Tag: Jim Marleau

Michigan State Representative Tom McMillin, the 2013 chair, joined by State Senators John Pappageorge, (Alternate Chair) Arlan Meekhof, Jim Marleau, Tupac Hunter, Bert Johnson Representatives Jim Stamas, Amanda Price, Harvey Santana, & Douglas Geiss make up the JCAR (Joint Committee on Administrative Rules).  Bolger reports in his email blast:

"The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) has been especially active this session, monitoring, questioning, and confronting red tape that goes beyond what is written into law. More than 1,000 administrative rules have already been reviewed, leading to several JCAR actions that have produced concrete results. These actions include the rescission of a proposed sales tax rule that exceeded statutory authority and elimination of a Department of Education policy prohibiting 16- and 17 year-old students from being lifeguards. The MDE policy was not derived from any particular official rule or statutory authority - it was simply a policy created by bureaucrats. We are taking a more proactive approach to using JCAR this session as a means of reviewing and investigating administrative rules that are often just getting in the way of Michiganders living their lives."

We should be hoping for a complete report soon?

As this is a great way to assure that our Michigan legislative action is properly implemented, it might also be a great lesson we can pass along to the representatives we send to DC.  Seriously, its a good time to pass along a great idea.

Evidently some of Sen. Rick Jones (24th District) constituents were not happy with his yes vote or his comment on the Senate floor that I shared with you in the last Newsletter and post HERE "He had to "plug his nose and vote for the bill"
How do I know that? Because I received an angry e-mail from Senator Jones. His e-mail is interesting in that it provides a window into some of the dealing going on under the Capitol Dome

Senator Jones e-mail is HERE

So let's address his assertions, shall we?

First of all "You are spreading lies.  You do not understand why we had to do what we did."

But he has done nothing of the sort.

And while our attorney general Bill Schuette is supposedly fighting against Obamacare as unconstitutional, we have a Snyder enabler Jim Marleau pushing for the finishing touches on the insurance exchanges.

The bottom line is that Obamacare requires every citizen to purchase government approved health insurance under penalty of law, beginning in 2014. Key to enforcing the "Individual Mandates," are federally-regulated health insurance exchanges, which will be set up in each state to facilitate the sale of this mandated insurance.

The law gives states the option to set up an exchange or have the federal government do it for them. Some states (and Legislators) mistakenly believe that if they set up an exchange, they will preserve state control over the exchange. However, Washington bureaucrats will be at the controls regardless of whether the exchange is state or federally established.

Have REPUBLICAN State Senator Jim Marleau tell the feds to take their crappy mandate and shove it where the prostate test goes.

Nancy's "just say no" theme was used to encourage our young minds full of mush to abstain when offered that chance to get high.  Even if the pusher was offering it free, at least at first.  "Your brain on drugs" commercials soon followed, pointing out the scrambled senses you will endure upon taking such things that promote dependence on controlled substances and the effects of your addiction on family and friends with the later occurring "friends don't let friends use drugs" campaign.

It seems some folks recognized the dangers of addiction, and used media and the first lady's profile to advance that such things like addiction are bad.  But now, it has apparently flipped, with Obama playing the pusherman.

What surprises me is that one of our state senators, who by many acts has tried to properly fight addictive drugs, might have missed the addiction he might serve personally to the people in Michigan.  Michigan State Senator Jim Marleau seemingly capitulating to an unconstitutional role that the federal government would force on the state's citizenry, appears to be ready to promise our resources in a way that will keep us addicted to federal handouts and mandates into eternity.

At 3PM today, State Sen. Jim Marleau, chairman of the Senate Health Policy Committee, State Sen. Joe Hune, chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee, Members of those committees, Public Sector Consultants President Peter Pratt, and whatever voices for misc members of the public will be present at:

Senate Hearing Room, Ground Floor
Boji Tower
124 W. Allegan Street
Lansing, MI 48933

The discussion?

The Senate Health Policy and Insurance committees will hold their first hearing on the importance of Michigan establishing its own health insurance exchange in accordance with the Affordable Care Act.

Good reform package used as opportunity to provide lifetime benefits

Earlier this morning Clydes Dale mentioned in another post a story he'd heard on WJR about Michigan Democrats and a vote to grant themselves lifetime benefits.  

In economic times like these I sincerely wish even the most extreme left wingers had the sense to avoid big-government bureaucratic protection schemes like this but alas... they don't.  Not even the so-called moderates.

House Democrats yesterday forced a package of bills through the Michigan House that do indeed guarantee lifetime benefits for state lawmakers.  Worse yet, they snuck it into otherwise important legislation.  But take this as a positive sign and early high marks for the Elsenheimer-led Republican Minority... Republican Representatives were quick to cry foul!

"One of the top issues we're hearing from our local governments is their call for help dealing with unfunded liabilities and saving money," said Rep. Jim Marleau, R-Lake Orion. "That is the intent of this legislation and should be the focus of these bills, not guaranteeing benefits for state legislators and bureaucrats."

The House yesterday approved a bipartisan package, House Bills 4071-9, to create a mechanism for the state and local governments to pre-fund retiree health benefits for public employees retired from the state, Legislature, Judiciary, State Police and public schools or from local units of government. A provision added by Democrats in committee would guarantee lifetime health benefits for public employees, including legislators.

"It is unfortunate that this opportunity for real reform to improve the state of Michigan has been mucked up by special interest paybacks and partisan politics," said Rep. Chuck Moss, R Birmingham.

The House Republican Caucus previously introduced HB 4080 to stop lifetime benefits for lawmakers beginning with the current sophomore class of lawmakers.  They've been trying to stop lifetime legislator benefits for years now.  Last term Democrat Robert Dean introduced legislation to protect lifetime benefits for himself and his colleagues and this year we get this monstrosity.

"Ending lifetime benefits is an important move to put the citizen's Legislature more in line with Michigan citizens who are forced to make sacrifices every day to get by," state Rep. Brian Calley. "I am disheartened by today's move in the wrong direction. If the state can't even balance our own books, why are we cementing such an unnecessary perk for six years of service?"

"Two weeks ago we voted to cut our salaries, and that was the right thing to do and today we voted to give ourselves lifetime health benefits," said Rep. Tonya Schuitmaker. "If that's not the definition of hypocrisy, I don't know what is."

It is, Representative.  It is.