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Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Eaton County Dems and LALWV in on giving the rusty hatchet to Tom Barrett?

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Update – 16 October 2014 @ 1042 Hours

I received a reply from Ms. Wilson.

We had no time to reschedule it, to notify people of its rescheduling, and to find the personnel to handle another date. We also weren’t entirely sure that Barrett would not show up for the full forum. I do regret that I didn’t have a chance to let Theresa Abed know the circumstances, but everything was speculative until the evening of the forum itself.

So yeah, Jacquelyn Tennis was barking up the wrong tree.

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

Candidate Rick Snyder (2010) vs. Gov. Rick Snyder (2012) On Guns

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Originally posted on MIOpenCarry.org (Reposted with permission)

According to OnTheIssues.org, in 2010 then gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder’s campaign website contained the following in regards to whether or not he would support the 2nd Amendment and the rights of gun owners:

“In one word: absolutely. I actually own three guns myself. I have a 12 gauge shotgun and two .22 rifles that I use for target shooting. I believe the 2nd amendment also protects the right of citizens to have a gun in their home to protect their family and property. I also support the rights of gun owners to responsibly carry their gun, as long as they have attained the legal permit. While I’m not an avid hunter, I support the industry and believe it plays an important role in our economy and quality of life. It also can have a valuable environmental conservation impact and I would work to streamline the processes so that hunters get better customer service from the state and local governments. We have a long tradition in our state of supporting gun rights and the hunting industry in Michigan and I would continue to support that tradition as Governor.”

Now there are two big problems with the highlighted portion. The first problem is that rights and permits are mutually exclusive. A right, by definition, is something that belongs fundamentally to everyone, as opposed to a permit which gives you the ability to do something you could otherwise do. The second problem is that when Gov. Snyder was given the opportunity to backup his words he folded.

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Conservative News, Democrats, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Limerick Laureate

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From the "no, seriously, we should really, really, really, consider a part-time legislature" files.

pscholkaWhy stop at creating a poet laureate position?

Such important matters to tend to in Lansing.  Would-be candidate for house leadership Al Psholka is the ONLY Republican to co-sponsor HB5853. From Capitol Confidential:

“Now there’s a concept worthy of a poem.

*The measure has 12 Democratic cosponsors and one Republican, Rep. Al Pscholka, who also is maneuvering to be the next Speaker of the House. The Democrats are Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Jon Switalski, Henry Yanez, Scott Dianda, Jeff Irwin, Tim Greimel, Tim Kelly, Marcia Hovey-Wright, Adam Zemke, Sam Singh, Andrew J. Kandrevas and David Rutledge.”

A poem?

Perhaps not.  Maybe instead, a limerick?

There once was a Rep name of Psholka
A champion of liberal Polka
“A Poet” He said,  “Would put me ahead”
For a leadership post, he’s a Joke-a

I want that appointment.

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Firearms, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

Rick Snyder on Gun Free Zones

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I wish it weren’t true, I really do, but here’s the thing: the reason we still have gun free zones in this State is Gov. Rick Snyder.

Let’s review the political landscape in Michigan.  Michigan’s legislature is divided into two chambers: A senate and a house.

The Michigan Senate is made up of 38 members (26 Republicans and 12 Democrats – As of this writing).  The Michigan Senate has had this composition since January 1, 2011 and this composition will remain in place until the end of December this year (2014).

The Michigan House is made up of 110 members (59 Republicans, 50 Democrats, and 1 “Independent” Democrat – as of this writing).  The Michigan House has had this composition since January 1, 2013 and this composition will remain in place until the end of December this year (2014).  Between January 1, 2011 and through December, 2012 the composition was 64 Republicans and 46 Democrats — 9 votes short of a supermajority (66%) of Republicans.  The latter amount represents the composition when SB 59 was passed in 2012.

Let’s talk about SB 59, as ultimately passed by the legislature.  SB 59 would have (in brief):

  1. Overhauled the process to get your CPL to make getting your CPL much simpler, with one person (your local Sheriff) being solely responsible for issuing your CPL or facing financial penalties in Court for denying you without a lawful reason (as specified in MCL 28.425b)
  2. Force the CPL Issuer to grant a person who completed a nominal amount of additional training an exemption to the Concealed Pistol Free Zones outlined in MCL 28.425o — nearly eliminating concealed pistol free zones in Michigan.
  3. Made it illegal to open carry a firearm in a location described in MCL 28.425o.

While the third point rightfully posed some controversy in Michigan’s second amendment community, especially open carriers, Michigan’s “Big 3” (Michigan Open Carry, Inc, Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners, Michigan Gun Owners) Firearm organizations voted (via their Board of Directors) to Support SB 59 as it ultimately passed and urged the Governor to sign it.

Ultimately, Gov. Rick Snyder decided to veto SB 59.  He didn’t veto it because he’s so pro-gun he opposed making it illegal to open carry in a 28.425o zone, no…not at all.  In fact, that language was added to the legislation at the Governor’s insistence.  Rather, the Governor opposed SB 59 because (according to his veto letter) he wanted to weaken preemption:

“While we must vigilantly protect the rights of law-abiding firearm owners, we also must ensure the right of designated public entities to exercise their best discretion in matters of safety and security,” he said. “These public venues need clear legal authority to ban firearms on their premises if they see fit to do so.“

So all those publicly owned pistol free zones described in MCL 28.425o?  Snyder wanted them to be able to ban guns, contrary to the State’s preemption law outlined in MCL 123.1102.  Senator Mike Green, lead sponsor of SB 59, refused to cave into this final demand of the Governor to weaken preemption, so the bill passed as it did and the rest is (as they say) history.

Senator Mike Green Later reintroduced SB 59 in the next (current) session as SB 213.  Sadly, SB 213 has gone nowhere because the Governor doesn’t want to address/eliminate Pistol Free Zones.  Since the Governor is a Republican (like a majority of the State House and Senate) the Republican majorities won’t take up the issue.  After all, many of the members do not want to further embarrass/alienate their parties Governor on the matter prior to an election.  Many of these members are counting on their Governor’s support during the election season (both the Primaries and the General Election) to help them get re-elected.  Fearing the Governor will withdraw his support from fellow Republican members who pass legislation supporting the elimination of 28..425o zones, the legislature has sat on SB 213.  Would this be the same if the Governor didn’t belong to the same party as a majority of the state legislature?

To answer that question, let’s look at history of previous legislature and Governor.  In 2006 the legislature passed Michigan’s version of “Stand your Ground”, the Self Defense Act of 2006.  Not wanting to alienate gun owners prior to the November election of 2006, Governor Granholm signed the law in July of 2006.

This political situation aside, it’s possible SB 59’s veto would have been overridden.  SB 59 passed on final passage with the following support, House: Yeas 68 Nays 41; Senate: Yeas 27 Nays 11.  In the Senate a 2/3’s majority to over-ride a veto is 26 votes.  In the House it is 74 votes.  In other words, the Senate had enough votes and the House would have only needed to flip 3 votes.  Of course, given fear of losing support of the Govenor, the legislature wouldn’t over-ride the Governor’s veto even if the votes were there.  This recently happened in Missouri where the Republican Legislature overrode the Democrat Governor’s veto on pro-gun legislation.

In fact, even the Liberal Huffington posts seem to suggest gun free zones are a bad idea.

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Conservative News, Democrats, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

CATO: Michigan Gets A “D”

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Rick Snyder's tax policies earned the state a 44 out of 100 score in CATO's recent 'Fiscal Policy Report Card'

The average score for Democrat Governors according to CATO’s recent fiscal report card is 46 of 100.

Rick Snyder Came in at 44.  Though RTW and the MBT repeal was applauded, the push for higher gas taxes and the bloated overall budget, as well as the long term cost of Medicaid expansion to taxpayers walloped his GPA.  Along with charts, comparisons, and analysis, Cato writes:

MICHIGAN Legislature: Republican
Rick Snyder, Republican Took office January 2011
Grade: D
Due to political correctness, the word 'dun**' is no longer allowed on head dressings.

Due to political correctness, the word ‘dun**’ is no longer allowed on head dressings.

After a successful business career, Governor Snyder came into office eager to help solve Michigan’s deep-seated economic problems. He has pursued many important reforms, such as spearheading the restructuring of Detroit’s finances and signing into law right-to-work legisla­tion. He repealed the damaging Michigan Business Tax and replaced it with a less harmful cor­porate income tax. In 2014 pushed through a phased-in elimination of property taxes on busi­ness equipment, which will help spur capital investment. The cut was approved by Michigan voters in August 2014.67

However, Snyder received a low grade on this year’s report card largely because he is support­ing a $1.2 billion-a-year fuel tax increase. That would be a huge hike, pushing up overall state tax revenues by nearly 5 percent.

He also scores fairly low on spending. The general fund budget increased 7.3 percent in 2013 and an estimated 7.8 percent in 2014. The governor also supported Medicaid expansion under the ACA, which will be a costly burden on Michigan taxpayers down the road.

Surprised?

While there can be absolutely ZERO expectation that Mark Schauer would fare any better, the expectation of fuel taxes increasing is realistic as Rick Snyder has said he wants to Increase revenue from fuel sales .

“Increasing revenue” as most reasonable folks know is code for higher taxes.

Call Rick Snyder TODAY and ask him why he wants to raise our taxes. (<- no number – see? we learn from those TV ads and postcards)

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All the Other Stuff, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Yer ‘Back Door’ Is Open

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Michigan's Speaker attempts to hang on to his working capital by working around the fringe.

james-bolger-322370dbb048d092Presumably making it acceptable for Jase Bolger to accept the $100,000.00 from Pro-Homosexual millionaires, he offers butter for the burn.

Pretending that he opposes the changes in the Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act proposed by Dems, he offers a fig leaf. From M-Live:

“Bolger is exploring the possibility of pairing an Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act amendment with a Michigan version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which aims to limit laws that would substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion.

“I believe our society’s got to get this right, and we’ve got to get this right more than we’ve got to get it now,” Bolger, R-Marshall, told MLive. “That right, for me, is one that respects and protects individual freedom and religious liberty. It’s just so much easier to say than to do.”

Right. Individual freedom.

Though there has never been a case that any of us can recall where a person was told; “No you cannot go schtoop your friend because you are the same gender,”  its critical that we protect that freedom.  Even though most of us are perfectly willing close our eyes, and let the deviancy play itself out with the shortened life spans, and emotional destruction that envelops such behavior.

If a ‘Religious exemption’ is all it takes, then everyone who has conscience could claim it as a reason if sued by a queer who are butt-hurt over losing the apartment, job, service, smile, etc., that they want.  Right?  Certainly that clears things up to take the pressure off.

Until we realize they still have a platform from which to launch a lawsuit.  Bolger is playing the same dangerous game that the Vichy GOP has been playing for years, resulting in a corrupted party, with heavy internal fighting.

Dumb move.

 

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

This Guy Has Apparently Seen Michigan Politics

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There is a reason current tracking has Snyder and 'shady' Schauer in a statistical dead heat.

GOP-SplitRick Manning of Net Right Daily echoes current political CW accurately.

We have seen the efforts of the current GOP powers more strongly attacking the conservative base than attacking progressive ideology in Michigan.  It also seems to be a nationwide condition.  Writing in today’s lead NRD article touching primarily on Immigration, Manning points out that Republicans have remained the party most likely to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  He writes:

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All the Other Stuff, Elections, Firearms, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

An Open Letter to Gov. Snyder – You need gun owners

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Phillip Hofmeister (President of Michigan OPen Carry, Inc.) addresses Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan regarding his stance on guns.

Governor Snyder,

I am a frank man, as many people who know me could echo to you, so I will get straight to the point: you need gun owners this November.  I know you have read the polling numbers, it’s real close — you might lose.  Those few ten-thousand gun owners that won’t vote for you (along with me) may make the difference.  Aside from the people who mindlessly follow the NRA, you don’t have them.  I know many of them are planning to do one of the following regarding their vote for Governor: under-vote, vote third party (Libertarian or Constitutional), or vote for Mark Schauer (just to teach you and the Republicans a lesson).

I’m not sure which I will do yet, but I do know this: I won’t be voting for you. The purpose of this letter is to express what you can do to win my vote (and more importantly my personal support and endorsement).  It’s simple, really.  I only ask you to do 2 things:

  1. Work with the State Legislature as well as Michigan Open Carry, Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners, and Michigan Gun Owners in sincerity and earnest to repeal MCL 28.425o and have the repeal signed into law before November’s election.  If you don’t know how to contact those organizations, that’s okay – your chief legislative assistant (Mr. Posthumus) does.  This move will make a huge electoral impact as Michigan has approximately 450,000 CPL holders — most of them active voters.  If you’re looking for legislative Sponsors I would consider approaching Sen. Mike Green or Rep. Joel Johnson.
  2. Send an open, published letter to State Republican Chair Bobby Schostak (and his successor, should he be replaced next cycle) that says the following: if the State Party holds its convention in a venue that bans firearms, you will not attend.

Yes, between now and November the NRA-ILA will sing your praise for passing its FOIA Package.  I will yell just as loudly, that FOIA package accomplished nothing.  Here’s the thing you and the NRA-ILA don’t want people to know: these records were already exempt from FOIA under Mager V. Department of State Police (Michigan Supreme Court, 1999, 460 Mich. 134).  I will make sure as many people know this simple fact as possible — that despite all the NRA’s praise, signing this bill accomplished nothing.

So really, that’s it — those two, small things.  Let’s face it: the anti-gunners are already going to vote for Mark Schauer so you won’t be losing their vote as it has already been lost.  Not to mention, the number of pro-gun voters in Michigan seemingly far surpasses the number of anti-gun voters.  All you have is gain.  Do these two things and I will travel the state with you as well as sing your praise on every social media.

 

I look forward to working with you to accomplish these goals.  Mr. Posthumus knows how to contact me.

Rick Snyder

Rick Snyder is no friend of Gun Owners, at present.

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Conservative News, Democrats, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Courage

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“Ordinary people who faithfully, diligently, and consistently do simple things that are right before God will bring forth extraordinary results.” ~ David Bednar

One of the diseases of liberal progressivism, is the unraveling of the moral construct which binds out families together.

We have seen the ravages of progressivism in our urban centers.  We have seen the moral decay reach outside of those places as well, destroying the family institution. We know however, that strong, intact families are not only statistically more stable, but serve God best through his design. Broken and malformed families only serve other masters, as witnessed by Mallory Millet, who writes at Front Page Mag:

“..  We gathered at a large table as the chairperson opened the meeting with a back-and-forth recitation, like a Litany, a type of prayer done in Catholic Church. But now it was Marxism, the Church of the Left, mimicking religious practice:

“Why are we here today?” she asked.
“To make revolution,” they answered.
“What kind of revolution?” she replied.
“The Cultural Revolution,” they chanted.
“And how do we make Cultural Revolution?” she demanded.
“By destroying the American family!” they answered.
“How do we destroy the family?” she came back.
“By destroying the American Patriarch,” they cried exuberantly.
“And how do we destroy the American Patriarch?” she replied.
“By taking away his power!”
“How do we do that?”
“By destroying monogamy!” they shouted.
“How can we destroy monogamy?”

Their answer left me dumbstruck, breathless, disbelieving my ears.  Was I on planet earth?  Who were these people?

“By promoting promiscuity, eroticism, prostitution and homosexuality!” they resounded.

Indeed.

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