Michigan

Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking

Octogenarian who Aimed the IRS at Conservatives now Advises Businesses on Government Investigations

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I guess the old saw holds true… it takes a crook.

Retired [Chose not to seek re-election] Michigan Sen. Carl Levin said Monday he is joining a Detroit law firm as senior counsel and will advise businesses on government investigations.

SudsBamaLevin, 80, who was the longest [self]-serving senator in Michigan history after serving [occupying] six terms, will join Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP in April as senior counsel, the law firm said.

The focus of Levin’s practice at Honigman will “include aiding corporations with internal investigations and crisis management; assisting corporations with social responsibility and compliance issues; and facilitating alternative dispute resolutions and mediations.” Levin will also serve as an advisor to the firm’s Government Relations and Regulatory Practice Group.

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As an asides, here is a fun piece of some Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn handiwork.

Yep. The old fart younger brother of Sander (where does Sandy live?) will be right at home in that cesspool of shysters.

H/t ‘featured image’ source here

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Michigan Roads – How Bad?

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paser-1You are about to be buried in pseudostatistics and factoids purporting to demonstrate just how bad Michigan roads are. We have already demonstrated that the TRIP vehicle maintenance factoids fabricated by a devious road contractors’ business league are a complete fraud.

Now State of Michigan government entities are unleashing a wave of propaganda intended to drive your vote on Proposal 2015-01. Two State of Michigan government entities have prepared campaign flyers on behalf of Proposal 15-1 using Michigander’s tax dollars: MDoT and the Transportation Asset Research Council (TAMC).

Both MDoT and TAMC have spent years preparing slick pamphlets decrying the sad condition of Michigan’s roads, citing PAvement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) data collected by TAMC with MDoT and local road agency help. These pamphlets claim that 30 – 40 % of Michigan roads are in poor condition. But are they really?

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans, Taxes

Boy, are these people stupid!

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Chumps!

Morons!

Idiots!

Dupes!

Simpletons!

Fools!

Betcha think these comments regarding Michigan Taxpayers was “secretly” overheard coming from the confab between Gov. Snyder, Ex-Speaker Bolder, Ex-Sen. Richardville, Rep. Greimel & Ex-Sen Whitmer last December just before they announced placing Prop 15-1 before Michigan Voters?

Close, but not quite.

{Tantalizing details after the fold}

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

Sunday Reader

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Highlights from Blogging From Around Michigan.

logo-sphereThe pickings may seem to be slim these days.

However, If you know of an active Michigan blog that it NOT included in our link list on the side, be sure to let us know.  In the meantime we have managed to find some folks from around the state who are worthy of some readership. Enjoy.

Jen Kuznicki – Republicans That are Unfit for Office in the House of Representatives There.  That was easy enough.

MTTM – Looking For The Real Fraud? The attorney general has made his top ten list.  MTTM updated it.

The Detroit Constitutionalist – Victories and Losses at the February 2015 MIGOP State Convention Another perspective on the MiGOP convention

The Other Club – Corporate Whore in Chief Read his other stuff too.

The Shekel – Why Gun Control Won’t Work – A Continuing Series Yep.

The Voice OF One Crying Out In Suburbia – The Donald Trump Model Of Church  Not something we might normally think about.   Read the previous (Lead up) post as well.

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Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

To Collect for who They Serve….

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Thank to the folks over at MCC exposing this corruption.

Getting rather common, huh? Yep. It’s everywhere.

Once again, we well informed RightMi.com readers get to see the benefits of public sector unions, and there are many – for them. Why Hell, our LEO even game grant money as means to prop up their pension funds. Unfortunately, this is not a Democrat vs. Republican problem – it’s an American citizen problem. We are not of the privileged Elected Class who set the rules and bends them as they so choose (yes, LEO’s masters made that “irrelevant“).

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Ron Boji et al. Pocket $134,000,000 for Their “Better View”

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Our wayward Elected Class spending saga continues via WXYZ

This pay-to-play wasteful spending has got to stop. So does this crap.

“I don’t like to look backwards. I’m a guy who looks forward and solves problems,” Pscholka said.

Snyder_54B_ballonWhat a pompous, can-kicking schmuck, but, there it is as plain as day. Rick Snyder’s playbook line used to justify his actions as a big spending, everyone connected gets a kickback Republican. You folks tired of hearing it yet? Guess not. Methinks, there’s a growing consensus they all should just be thankful there is a disinterested, ill-informed, and apathetic electorate otherwise all the Oath sworn f****** would be hearing footsteps in their sleep.

In other words, this is the government that has been consented to by our vote. Pay up, suckers…

SB 509 and SB 1149.

Ps. thanks for the empty words, Colbeck you fraud.

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Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

It Would Be About Time

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moore-moneyTaxpayer provided incentives for one industry or another have always been morally wrong and with questionable results.

Maybe this time we can end ONE particular part of an ongoing ‘eating out of our substance’ for the purposes of one industry’s benefit.  HB4122 will do this, and we support its passage.  The Ivory Tower reports on the effort to push through this bill with some commentary on both sides of the debate.  Supporting removal of the subsidies is one former lawmaker:

“The film subsidies send much of the $50 million allocated to them, out of state — to Hollywood millionaires and billionaires,” said former state Rep. Tom McMillin, a leading opponent of the incentives. “A lot more jobs will be created by keeping that money in Michigan and employing Michigan workers to fix roads or keep the money in the pockets of business owners across the state, so they can hire more employees.”

Indeed, one of the missed points when giving taxpayer money away is what the benefit might have been if it had been left in the hands of those who produced it.

This is a start.  Rumors of a bill to end the MEDC have been floating around, and would be well received by overtaxed Michiganians, but so far no such effort from ANY lawmaker has borne any fruit.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Congratulations on the Reluctant Baby Steps

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Now that the Michigan Chamber of Commerce has bailed on Snyder and Calley two days ago, it becomes painfully obvious that somebody is sniffing at 2018 in the air.

Hinky_BillAttorney General Bill Schuette said Wednesday he opposes the Proposal 1 sales tax increase on the May 5 ballot, making him the latest Republican politician to buck Gov. Rick Snyder’s plan to raise $1.2 billion in new road funding.

Schuette told The Detroit News that the proposal’s $700 million in added taxes and spending on schools, municipalities and a tax break for low-income families are a bad policy prescription for fixing the state’s roads.

“On a policy basis, Prop 1 has a lot of potholes,” Schuette said in an interview. “There’s too much under the Christmas tree that goes beyond roads.”
….

Schuette would not say whether he would have supported a sales tax increase that dedicated new money only to roads and bridges.

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Cutesy catchphrase that impresses some staffers, which is all fine and dandy, however, when is AG Schuette going to start probing MDOT with the department he created? Pick a spot. Any spot.

Interesting too is how Ruth Johnson now keeps her yap shut about the registration fee hike and loss of deduction within Proposal 2015-1, huh?

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