Tag: Snyder (page 3)

"Bait and switch," a term he uses to describe the promises and ultimate product, is no stranger to any government program designed to help so many.  He writes:

"In 2012, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that the United States leads the world in health care research and disease treatment.

For the 85% of Americans that have health insurance, the access they have to cutting edge, life saving technologies is among the very best in the world.

But not every American has insurance, with upwards of 49 million being uninsured, according to the 2010 Census.

The question for policy makers in Lansing and in Washington should be what to do to help the 15% gain access to the quality care that the rest of us have.

Unfortunately, Washington and Lansing's answer has been to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

In 2010, Congress passed, and President Obama signed, the widely unpopular and flawed Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Among the provisions of this act is enticing Michigan to put an additional 300,000 citizens on Medicaid with the promise that the federal government would pay for taxpayers' additional costs.

When the expansion was first voted on in the House, I supported it. This wasn't really Obamacare, we were told. This was Michigan getting its fair share back from Washington.

It initially seemed like a good deal for Michigan taxpayers, who receive back only $0.80 for every tax dollar they send to Washington.

But there was more to the bill.

The MEDC, under pressure to show successes is feeling the heat as it reports little to no success for all the money taxpayers have ponied up over the years.  But hey, as Beck says: "Things are gonna change, I can feel it."  The Cap Con reports

"Michael Finney says the Michigan Economic Development Corp. has turned over a new leaf.

"Gone are wild bets on unproven technologies," the president and CEO of the quasi-governmental and private entity said in a recent press release.

Finney's comments came in response to what he called, "overheated news reports," of an Auditor General report that said only 19 percent of the original jobs projected by the MEDC came to fruition. Finney said that the report also concluded the program was "effective."

Those of you who know me, might have heard the ads I ran for the 104th district State rep seat.  Running against one of the biggest supporters of crony capitalism Wayne Schmidt, I felt it might make a difference to talk about that particular blight on public service.  The ads said:

"My family and I have taken our share of risks pursuing independence and prosperity for over 15 years. Our business has had good and bad years, yet throughout it, we've never asked, nor expected the government to make it any easier through grants or incentives like the ones given to those favored by Lansing's elite.

Yet we still pay for those incentives. And so do you.

In fact, our incumbent representative recently expanded those incentive gimmicks with HB5477, costing us even more.

Picking of winners and losers continues in Lansing, yet the chosen winners often fail. And what the the bureaucrats risk, is not their own paycheck, but ours

Its time to stop this practice of political constituency. Its time to send a champion to fight for you in Lansing, to challenge the increasing bureaucratic mess that threatens our very liberty. To stop political reward schemes, and pandering to those who would bankrupt the state's ability to pay its bills."

Unfortunately, I was not successful, and Michigan was rewarded with a third term of pale pastels in Republicanism from the North, expanded medicaid dependency, and implementation of Obamacare in Michigan. One vote perhaps not enough to stop it all, but one that would have ended an incumbency and sent a message.

Ask yourself why certain politicians; Snyder, Schauer, etc.. have such difficulty revealing their donors.

Could it be those donors are the same people?

"we ought to be more transparent than we have to be"

How dumb.  Just disclose what you have now and move along.  L. Brooks Patterson doesn't hesitate to name those he shakes down and those buying influence in Oakland County, however, Rick Snyder is above that as if his donors are like Barry's college transcripts.

"I think if you don't release it, it looks like there's something suspicious," Patterson told The News. "We all talk about transparency and we either live it or not."
....

"It's easier to hit your supporters for a donation sometimes, than getting them to donate from their personal account," Patterson said of getting corporate donations made to the fund.

Snyder testified last week in a deposition in Detroit's bankruptcy case that he doesn't know who donates to the fund - an admission that's raised some eyebrows. "It's almost dereliction of duty if he didn't know who the donors were," Robinson said.

Rich Baird testified he didn't know either.  What a pack of lies.  So, what's a Nerd to do?  Naturally, Rick Snyder put's his crony on the public dole with a $40,000 pay raise.  Frilliant!

Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of Ron Boji, of Orchard Lake, to the state Transportation Commission.

The six-member commission is the policy-making body for all state transportation programs.

"Ron has enjoyed a distinguished career and I look forward to his contributions to this important commission," Snyder said.

Hey, it's a Nerdy job but, somebody's got to do it...

Passed 74 to 33 in the House on October 3, 2013, to mandate that vehicle owners must replace their license plate after 10 years, even if it is still legible. Under current law the state imposes a $5 extra charge to replace a plate.

Full disclosure. I'm not a tea party guy. I'm not an anti tea party guy. Sometimes I agree with various tea party individuals and sometimes I am in opposition. I want to make that clear.

The straw poll was out and there was two races there listed. Lt Gov and President 2016. It is way early at this point and I haven't made up my mind. In that straw poll I voted for Mike Pence and Wes Nakagiri. I voted for Wes because of the gamesmanship from the "friends of the program." If you've seen the James Caan college football movie "The Program" you would understand the reference. It's where shady activities are involved by those close to but not directly related to the program. Some shady tactics were going on right before Mackinac related to "anti-Wes" activity and I wasn't happy about it. I know Wes being from the same county as he is. Those fake emails weren't his work. I don't know Brian Calley personally, although I've met him and he seems like a nice guy and I've heard that from others.

My vote for LG, like any other office will be determined by who helps the ticket the best. To me, that means the hardest worker for the campaign will get my vote. LG is about three things. 1. Getting the gubernatorial nominee elected. 2. Tie-breaking vote in the senate. 3. Ability to be governor if sometime happens to the governor (not applicable since the disaster Bill Milliken took over for George Romney after he took a cabinet post).

I don't want to see BS gamesmanship here. I don't care which side it comes from. I want to see candidates campaign and make their case. No more Romney primary tricks, nor Paul Scott 2010 Sec of State tricks.

That's a fair shake on the BS Rube Goldberg straw poll.  Good assessment, Dan.  The chattering class handling the incumbents are scrambling.  Circle them wagons, boys - the taxpayers are awakening!  Look, it's no secret to anyone that Brian Calley is the biggest joke in town if trying to paint him as a Conservative voice on the "Nerdy Ticket" to bigger government and higher taxes.  C'mon folks, a contrived straw poll from this jagoff?  AYFKM?  Besides, even the late Ray Charles could see Strat Nat pulling strings from behind the curtain.  Tacky.

From discussions, outreach and even the most casual conversations on Friday at the island, it was very easy to get the sense that many Republicans on the island were VERY open to the idea of exorcising the Governor. Even though one watching the broadcast last night live might have seen an excited party, the reality is that a great number of the GOP active types would prefer a new nominee, and some (not quite a majority) would be willing to endure gridlock for a few years.

The good news for my part is that there are still three possibilities.  

They are quite aware there is a growing support for a replacement, and two of them have indicated an interest in becoming that replacement if things fall together.

Good times.