Michigan Politics

Michigan Political considerations.

Government Incompetence, Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Harbor Beach Mayor fulfills legal requirements, tells public he’s a “nice guy” for doing so

by  •  • 6 Comments

Pious Harbor Beach Mayor Booms obeys Open Meeting Act and then tells the public how we should be thankful he's a nice guy for doing so.

Recently the Mayor of Harbor Beach told a member of the public during a public meeting:

When I allow people to speak during city council meetings, I do it because I’m a nice guy.

Harbor Beach Mayor Gary Booms

Harbor Beach Mayor Gary Booms

WRONG, Mr. Mayor don’t-know-the-law.  It’s a legal requirement.  In that spirit, I have decided to publish an email I recently sent “Gary” — so more light may be put upon his false self-virtue.  Below is that email:

Hi Gary,

I hope you don’t mind me calling you Gary. I don’t mind me calling you Gary, so we should be good.

I read a recent comment you made during a public meeting as Mayor.

One part of this caught my attention, aside from the fact you have no regards for an employee’s natural right to self-defense. It was:
Booms added, interrupting Armitage’s attempt at a question. “When I allow people to speak during city council meetings, I do it because I’m a nice guy.”
Let’s not make this about you and how nice and virtuous you are. Based on what I’ve read about your respect for Casey’s rights, I’ll go ahead and assume you’re not really that virtuous. Anyhow…
You don’t let people speak in public comment because you’re a nice guy. You let people speak because the Michigan Open Meetings Act requires that you let them speak.
(5) A person shall be permitted to address a meeting of a public body under rules established and recorded by the public body. The legislature or a house of the legislature may provide by rule that the right to address may be limited to prescribed times at hearings and committee meetings only.
A professional tip: if you’re going to extol your virtues, it shouldn’t be over something the law requires you to do. That just seems tacky and insults the intelligence of anyone who is informed.
Kindly,
Phillip Hofmeister
My hope is to reach nearly every voter in Harbor Beach, to let them know what a self-righteous and pompous guy their Mayor is.
You Betcha! (36)Nuh Uh.(4)

Conservative News, Democrats, Detroit, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Part Time Legislature, Pensions & Retirement Benefits, Republicans, Taxes

Financial State of Michigan – 2015

by  •  • 5 Comments

41st Place Among the States

tia-methodologyYou have probably read the Mackinac Center’s excellent works on Michigan’s government finances, much of which they release through Michigan Capitol Confidential. Top quality analyses, but parochial in the sense that they don’t place Michigan’s government finances in the context of the other American states. An Illinois 501(c)(3) organization, Institute for Truth in Accounting does, and has come up with a useful metric – taxpayer burden – by which you can rank Michigan financial status relative to the other states. No accounting degree necessary.

Suffice it to say, you will not be reading any of Truth in Accounting’s work in Michigan’s nitwit, cheerleading media.

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (11)Nuh Uh.(1)

Cronyism, Democrats, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans, Taxes

Trump’s Taxes

by  •  • 7 Comments

Why No Criticism of GM, Chrysler, and the UAW? They Got a Much Sweeter Tax Loss Deal from the Democrats.

nyt-logoA Saturday story in the New York Times alleges that Republican Presidential nominee Donald J. Trump may have avoided paying income taxes for 18 years due to a $ 915 million net operating loss declared on his 1995 federal tax return.  A net operating loss is a form of tax loss carry forward which can be used by a taxpayer to offset future (and sometimes past) income taxes due the federal government.  The authors claim that someone anonymously mailed them pages from Trump’s 1995 return.  A felony violation of federal law which the New York Times only participates in when its enemies are the victims.  Given recent history, it is far more likely that some snake in Obama’s IRS mailed the pages to the New York Times.  One more reason to impeach IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.

None of this is news.  Trump admitted to the size of his 1990’s loss in his book Art of the Comeback.  More interestingly, he explains how the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA 1986) crushed the real estate market in New York and created his massive loss.  Note that he mistakenly attributes his predicament to TEFRA, a 1982 act which also caused him some problems, but it was actually TRA 1986 which he is referring to.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Family Leadership Summit in AmesTax loss carry forwards date back to at least 1954 in the U.S. tax code. The logic behind them is simple: if the government benefits from an entity’s income, it should share that same entity’s misfortune when it runs losses. Both moral and ethical, two concepts not usually associated with the U.S. tax code. The salacious case being made against Trump has no merit, except as propaganda. Remember, Trump had to lose $ 915 million on long term assets to get the tax loss carry forward.  More importantly, Trump’s massive loss was created by a sea change in the rules of the game dictated by the same federal government.

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (13)Nuh Uh.(0)

Humor in Michigan, Michigan Politics

Cowboys and Carpetbaggers

by  •  • 9 Comments

Sometimes one and the same?

We know the guy doesn’t live up here.  That’s the easy part.

The drooling fool forgot to review the video below the fold.  If he had, he might have seen ol Festus ridin up there on the bonanza.

A snot nosed kid with no substantive accomplishments in his life except to be married to the biggest fundraiser for Barack Obama.  And he wants to represent a district that he has only visited three or four times in his life; two of which were to run against the ‘hillbilly’ locals.

No seriously.. a ‘snot nosed kid.’

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (7)Nuh Uh.(0)

Michigan, Michigan Politics

Trump Flash Mob locations – Updated

by  •  • 15 Comments

trump-mobSign Rally Flash Mob for TRUMP

Tuesday Aug 30th 4:00-5:30

Muskegon County: Harvey and Sternberg

Livingston County: Grand River and Orndorf, Brighton, Meijers

Macomb County:
1. 12 Mile Road and Van Dyke
2. 23 Mile and Gratiot. Meijers
3. 9 and Jefferson. Park grass lot SW corner.

Saginaw County: Trump Hdqtrs, across from Firestone on Bay Rd, next to Woodcraft store

Baraga County in the UP: M38 and M41

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (2)Nuh Uh.(1)

Conservative News, Elections, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Presidential Debate Crawl – Update.

by  •  • 0 Comments

So, I just wanted to take a few moments to do a quick down and dirty update for everyone on how tonight’s Presidential Debate Crawl put on by the Michigan Conservative Coalition, went in Novi.

I’m going to toss in a few additional notes on some things that I’ve observed as well as a few more upcoming events.

2016-trump-pub-crawl-novi-september-photo-002

Yep, this MUST be the place.

{More details below the fold}

READ MORE ►

You Betcha! (5)Nuh Uh.(1)

Conservative News, Elections, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Okay, time for some fun for a change.

by  •  • 0 Comments

My apologies for not having this up sooner, but this message originally got flagged and sent to another folder.

If anyone is in the Novi Area next Monday Night (September 26th), the Michigan Conservative Coalition will be holding a Presidential Debate Crawl @ the Emagine Theater where everyone can watch Trump beat the tar out of HRC (figuratively speaking, of course).

Doors open at 6:00pm at the Buffalo Wild Wings across the street.

At 9:00pm everyone is invited to head over the Emagine Theater and watch the debate in a larger than life venue.

Afterwards, everyone is invited to the Ihop for coffee & munchies.

All in all, it sounds like a fun event to meet and interact with fellow Conservatives from across Michigan.

presidental-debate-crawl-flyer

You Betcha! (6)Nuh Uh.(0)

Michigan, Michigan Politics

$257K Per Legislator

by  •  • 2 Comments

With all the box seats are sold out, Michigan taxpayers are all in the peanut gallery.

Money Transfer ImageFor each of the 148 State Senators, and State Representatives in Michigan, lobbyists spend about a quarter Million bucks each year.

According to Craig Mauger at the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, this year they are on track to keep it going.

Over the first seven months of 2016, January through July, lobbyists reported $21.7 million in spending, according to disclosures filed with the state at the end of August. That total, $21.7 million, is the most spent on lobbying over the first seven months of a year in Michigan’s history.

Its all innocent ..of course.

But please remember, your guy is in Lansing, and is outnumbered by trained agenda wielding operatives by a factor of 20 to 1.

Not only is there more money trying to influence Michigan’s elected officials, there are more lobbyists as well. There were 2,998 lobbyists and lobbyist agents registered in Michigan in 2015, up from the previous record of 2,959 in 2012.

And that means “20 to 1” is just the average.

But rest assured, all that money is only spent on positive outcomes, AM I RIGHT?

 

You Betcha! (4)Nuh Uh.(0)

Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Mecosta County Austin Blair Day Dinner

by  •  • 1 Comment

2016austinblairflyerMilwaukee Sheriff David Clarke will be Keynoting the Mecosta County Austin Blair Day Dinner.

Hosted by the Mecosta County Republican Party, the common sense constitutional sheriff will speak to dinner guests September 29, 2016 at the Holiday Inn in Big Rapids. Reservations and more information here.

6:30PM  Dinner (Doors open 6:00PM)
VIP Reception (100 club) 5:30PM
Holiday Inn
1005 Perry Avenue
Big rapids, MI 49307

You Betcha! (2)Nuh Uh.(0)