $8.15. The first rate increase since Granholm jacked employers in 2008, this new change to state law marks the beginning of a gradual 25 percent increase of the minimum wage resulting in $9.25 per hour by 2018. The State of Michigan makes new online resources available at www.Michigan.gov/miosha to help workers and employers face the facts as the new rate takes effect.

On May 27, 2014 the ‘Workforce Opportunity Wage Act,’ Public Act 138 of 2014 (Act 138), took immediate effect replacing the Michigan Minimum Wage and Overtime Act (Act 154).  Act 138 is enforced by the Wage and Hour Program within the Technical Services Division of the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).  And we know No-One enforces like MIOSHA.

Act 138 applies to employers in Michigan that have two or more employees age 16 and older.  A copy of Act 138, along with guidelines and the required poster may be downloaded from the Wage and Hour Program website.

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Thursday Around Michigan

Plenty to talk about before the weekend.

logo-sphereThere is a lot of chatter still going on regarding the convention results, campaign polling, and Frank Foster peddling destructive behavior as a ‘civil right’ throughout the house to those who will cosponsor it.

Before our convention in Grand Traverse County, some of us were advised to video tape the proceedings to prevent shenanigans.  Fortunately, we nipped the chair election in the bud, and any screw ups were honest and dealt with properly. (I have never seen a convention go perfectly as planned.)  Ottawa County apparently had some issues.

West Michigan Politics – Ottawa County GOP Chaos: Meekhof + Huizenga Involved? What You Need To Know & The Follow up

And while we all are arguing among ourselves, the heir to the heavily taxpayer subsidized fortune is ‘crankin.’

Channel 7 (WXYZ) – Ronald Illitch Arrested, snorts equivalent to Detroit property tax revenues.

Folks have until Oct 30 to file as a write in for the Nov 4 election. Is Greg MacMaster going to play spoiler or could he pull it off? (above my pay grade)

Antrim County Republicans – MacMaster Considering Write-in Campaign for 37th State Senate – Gongwer News Service

Peters is being accused of hypocrisy for paying women less and being a part of the group that has jammed the Lilly Ledbetter nonsense down our throats. Forget about all that (seriously Terri, fergetaboudit) and concentrate on the workable populist nonsense.  Like the “right To Have Drinking Water!”

Washington Free Beacon – Peters Profits from Detroit Water

Rick Snyder .. well hell I am not even sure how to present this one.  Yeah, we get it, reach out to everyone (except the base)!  Good luck with that.

Allen B West – Jimmy Carter to Keynote Detroit Muslim Convention (with Rick and friends)

 

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Labor Freedom Rally September 1 2014

JOIN US FOR A LABOR FREEDOM RALLY & FREE CONCERT!

Blaskapelle, a 47 piece band from Gimmengen, Germany will be in concert

4:00 PM September 1, 2014
American Legion
4819 Mary Sue St., Clarkston, Mi 46819

On beautiful Lake Oakland

The concert is free.Come early for the beach, horseshoe pits, ball fields and great outdoor fun. Limited pavilion seating. Please Bring chairs

Blaskapelle has a youth band and an adult band that is known for its concerts at the Jagermeister festivals. The 30 piece youth orchestra will begin at 4:00 PM.

Food and refreshments will be available with dinner at 5:30. Beer and Brats and accompaniments or hamburger and trimming, etc. and Soda, $10. Hot dogs and soda, juice or milk for youth, $6.Family $25. Additional beverages and food ala carte; cash bar.

Register here, please!

The adult band will play about 6PM Labor Day September 1, 2014 until we will hear no more

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