Republicans

All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Democrats, Flint Water Fiasco, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Philosophy, Republicans

Who’s Missing?

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Governor Snyder's New Pipeline Safety Advisory Board: Long on Bureaucrats & Special Interests, Short on Technical Talent

Ruptured Section of Enbridge Pipeline 6B Recovered from Calhoun County, MI. NTSB Image

Ruptured Section of Enbridge Pipeline 6B Recovered from Calhoun County, MI. NTSB Image

Governor Snyder filed Executive Order 2015-12 with the Secretary of State yesterday to create a Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board under the aegis of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. A response to the disastrous 2010 Enbridge Pipeline 6B rupture in Calhoun County and the agitation against Enbridge Pipeline 5, which transects the Straits of Mackinac.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Schuette completed a binding legal agreement with Enbridge to prevent Enbridge Pipeline 5 from being used to transport ‘heavy crude oil’ under the Straits of Mackinac. This agreement formally implements the first recommendation of the Michigan DEQ Petroleum Pipeline Task Force Report released in July to ban heavy crude oil in Line 5. Sounds good, but Enbridge Pipeline 5 does not now have the pumping horsepower for heavy crude transmission, and the weight of the crude has very little to do with pipeline integrity. Corrosive constituents in the crude, biofouling, and a host of other technical issues are far more important determinants of pipeline integrity. This agreement has great optics, but little consequence.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Republicans, Taxes

Happy Anniversary

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Today marks a whole year of additional expense levied on Michigan employers.

min-wageIts been a whole year since the new minimum wage law (crafted by ‘republicans’) required employers to ante up a little more.

Sept 1, 2014 was the demarcation point for the stepped increases signed into law by Rick Snyder that will eventually bring the minimum outlay for the entry level workforce up to $9.25 and hour.

The rates are as follows:

 Effective Date  Minimum
Hourly
Wage Rate		  Tipped Employee
Hourly Wage Rate		  85% of Minimum
Hourly Wage Rate
 Before September 1, 2014 $7.40 $2.65  $7.25*
September 1, 2014 $8.15  $3.10   $7.25*
 January 1, 2016 $8.50  $3.23  $7.25*
 January 1, 2017 $8.90  $3.38 $7.57
 January 1, 2018 $9.25  $3.52 $7.86

Nothing says conservative ‘Republican’ like statist moves forcing it’s small business to pay more than a person’s labor is worth.  Next stop is January 1, 2016. If they cannot raise taxes on you one way, they will do it in so many others.

Congratulations Michigan.

Pass the party favors.

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Benishek ‘Frankly’ Wasting Taxpayer Money ..As Usual

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Michigan congressman expects post office to travel through time for his constituents.

We all know they do it.

But it hardly makes it right.  ‘Franking’ has been used by sitting politicians to expressly ‘inform’ constituents, and cleverly advantage their public budget in electioneering efforts.  Incumbency has its privileges.  Congressman Dan Benishek, holding true to DC assimilation, doesn’t even hide the abuse in any meaningful way.

In a recent ‘Franking’ mailer, his announcement of an upcoming event celebration arrives far too late for those he supposedly wishes to inform.

A reader sends this in:

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

Perhaps Rubio

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IMG_20150820_181330Sometimes, as Republicans, we have to think a little outside the box when it comes to presidential candidates.

Right now, the story line is that the most conservative among us must support Ted Cruz, the moderates among us must support Jeb Bush,  and the angriest among us must cheer for the unelectable Donald Trump.

Last week, I stretched a bit and traveled downstate to Livonia and attended a rally for Marco Rublo. I came away convinced that if he becomes the face of the Republican Party we can beat even the developing Biden-Warren ticket (Sweet Joe and Redistributor-in-chief Rebecca), let alone the duplicitous duo of Hillary and Bill.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Fees, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Skewed priorities and reading between the lines.

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Don’t you know that “Take a vote, not a vacation” doesn’t apply to the man at the top?

“It’s essential that making Michigan’s infrastructure safer remains a top priority. While voters didn’t support this particular proposal, we know they want action taken to maintain and improve our roads and bridges. The ‘relentless’ part of relentless positive action means that we start anew to find a comprehensive, long-term solution to this problem.” – Gov. Rick Snyder after the crushing defeat of Proposal 1 on May 5, 2015

Unless of course, you are on yet another “vacation” to peddle blueberries to the Chi-Comms?

Or, maybe that’s what he wants everyone to believe.

{More below}

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Elections, Republicans

The Trump “mystique”…

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What's a RINO to do???...

The establishment Repubs are in a tizzy over what the attraction to Trump is by the American mainstream….Just proves how out of touch with reality they actually are…The ‘mystique’ surrounding “the Donald” is no secret to those of us who have been trying to convey the same message to people we can reach for at least a decade…He tells it like it actually is: America is in trouble, and Washington IS the problem….period…

Giving the GOP complete control of the US Congress has not helped the situation in the slightest…Campaign promises from the establishment are now falling on deaf ears…They are scrambling to ‘adjust’ their campaign rhetoric to mimic “the Donald”, acknowledging him whether they attribute the shift to him directly or not…They KNOW they are in trouble…

I just received a notice from the RNC that my membership has “now expired”, and would I PLEASE renew it immediately???!!!…Not a chance…Until the GOP acts like they have the principles described in the party platform, I will not send any of them one dime of my hard earned cash…They will only devise devious ways to steal it anyway…

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Michigan, Republicans

Gov. Rick Snyder leads fifth mission to China to promote business investment, tourism in Michigan

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And maybe check on a few of his investments?

Buick-ChinaC’mon, with China’s economy in a tail spin, what else might we expect?

From the office of state propaganda

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder will lead an eight-day investment mission to China, focusing on promoting continued job-creating business growth and investment for Michigan, and the state as a tourism destination.

Snyder is meeting with government officials, industry executives and key media in in China, departing Michigan on Friday, Aug. 21, and returning Saturday, Aug. 29.

“We have built strong relationships in China since our first mission in 2011 and we will continue to make the case that there is no better place in North America for Chinese companies to expand than in Michigan,” Snyder said. “Chinese travelers are now going all over the world and the United States, and this is a great opportunity to tell people about Pure Michigan tourism. We will also be working to open more doors to new markets in China for businesses from across our state.” 

Snyder will visit Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Shanghai, where he will promote Michigan business opportunities, make a series of company visits and connect with senior government leaders. As part of the trip, he will also meet with several automotive organizations including Chinese Association of Automotive Manufacturers (CAAM) and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Auto Committee (CCPIT-Auto).

….

Company visits. Check.

Nothing says tourism promotion like checking out the local manufacturing facilities.

Who knows, maybe he’ll pick up a Buick while he’s there?

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80th District Special Election (2015), Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans, Taxes

Michigan House Leadership Off-The-Rail Witch Hunt

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Speaker Kevin Cotter's antics in Lansing may reveal an underhanded effort to raise taxes.

kevin-cotterMichigan House speaker Kevin Cotter is turning out to be a real turd in the punch bowl.

Personal ‘Impropriety,’ and the lack of ‘qualifications’ are two very different things. Of course the State Constitution allows each house to determine the qualifications to occupy a seat as a representative.  It ALSO allows the house under certain circumstances to (remove) “expel” sitting representatives with a two thirds majority vote.

§ 16 Legislature; officers, rules of procedure, expulsion of members.

Sec. 16.

Each house, except as otherwise provided in this constitution, shall choose its own officers and determine the rules of its proceedings, but shall not adopt any rule that will prevent a majority of the members elected thereto and serving therein from discharging a committee from the further consideration of any measure. Each house shall be the sole judge of the qualifications, elections and returns of its members, and may, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members elected thereto and serving therein, expel a member. The reasons for such expulsion shall be entered in the journal, with the votes and names of the members voting upon the question. No member shall be expelled a second time for the same cause.

Qualifications, elections, returns, are all specific to the elections, and the follow up is the expulsion clause.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

Guam Tips Over

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Irritating GOP 'operative' lands on the wrong side of the island.

ReaganPlaybookLennoxTeam Cruz has an issue with its vetting of campaign tools.

At least as far as the former GOP chair of Benzie County is concerned.  Adrian Poulisse, a Cruz supporter and local chair has written a memo of concern to Cruz headquarters, and cc’d to  Wendy Day (State Cruz chair) Pat Colbeck and Saul Anuzis, titled: “Dennis Lennox is no good for the Cruz Campaign” The memo starts with

“Dennis Lennox has been a divisive figure in Michigan Politics over the last half dozen years. He has been controversial since his time in college. He has manipulated his resume and has a history of malfeasance while serving as an elected official.”

And then points out a number of references to Lennox’s political activities.

Lennox has recently been given the job as a consultant to try to get the 9 delegates of Guam on-board the Cruz team.  The weight of this, even  on such a small island must certainly have its effect. Sometimes stupid decisions like stupid people, are a fact of life.

Poulisse made clear in the memo that it will serve as his letter of resignation if Lennox is considered “a must for the Ted Cruz team,” pointing out the likely resignation of others in the organization.

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80th District Special Election (2015), Michigan, Part Time Legislature, Republicans

Remember This When Party Jagoffs Call for “Unity”

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I’m starting to develop a real disdain for this smarmy, slimy, term limited p****.

full-retard

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