Opinion

Ghosts Of Speakers Past

Former speaker comments from the political graveyard of deleted PR Pieces.

Yeah, the interwebs are forever.

Then Speaker Jase Bolger had something to say about fixing the roads.  Going to the taxpayers to fund or cover for the malfeasance of our MDOT and legislative road committees was not the top priority of the sometime Snyder enabler Jase Bolger, right?

Given the lame duck performance resulted in nothing positive for Michigan’s burdened taxpayers, it’s not surprising that their ONE opportunity to solve a real problem was passed along for the taxpayer to share in the blame.  A bad package with the promise of pain for the (even with the renewed EITC) poor, and particularly the middle class once again. (Yes, shameless populism – sue me)

Indeed, this is one of the few times we had no disagreement with the speaker.

He was on the mark.

 

You Betcha! (17)Nuh Uh.(1)

A Letter To Amazon

An open letter to Amazon.com Owner Jeff Bezos on the Main Street Tyranny tax.

Regulars have seen the attempts here to correct the misinformation about the main street fairness act.

Michigan lawmakers were snookered by Kowall and Verheulen into passing their tyranny in the lame duck; a time when there would seem to be no voter backlash.  We call that cowardice, and reprehensible.   This morning I penned (typed) a letter to Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon.com:

Jeff,

I am an online retailer.  I have been fighting the mainstreet fairness taxes for several years now.  Recently, Michigan legislators in a lame-duck session voted to address nexus issues in the state in an attempt to collect use taxes from out of state vendors such as Amazon and other drop shippers.

Clearly you have been arguing that the commerce clause is the remedy to what the states are trying, and frankly you are right.  Quill v North Dakota settled the matter, and if there was EVER a reason for Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3, this is it.  The states cannot use tariffs or taxes to discourage (or encourage) trade with other states.  It is one of the enumerated powers of the congress, and the states have little business attempting to work around it.

You Betcha! (22)Nuh Uh.(4)

In His Own Words

Dave Agema gives an explanation of the recent attacks.

Dave-bannerReceived this last night.

Given the snowball of uninformed public opinion driven by an active ‘smear Dave’ campaign, its only reasonable that he have at least ONE public outlet beside his own in which to defend his honor and integrity. Unfortunately, Jonathan Gruber is more right than he knew; There are some folks willing to believe anything in print, especially if it has the ability to destroy good things or people.  Dave Writes:

Dear Jason,

The truth is held from you. I felt compelled to deliver the truth behind the uproar.

Dave Agema RNC Committeeman
The Truth Is Not Told Once Again

Once again I find the same people making false statements concerning a repost of an article I got from Col West’s ( former congressman) news letter as my words and opinion. I make no accusation that I agree with the statements supporting the author he posted. I do support Col West’s commentary concerning the authors article and not the content of the article itself. I respect the former congressman and fellow military officer highly and regard his opinions since he grew up in the inner city as a black man who has personal experience. I think his observations are noteworthy and he is certainly not a racist nor am I for reposting his opinions.

You Betcha! (21)Nuh Uh.(4)

I think that it is time to begin filling out a scorecard before May 5th.

Otherwise known as “What's good for thee, but not for me (con’t).

Breaking from the republican kakistocracy’s latest rope-a-dope on the Grassroots (aka Dave Agema’s “controversial comments” brouhaha), it is important to note that Governor’s Snyder’s plot to raise the Michigan Sales Tax 16.7% is beginning to pick up a few supporters.

On the plus side; So is the opposition.

And what interesting bedfellows are beginning to appear.

{Continued below}

You Betcha! (20)Nuh Uh.(2)

Yo, Mrs. Kirk?

Um, your endorsement, ma’am… well, I just threw-up a little in my mouth here.

Do they make their decisions based on sound conservative thought, or do they make their decisions based on short-term political pressures and opportunism?

As I see the score to, Mrs. Kirk’s question… sound Conservatism: 0 – Expediency: 1, and Opportunism: 1 because .. reasons.
WILLARD
NOTE: One half of the 2012 ticket, which neither carried their *home state*, has had an epiphany.

You Betcha! (32)Nuh Uh.(3)

Puppy Training

Why the Mackinac Center decided to weigh in this way is somewhat of a mystery, but we learned from them ...

Mr Lehman, (with whom I have had little argument in the past) premises a decision made to be based on politics, though policy is really their game.

Gratuitous picture of Dave Agema to 'prove' he is not an insensitive Racist

Gratuitous picture of Dave Agema with ‘black’ tea folk

He makes a brief statement, which essentially claims that fact, and then implies clearly that (We cancelled our sponsorship of the Pow wow because we don’t like Dave Agema) The reason the Mackinac Center withdrew from the event was Mr. Agema’s prominent role there” And stopping there. Fair enough.  Its not my money, resources, or political ties to the Snyder administration that is going to stop them.

OK, taking a page from the book of Mackinac, I figured it would be appropriate to deal with disagreements in policy or politics in the way they have previously suggested.  For this exercise, I have located two articles from the Mackinac Center.

The first article was written by a guy who once worked for MCPP, and now spends his time stalking a particular retired Air Force Captain hoping to find SOMETHING that can be used to further defame the many time honored veteran.   Ken Braun during his time at the Mackinac Center wrote:  (I have made critical edits to update)

You Betcha! (45)Nuh Uh.(4)