Rent Seeking

Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

Bankrupt – The Movie

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Detroit.

Cronyism, corruption, bailouts, favored status, confiscation through eminent domain, picking winners and losers.  Sound familiar?

This documentary premiered yesterday in Washington DC, and offers some historic perspective to the decline of Detroit.

Perhaps even, an explanation (a warning) of what is to come next, as long as we allow our governments to engage in corporatism; a way in which our taxpayers dollars are funneled into the pockets of special interests  and how corruption has abused Detroit, providing little benefit to those paying the bills. At one point Thomas LaDuke makes a great point about not questioning “people’s heart or motives,” but his frustration of how city residents don’t actually see how the city has been run.

Enjoy

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Cronyism, Rent Seeking

A Nation Of Takers – Divertere?

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The worst part of Rick Snyder’s MASSIVE expansion of the MEDC, and the plans in the works for the rewarding of Michigan business to resettle in Detroit, is that the money comes from elsewhere.

Central planning under ANY pretty name is STILL central planning.

 

This video by AEI is entertaining, and the messaging is spot on.  Any 8 year old could understand, but will our legislators?

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Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

A Couple Of Things

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Watch this first (H/T to CS)

Then consider that aside from Snyder’s inaccurate representation of Dow family history, it wasn’t a government program that brought the best and the brightest from other countries to the United States, and to Michigan in particular.  It was that immigrants could be left alone for the most part to ply a trade, offer a unique service or product, and be free to compete in open markets.

By skewing the field in some way to aid immigrants coming to Michigan, or to pay off ANY interest to settle here, the governor fails to acknowledge he must first steal from existing taxpayers who are made of immigrants and natives alike.  He takes from some, to favor others in a bizarre preference game.

One that needs to stop.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

Unconstitutionality Of Energy Mandates

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Conveniently, the bigger power concerns in the state capitulated to ridiculous 10% energy mandates during the Granholm administration.

In 2012, an even MORE ridiculous 25×25 requirement was promoted (and failed) as a constitutional amendment, in a state which has a monstrous electricity appetite as a leader in manufacturing.  Now as the legislature approaches the crossroads of [Oh gosh we can’t meet the 10%!] and [What the hell happened to electricity prices?] in Michigan, another 35% ‘mandate’ pusher shows up with a ‘conservative’ emphasis and the useful idiots who have already signed on.

As soon as Michigan State Representative Mike Shirkey announced a solid-as-steel return to electricity competition in our state, the rust of cronyism began eating away at the plan. Snyder stepped up the call for increased renewable energy in the midst of the current mandate meltdown, and a new shadow group was formed with friendly ‘conservative’ faces to front it. (see useful idiot mention above)

Sometimes however, its worth looking to other experts who have a different take on such things.

Are the mandates even legal?

Thanks to the TB912, and Dining Room productions for another useful and informative video.

And On a related note: Cap Con today, has another take on this.

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Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Hellooooo, John Rakolta

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“You’ve heard of the bridge to nowhere?  Welcome to the jail for no one.”

Told ya.  You’re getting warmer, Ross.  However, that jail for no one will be gobbled up by Dan Gilbert for pennies on the dollar.

And, you’ve got a whole gaggle of MI-GOP bootlickers who watched Rakolta line his pockets, main one being, the State AG.  Next question would reasonably be, what did the wife of former State AG (Commissioner Laura Cox) know, and when did she know it?

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Rent Seeking

Eggs At 75 Yards

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Have conservatives and conservative Republicans ever felt that no matter how correct we are, the wind is always in our faces?

No Surprise.

Jack Hoogendyk has an interesting look at something that shows those of us on the conservative side of the fence face opposition from even those who are presumably our friends.  An analysis of contributions apparently reveals we (or at least “Republicans’) face roughly complete financial opposition from union interests, and a fence sitting 50% from business interests.

“I did a little research using OpenSecrets.org, the web site that tracks campaign contributions. Here is what I found. No matter how far down the list you look, union PAC’s all give donations to Democrats at about a 24 to 1 rate. 96% of all union PAC dollars go to the Democrats. But what about “business” PAC’s? This is where it gets interesting.

Of the top 8 business PAC’s, 52% of the dollars go to Republicans, 48% goes to Democrats. The union bosses are putting all their eggs in the Democrats’ basket. The business groups like to play both sides of the fence.“

So did Humpty Dumpty.  We know how THAT ended.

At this point, best advice to business would be that its time to pick a side, as chances of avoiding the crossfire are less with that fence between you and the enemy.

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