Michigan Politics

Michigan Political considerations.

Michigan Politics

My Two Dads

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I have to face it, without my two dads I would be a very different man.

Most people who know me, understand that I shy away from that which is politically correct.

This Fathers Day, it seemed to be an excellent time to reinforce that understanding, and offer a view that may not be widely held. Try as I might, I can no longer disguise the fact that I have not one, but two fathers; each of whom are so incredibly important, that the loss of either one would leave me in a state of severe depression.fathersday

Both of my fathers have cared for me since I was young, somehow knowing what to provide for my brothers and I, and always making sure we had what was needed. Though they did not always provide the things that we wanted, there is no question we were never without the essentials, and those necessary things were given with unconditional love, and often a touch of sacrifice.

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Michigan Politics

Taxed Too Much Follow Up

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That big ol tax increase a hard sell in Lansing all of a sudden

Report from Joan Fabiano

Despite the best efforts, arm twisting, promises and amendment upon amendment) of Gov. Snyder, Senate majority leader Randy Richardville (term limited) and Speaker of the House Jase Bolger (term limited) to put lipstick on a pig the legislature could not  muster the votes Thursday for a big tax increase. The Senate has adjourned until July 16 returns August 13, but doesn’t resume the regular schedule until September 9.

In fact it was high drama under the Dome as Snyder, Richardville and Snyder huddled trying to find a way to “get er done” including keeping the Senators in session long into the night on Tuesday to wear them down however, time after time the big tax increase was rejected.

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Elections, Michigan Politics, Opinion

Why Is This Load So Heavy?

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Did Melanie Reinhold Foster ever encounter a housing or tuition increase she didn’t agree with?

Edward John Markey, the junior U. S. Senator from Massachusetts (since July 16th, 2013) has represented the Bay State in Congress since November 2nd, 1976. Adding in his time in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (starting January 3rd, 1973), he’s served a total of a little over 41-½ years in publicly-elected office. During this time, Markey has developed a reputation, supported by both his voting record and his own live-mic admission, of having never once seen a tax increase that he didn’t support. (The long-running backroom joke is that the surefire way to get Markey’s support on a bill that he’d otherwise oppose is to slip a tax increase into the final version of the bill.)

Similarly, a certain candidate for this summer’s convention nomination to a certain university governing board already has an 18-year history on the governing boards of Michigan’s Division I universities. Reviewing her history during that time, I have found no evidence whatsoever of a tuition or housing increase that she wouldn’t support. If she gets back on one of those boards this fall, then that particular habit is going to be a problem.

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Michigan Politics

Giant Killers

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"Biblical" might be the word applied to recent political electoral happenings

goliath1The defeat of US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor yesterday has revived the hopes of tea folk across the country, and has set a different tone for the 2014 election season.

While it is only ONE race, it is a whopper; the coattails of which might have real consequence in current GOP contests. One of those is the Dan Benishek (CD-1) incumbency being challenged by business owner, veteran, and political newcomer Alan Arcand.

Arcand, who has been highly visible in Northern lower Michigan, will likely see a boost from the news of Cantor’s defeat; primarily because it drives home the reality that a successful challenge CAN be made if the incumbent is seen as giving in to the other side.  It is not all automatic for the good Dr., who rode in to a win on the tea party train of 2010.

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Michigan Politics

Small Victories

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Cantor succumbs to conservatives

 

Small Victories

I keep telling the conservative activists I work with each campaign cycle that they need to look for the ‘small victories’ achieved in any election, rather than dwell on any defeat. The defeats far outnumber the victories. The letdown is tremendous, not only is the air let out of your balloon, but a huge rock is placed on top of it. At my age, and with my political objectives set from local races to national ones, reinflating that balloon requires some major time and effort. The time is spent ‘under the rock’ just wondering what one individual can accomplish against a political system so corrupt and weighted against any ‘outsider’ that victory appears impossible. That is when I think of my grandkids. That is when I think of ‘my’ America compared to what theirs will be, and I remove the ‘rock’. The ‘small victories’ reinflate my balloon. The Scott Brown victory to gain the “Kennedy Seat”; I joined the “Brown Brigade” to do what I could from my keyboard in Michigan, lining up phone bank volunteers from across the country to help him win. It inspired me to do more. Three election cycles, two local recall battles, and the defeat of a horrendous tax millage later; it is the small victories that keep me focused on the goal of restoring the greatest nation and society this planet has ever seen. Last night was a ’small victory’…HUGE in its effect on the rest of the 2014 elections, and ONE in particular…the Michigan 1st District primary.

I’ve had a feeling of a different version of ‘climate change’, this time, the political winds are changing. The campaign promises of Dan Benishek lie in broken pieces across four years of establishment party politics. The people he was elected to represent are tired of the same rhetoric and inaction; the complete lack of ‘spine’ , the ‘fluff’ PRs and ads. We want to hear the bald truth. We want commitment to conservative American principles and values. We want someone to stand for those as our representative in Washington. This isn’t a political party thing, it’s an AMERICAN thing. We want our country back. Virginia said it in spades yesterday, the ‘establishment’ was kicked in the teeth. Eric Cantor was found guilty of representing himself and the bug government he was part and parcel of by the voters of VA-07. The only work he was busy doing in that district was apparently a substantial effort to purge the Republican local parties of conservatives. Evidently, that backfired. There is a message in that somewhere for the rest of the nation’s establishment Repubicans…”Use us, or lose us.”…Cantor lost us.

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan Politics

Cantor’s Defeat Proves “The Conservative Tea Party” Voice Means Business

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This should show the establishment MIGOP that when they attack the Grassroots, Conservatives, Libertarians and Tea Party faithful and their voices are ignored you will pay a price at the voting booth! A Tea Party

For Michigan’s Republican voters can you say the “dele-gate” fiasco with the Romney supporters or how about that fiasco at the Tampa Convention?

But it just doesn’t end with those two examples either. How about all the state party rule changes brought down by the power brokers of the MIGOP as to stifle the Grassroots Conservative Tea Party voices here in Michigan?

The party establishment will go to any and all lengths as to protect their perceived power and control along with their spots at the public “feeding trough” over its shrinking membership. 

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Shades Of Bob Bennett

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Could the unexpected defeat of Eric Cantor foretell another conservative wave like the Bob Bennett race did in 2010?

gadsden-flagMichigan’s capitulating Republicans should take note.

In 2010 Bob Bennett was the first contemporary shot fired across the bow of ‘establishment’ Republicans.  His denial in the 2010 selection process served as a warning to those who capitulate a little too well with THE OTHER SIDE.  He was removed and replaced with a rock solid Mike Lee.

Since that that year’s drubbing of liberals, the importance of the tea folk has been ignored or belittled, as the GOP old guard attempted to take back the power they had only ‘loaned’ to the Gadsden waving conservatives.

One of the issues that is a hot button issue amongst the constitutional crowd is immigration reform.  Its not a problem that we have immigrants, but one of loading the system and the federal government not doing their job.  House majority leader Eric Cantor has taken a position favorable to immigration reform and amnesty.  It was likely the reason he fell.

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Michigan Politics

Michigan Right to Life Endorsements

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Michigan Right to Life has just issued its endorsements for the 2014 primary.  RTL swings a significant number of Michigan primary voters, so its endorsements will decide some races.

RTL will recommend all candidates if they are all pro-life, but if there is a serious non-pro-life candidate, they will pick one pro-life candidate to endorse.  Their noteworthy endorsements are listed below.

Congress:
3. RTL endorsed Brian Ellis over Justin Amash.  They did not endorse Amash in 2012.  They apparently are still ticked over Amash not voting to defund Planned Parenthood (he opposed targeting a specific organization).  This may complicate Amash’s reelection.
4. John Moolenaar.  Does this mean that self-funding businessman Paul Mitchell is not pro-life?  Tea partier Peter Konetchy is also running.
6. Fred Upton is again endorsed, despite his long pro-abortion record.
8. Both Mike Bishop and Tom McMillin
11. Kerry Bentivolio over Dave Trott

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan Politics, Opinion

Will the real Rick Snyder, please stand up?

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The governor’s spin people are certainly working overtime trying to pour industrial quantities of perfume on his latest pig (a.k.a. Detroit Bailout).

I’m not going to go (too much) into why this was a terrible package of bills. I’ve done that enough already.

No, today I’m going to go into why Gov. Snyder can’t just show just a tad of integrity, take a position on an issue and simply stick with it.

It really isn’t that difficult to do (unless of course your name is Rick Snyder).

{Continued after the fold}

 

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Cronyism, Michigan Politics, Opinion

For Thirty Pieces Of Silver

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When it comes to campaign finance, the tea party movement just doesn’t get it

“You can’t save the world if you can’t pay the rent.” – Morton Blackwell

It’s always an interesting academic exercise to attempt to calculate what Judas Iscariot’s 30 pieces of silver would have been worth in contemporary American currency. Depending upon whose calculations you use (and what assumptions they started with), estimates have varied from a few “benjamins” to a quarter-million “eisenhowers.” Almost all of the speculation, however, misses the point. And if you’re wondering how Judas’ epic infamy is connected to Mr. Blackwell’s wisdom, well, we’ll discuss that after the break.

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