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    Who are the NERD fund donors Mr Snyder?

    Raise the curtain.

    You could fly a balloon with all that hot air!


    By Nick, Section News
    Posted on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 09:15:41 AM EST
    Tags: (all tags)

    "As presiding officer of the Senate, it concerns me that even as Republican leadership calls for reform and speaks as if the governor is standing in opposition to reforms, they have refused to pass Senate Bills 180, 418, 378 or other reform proposals."

    The Senate Republicans insist -- with good reason -- that government reforms are key to resolving the budget crisis in Michigan. But if they believe their own rhetoric, it is time for them to finally pass government reforms.

    "Stop playing games on state reforms" by Lt. Gov. John Cherry Jr., Detroit News, Aug. 15, 2007.

    Those were Lieutenant Governor John Cherry's words to the Detroit News on August 15, 2007.  That's three weeks ago today, for those of you keeping score at home.

    One DAY ago today, or, as my friends like to call it... yesterday... the Senate considered SB 418, a bill that would allow local units of government to save 8 percent on their health care costs.

    In essence, 418 allows governmental units, including school districts, municipalities and counties, the ability to pool their catastrophic health care liabilities. Statewide it's estimated to wind up saving taxpayers $156 million a year!  The gift that keeps on giving.

    And, if one were to look back at that LG John Cherry quote one would find SB 418 right smack dab in the middle of his list.  The list of bills he claims, by inference, that the administration does not oppose and bills he openly and actively urges the Senate to consider and pass.

    Funny thing, that, since SB 418 came to a vote yesterday on the floor of the Senate and wound up tied 19-19 with our friends in the Democrat party standing firm and united against saving the taxpayers any cash.  That money, you see, would otherwise wind up lining the pockets of union leaders.  Talk about catering to special interests, but I digress.

    With a 19-19 tie the President of the Senate gets to cast the tie-breaking vote.  Guess what Cherry voted... no wait, don't.  I'll tell you.  He voted no.  

    Maybe he went home the night after his op-ed ran, talked to Dan Granholm Mulhern and changed his mind.  Seems to be the way things go in Lansing these days.

    Read on...

    Thankfully the Senate majority was able to vote to reconsider the bill and on it's second attempt it passed 20-18.  Cherry and the Senate Dems obstruction was foiled and their special interest protections were overrun.  But the story doesn't end there.

    According to the Associated Press, the LG had this to say:

    "We can support that reform as long as it's tie-barred to the revenue package we need. ... What we see is everything but (tax) revenues."

    So let me get this straight.  He was upset that the Senate GOP claimed the governor was standing in the way of reforms and encouraged them to pass a certain bill.  They vote on the bill, he gets to be the tie-breaker and he votes NO.  When they get enough votes without him to approve the measure he then tells the press that the administration will stand in the way of the bill unless the Senate also votes to raise taxes?

    So the Governor IS standing in the way of reforms.  Huh.  Who'd have thunk it.  

    Of course this is nothing new and doesn't really come as a surprise.  It's been a pattern for almost five years.  Talk big and then balk with the game on the line.  Meanwhile, send out your Senate Dem minority to obstruct the process every step of the way.  
    Meanwhile, Cherry runs along and plays chief obstructer not just in the Senate chamber but also in the press.

    Could this guy be any more full of hot air?

    < 1,000 more jobs leaving Michigan while Clinton, Obama and Edwards turn a blind eye | Mark Schauer standing by his anti-Semite >


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    You could fly a balloon with all that hot air! | 20 comments (20 topical, 0 hidden)
    What savings? (none / 0) (#1)
    by NoviDemocrat on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 10:47:23 AM EST
    The argument that SB 418 is going to save the state a lot of money is a based on the flawed idea that competitive bidding is going to result in major reductions in health care costs. If that was the case, private employers, who can seek bids from any number of health care providers, should be seeing significant savings in their health care costs. But we know that's not the case. The only way that the private sector sees major savings in health care costs is by reducing employee benefits. That's the dirty little not-so-secret goal of Senate Republicans. They know that real "savings" will only come when benefits for public sector employees are cut. That will be the next step.

    Schauer's pledge (none / 0) (#3)
    by NoviDemocrat on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 11:18:56 AM EST
    From what I've read, Schauer told Senate Dems that he planned to serve his entire term. Unless you have proof to the contrary, I haven't seen anything that states that he told voters when he ran that he wasn't going to seek any other political office. That's the difference between Schauer and Hoekstra. Hoekstra ran told the voters one thing to get elected and then did something else once in office. Did Schauer make the same pledge to his constituents?

    Where's Schauer's public statement (none / 0) (#5)
    by NoviDemocrat on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 11:31:35 AM EST
    since you brought it up.

    By the way Chet (none / 0) (#6)
    by NoviDemocrat on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 11:34:31 AM EST
    I'll be watching to see if you hold Republicans to the same standard (if you say one thing to a anyone in the state and then change your position later, you should be condemned).

    • NoviD by chetly, 09/06/2007 03:19:02 AM EST (none / 0)
    As my buddy says... (none / 0) (#10)
    by John Galt on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 01:00:22 PM EST
    A friend of mine is running for Mayor in St. Clair Shores.  Last night, he held Council's feet to the fire.
    "The phrase 'this is how we've always done things' is no longer acceptable."
    The reason NoviDemon thinks it's a flaw, is because Government hasn't tried it yet.  I'm glad he shares our sentiments that Government (led by mostly Democrats in Michigan) is likely to screw up something private business has succeeded doing over-and-over again.

    But surely our Little Miss from McNamara's Band has SOME semblance of ability?  Maybe.

    But I'm not sure what NoviDemon's point is - is he saying we shouldn't pass the Senate Bill?  Not explicitly.  What I wonder, though, is why he's continuously defending "the status quo".  Why is he defending a system of non-compete healthcare agreements?  We heard all about how non-compete contracts to Halliburton were EVIL, certainly non-compete contracts to healthcare is "equally" evil?  Isn't it fashionable for Demoncrats to gang up on the Health Industry now?

    While NoviDemoncrat might be missing the faux trends of the Left-Ranks of his party, he likes making the point that Little Miss Jenny has done nothing wrong, and keeps defending the failed policies of the administration.

    In a move of his own game, I ask him to explain how he would cut 1.8 billion from the budget.  I know he'll defend, excuse, and talk about 'reality' and 'tax cuts' in the same paragraph... but the question is about cuts.  Add us up 1.8 billion in cuts, NoviDemoncrat.

    Just pointing out the road (none / 0) (#11)
    by NoviDemocrat on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 02:27:44 PM EST
    that Republicans want state and school employees to go down which is one of ongoing cuts to benefits. I know, you claim it's not true. But we know that the private sector has only been able to make a dent in health care benefits by cutting those benefits. "Competition" in health care hasn't kept health care costs from spiraling ever upward as evidenced by how many private sector companies keep cutting benefits and forcing more of the costs onto the employees. I know that Republicans want to claim otherwise because they don't want to deal with the political backlash.

    Thanks Nick (none / 0) (#12)
    by NoviDemocrat on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 02:39:22 PM EST
    I appreciate you confirming that Schauer never made a pledge to voters to serve and then weaseling out of that pledge (as Hoekstra did). I know your desperate to state that their the equivalent but you and I both know that they are not. I don't for a second expect you to live up to the new "Chet Standard" that any statement made by any Michigan politician in any settings is the equivalent of making a pledge to voters and if that politician changes their position, they should be publicly condemned for that change.

    The funny thing is (none / 0) (#14)
    by Nick on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 03:09:33 PM EST
    everyone here is criticizing Hoekstra for continuing to run.  

    Funnier still, I've criticized Republicans up one side and down the other... even organizing call days through the site that have flooded their offices with hundreds of phone calls, emails and door knocks...

    But the troll won't call his own guy on the mat.  Ever.  Won't call the governor on the mat.  Won't call Schauer on the mat.  It's almost like there's a pathological need to defend anyone with a D behind their name.

    And that's fine.  But don't think everyone reading the site doesn't see it for what it is.

    "Eating our own" (none / 0) (#15)
    by John Galt on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 03:36:04 PM EST
    This is a fault I think we have.  Calling our Republicans and non-Republican representatives is one that... that's appropriate in Civics.

    But condemning and eating our own on the blogs isn't.  I'm not going to be baited into calling for Hoekstra's head.  I won't be baited by NoviDhimmi and Commie Guru into admitting how bad Guilliani is for not living up to their version of right-wing values.  

    Not from a pair of trolls who want to call everyone else a liar, and is willing to excuse any Democrat.  Excusing failed leadership as "reality" and excusing anti-semitism as "context" is outright wrong.  I won't be judged or intimidated by members of the "Party of No Values".

    Hmm. (none / 0) (#20)
    by chetly on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 12:35:28 AM EST
    I could have added a couple breaks, and will try next time.  But it's a blog comments section, not a manuscript.  

    And I tried to separate the three responses for that very reason, addressing each individual separately.

    But to be more simple --

    Criticizing yourself or allies where appropriate is not eating your own.


    Chetly Zarko
    Outside Lansing & Oakland Politics

    You could fly a balloon with all that hot air! | 20 comments (20 topical, 0 hidden)
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