Tag: Republican Primary

The Michigan lawmaker sponsoring a bill authorizing red light cameras has made a U-turn on the issue.

Rep. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, last year co-sponsored a bill that would have banned red light cameras. This year, he sponsored a bill that would have brought red light cameras to traffic intersections across the state.

However, Rep. Schmidt said he has chosen not to move the red light authorization bill forward because of concerns he says he now has about traffic cameras and privacy issues.

Concerns about privacy?  Sure it is.  At testimony, Rep. Peter Pettalia spelled that all out for Wayne.

Manufacturers of red light cameras have a reputation for heavy lobbying in state capitols. It is not clear if sponsors of the bill have received any campaign support from red light camera manufacturers. Contributions do not have to be reported until the end of the year in an off-election year, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's office.

Traverse City and Traverse County have been under financial pressure from unfunded pension liabilities, and revenue from red light cameras could provide some relief. However, Traverse City Manager Jered Ottenwess said he is not aware of any interest in installing the cameras.

All but one of the eight co-sponsors on the red light camera bill are Democrats from the Detroit area.

I suppose it's not a good day to be a Show Pony in the 104th with further political aspirations.

As many of you are aware, State Senator Howard Walker R-37th has decided to forgo a second term, thus leaving a fairly solid Republican seat up for grabs.  Walker might well have gotten tired of the threats to primary him, but he has publicly  responded that it was a family decision.  We wish him the best, and hope he departs the senate with head held high, SANS a Medicaid/Welfare expansion vote when the time comes.  Voting FOR such a thing would be a pretty serious blemish on a fairly decent record to walk away with.

Unfortunately, the shame of expanding government is carried by the already announced would-be replacements.

Wayne Schmidt RINO-104th, and Greg MacMaster R-105th, are vying for the seat, each with the distinction of having supported the growth of government through their vote for Obamacare.

Note the designated (R) difference used, as their overall records could be parsed to paint a true picture of ideology.  Schmidt's frequent support of many things expansion and subsidy, stand in contrast to the GOP platform of smaller government, and intrusion. Of course Schmidt's record is longer, and more easily scrutinized than that of MacMaster, who riding the Tea Party wave of 2010, has since revealed that on key issues, he cannot be counted on to hold the conservative line. MacMaster has been a vocal opponent to disastrous A21 policies, and has introduced legislation that has made it no further than the committees, one of them chaired by Schmidt.

So we are at the starting gate with Wayne "I Like Big Government" Schmidt, and Greg "I tried to cut a deal for small business" MacMaster.  The former being one you can trust to disappoint frequently; the latter not solidly rooted in conviction.  The former not nearly as 'popular' as the latter, being one who doesn't raise money so well.

So do we break out the checkbooks, hold our noses, pirouette, or sit on our hands?

Yannow, with all the light that is being shined on the incumbent mentality within the Party establishment, they really are starting to make the AGW zealots and Earth Day kooks look a lot less insane by comparison.

This is all the more reason why I'd vote for Kerry Bentivolio.

via The Detroit News

"No one has heard of anything so over the top before," echoed former Republican Attorney General Mike Cox. He added: "To have really overt massive potential fraud is really very unusual."

Secretary of State Ruth Johnson's office had turned over preliminary findings to Attorney General Bill Schuette's office, which won't comment. But Cox said investigators have tools working in their favor -- a stack of paper evidence, names and signatures of circulators and the power of an investigative subpoena to compel circulators to talk.

"Ruth and Bill are going to have to go to where the facts go, whether that leads them to (McCotter's staff) or to Thad," said Cox, who said he won't run as a write-in for the McCotter seat. He said his family and the McCotters are close, but now he is for "anybody but Thad."

...

But for nominating petition fraud, the sanctions spelled out in Michigan's election law are misdemeanors.

Someone who signs another's name on a petition, makes a false statement, or signs a petition as a circulator who is not faces up to a $500 fine and 93 days in jail.

Additionally, if the candidate or a petition circulator knew of such petition fraud and didn't report it to authorities, he is guilty of misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine and one year imprisonment, under the law.

Rest here

Isn't that just lovely?  Bottom line: We have a smarmy, career DC politico doofus from his specially redrawn District-11 who is now wasting our tax dollars on a misdemeanor witch-hunt that he is responsible for creating.

Damn shame to throw away such a remarkable career, and then like chasing your last dollar bill over the rails of a bridge you take the leap. An Angel named Clarence isn't going to help as all the world becomes a little different Thad.  

So much for dignity.

Its an amazing thing how someone can get so smug that he allows the simplest part of his campaign to slip out from under him.  Signatures.  A thousand legitimate freaking signatures.  And then to say "the buck stops here", yet pretend that he is too loved to accept the situation as it is. In "You clean up your own mess" McCotter says:

"Having promised people I would seek another term in the United States Congress and, thereby, give them the chance to vote for or against me, the only way to clean up my mess is to run a write-in campaign for the Republican nomination for Michigan's 11th Congressional District.

This I'm doing."

Folks, it ain't spilt TEA here.  That pot is brewing and hot, and quite full yet.  Its the drunk on power embarrassment factor on full display.  Grapes all over the floor, stains and all.

The "operation chaos" by the Democrats may have tossed a few votes toward Santorum, but I suspect there were an equal amount thrown at Romney by the Dems simply as the sudden fear that Santorum might actually take the nomination set in.

Net result? Nothing.

The REAL story here is one of an incredible amount of money thrown in a single state to smother yet another contender who threatens the coronation of an elite favorite.  The story of a Three point statewide win belies the reality told by a 40-50 percent absentee count.  A vote that for the most part happened prior to Colorado. In Grand Traverse County alone, some precincts had more absentee ballots cast than those on election day.

In my own TWP precinct 1, 159 votes were cast today.  189 votes were cast by AVB.  Votes today? Santorum 52, Mittens 64, others make up remainder. AVB? 35 and 61 respectively, a far different polling percentage wise.

precinct 3 makes the difference stand out more. Today Count Santorum 111, Mitt 88.  Absentee? 41 and 57.  A complete turnaround. Most of the other township precincts in Grand Traverse county have similar turnarounds.

Current Michigan Republican presidential poll favorite Rick Santorum is coming to Traverse City. This is an opportunity to welcome the former Pennsylvania US senator to Traverse City Michigan at the Streeter's Center on Garfield Ave.   His visit will be one of a few stops in Michigan prior to the primary on the 28th.

The time and date is February 26th at 3:30 to 5:00 pm, with refreshments available.

The Streeter's Center is fast becoming the preferred stop in for high profile national figures, including former Republican candidate Herman Cain, as well as writer Michelle Malkin, and publisher/media mogul Andrew Breitbart.   The visit by Rick Santorum highlights an effort to make accessible, figures of importance and relevance to northwest Michigan residents.

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Update [2012-2-25 20:16:42 by JGillman]: MICHIGAN Santorum Stops Sunday and Monday

Herman Cain former CEO, and savior of Godfathers Pizza announced today he would be staking his fortune, his livelihood, and his time in an effort to restore decency to the office of the president of the United states.

"After prayerful consideration with my family and closest friends, I have decided to seek the Republican nomination for president of the United States. I look forward to continuing my travels across the country, engaging in discussions with the American people about the concerns facing our nation and sharing my 'common sense solutions' with them."

His cancer free state for the last few years is a credit to the exceptional health care system in the united states according to Cain.  After receiving a diagnosis of liver and colon cancer in 2006, Cain turned to prayer, and our country's unmatchable medical care, and turned away the life ending disease.