Michigan Politics

Michigan Political considerations.

Conservative News, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Flint Water Fiasco, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Part Time Legislature, Republicans

21st Century Education Commission

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This Summer's Dog and Pony Shows Commence With A Brazen Common Core Promotion

Dog and Poney Show Image 4Governor Snyder announced his 21st Century Education Commission in Executive Order 2016-6 last week. According to his press release:

“The commission will be responsible for analyzing top performing education systems in the nation, identifying issues impacting Michigan’s academic success, and recommending changes to restructure Michigan’s education system.”

You will be forgiven for harboring suspicions that this is another vehicle to promote Common Core. It is. Same type of political сове́т that did such a fine job promoting Proposal 2015-01.  Remember TAMC?  This playbook is getting old.

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Elections, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics

A Challenge

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An email I received recently mentioned the writer’s inability to reach our current representative.

The fact he would get no response, never heard anything that the incumbent of the 104th was doing, and didn’t know what that incumbent was doing was troubling.  “He just disappeared” was the statement and theme.

And absence from representation is spot on correct.

During a kick off last Tuesday I recorded some video that I will torture the regular readers of this blog with over time.   But I also had some good spots; One in particular in which I issued a challenge that might be useful to any district’s voters.

Posted on Facebook, the challenge was posted with this:

“Everyone reading this has the ability to find that legislation sponsored by our current incumbent, which enhances our liberty, creates new efficiency in government, or fixes our infrastructure. HB5152 is close, but even having 14 co-sponsors cannot make it out of committee. Anything else???

Challenge your legislators too perhaps?

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80th District Special Election (2015), Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Flint Water Fiasco, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Part Time Legislature, Proposal 15-1, Republicans, Taxes

RICO !!!

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It's Spring and Lawsuits Are Busting Out All Over

Blind Justice Image 3Just a few short weeks ago, it appeared that the Presidential race and State House elections would dominate political news in Michigan for the rest of the year. Now it appears that courtrooms in Detroit and Lansing will provide compelling political drama as well. Drama which is going to cost Michigan taxpayers a bunch of money.

There have been a number of lawsuits filed over the Flint water fiasco (over 71!), but yesterday a consortium of law firms filed a Federal class action lawsuit on behalf of Flint residents using the 1970 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. This represents a whole new level of legal pain. Civil RICO provides for treble damages when a pattern of racketeering is proven to have occurred over time. It also guarantees the plaintiffs’ lawyers fees, a small fact which assures that civil RICO lawsuits will be pursued with enthusiasm to the bitter end. Conviction applies the stigma of typical previous RICO defendants, such as mobsters and drug kingpins, to a losing defendant. Michigan, at large, is a defendant in this suit. Capisce?

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Theresa Antoinette Proclaims “Let Oakland County GOP Delegates Eat Cake!”

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There is much to be excited about in today’s Republican Party. Enthusiasm is at a fever pitch. There is an influx of new supporters into the movement. Records were shattered for participation during the March primary election, with the majority of the new people coming into the Republican fold. It’s truly miraculous how many new people are active and interested in the cause!

At this point, common sense would seem to indicate that we should build the delegate base, and create a stronger, more invigorated Republican Party that is built for victory to take the country back in November. It is time to strike while the iron is hot, and make the most of the momentum building in our favor. That is how we can take full advantage of this enthusiasm to secure victory when it counts. That is exactly what the Michigan Conservative Coalition called for back in February, and for good reason.

However, Oakland County GOP Dictatress Theresa Mungioli has other plans for her little fiefdom.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature

The Pig You Are Stuck With

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Good luck on getting rid of THAT one.

1444000527v0f4pSome people think that a recall is the wrong way to remove bad actors from our elected positions.

So much so, that the Michigan legislature fundamentally changed the recall process from a difficult process into a bad running gag. The rules change to the recall process enacted in 2012 Became a more limited operation with shorter windows, an unconstitutional ‘factual’ requirement, and then an automatic insertion of the candidate back on the ballot as the default party candidate.

IMHO, those who voted for the recall provision changes are political reprobates.  The changes made the extremely difficult into the insurmountable, removing a tool in the tool box of the electorate. (Just the way non responsive big government types want)

Example?  Current efforts in Michigan to recall Rick Snyder now a total of four signature gathering operations, and other recall efforts (state senators) total about six more. With the window of 60 days (it was 90) to collect 790,000 signatures for any one of the Snyder recall efforts, it is likely an impossible task.  Add to that number, about 20% (150,000 signatures) more as a buffer.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

DPS Down Payment A Major Mistake.

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What are these legislators thinking?

shackles copyOperation ‘Can Kick’ In Full Swing. (re-posted from jasongillman.com)

Its for the children, right? HB5296, a $48.7 Million bill to get DPS through the school year, met little resistance from our state legislature, with seven senate, and only four house members opposing the final package. How could anyone vote to essentially close the doors? Its a valid question, and the intent should be considered honorable. However, an honest assessment of the overall situation can only remind us that it is with the best intent that we fail our children once again.

If the vote to hand over the money eradicated all debt, and set the course for district solvency, it would be hard to argue against such logic. However, the greater debt and liability still exists, and the precedent is set for the remaining $700,000,000 bailout that is next to come for DPS. Even that number is of questionable sufficiency, and is likely to be higher. Even with a bailout of this magnitude, it would be foolish to think it would be the end of hands out from a district that has produced 25% graduation rates, all the while receiving the highest per capita foundation payments.

And then there is the question of mismanagement being simply benign, or instead as a purposeful quest, evidenced by new indictments of a dozen prominent administrators within the district. Surely this is merely the tip of the iceberg.

Let us not forget also, that Detroit Schools represent only a part of the state’s public education apparatus. To be sure, it is not the only school district in Michigan that is facing obligations that seem insurmountable. What are we to do next when Grand Rapids Schools, Lansing, or even Traverse City Area Public Schools cry “No Mas!” throwing up their hands in futility?

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

Gross Incompetence or Corrupt Lawman?

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While Gov. Rick Snyder’s Relentless Poisonous Actions are discovered to be increasingly insidious, he’s not the only political cockroach running for cover when the disinfecting light of day occasionally penetrates the dark, dank recesses of the Lansing oligarchy.

The Michigan Attorney General’s duties are clearly mandated, and he is REQUIRED to represent the best interests of the citizens of Michigan, and to uphold the State and US Constitutions- not the Governor or his wants and needs.

Sadly, five years worth of opportunities to choose right over wrong has shown us a disturbing pattern of bad choices made by Michigan Atty General Bill Schuette.

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Firearms, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Michigan’s 1st Incarcerated State Senator?

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So much for the plea?

Gosh.

Senator Virgil Smith is headed to the hokey pokey.  Not removed PRIOR to being criminally charged, Smith is now heading to jail with full pay and bennies?

And he actually endangered people.

Smith was allowed to plead guilty to malicious destruction of property greater than $20,000 for allegedly firing shots at his ex-wife’s Mercedes Benz in May 2015. The charge, a felony, carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Guess he never threatened THESE GUYS, right?

Whatever.

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