Slotkin's Motives

Some folks .. even on the right had a concern with Mike Roger’s former National Security influence and connections. To…

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Conservative News, Democrats, Detroit, Firearms, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans, Taxes

Michigan Criminal Justice Reform: Too Much, Too Soon?

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Michigan has been at the forefront of ‘criminal justice reform’, which is newspeak for prison population reduction. In just a few years, Michigan has driven the MDoC prison population down 18%.  Democrats love criminal justice reform because it gets one of their major constituencies back on the streets, and voting. Republicans love criminal justice reform because it cuts prison spending, which has become a bottomless pit with all the various mandates. Both of these views are decidedly near term.
The question for non criminal Michigan residents is longer term: will crime rates rise as more prisoners spend less time incarcerated and more time in your neighborhood?

A study just released by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics undermines the case for criminal justice reforms intended to reduce prison populations. This study contradicts previous studies which showed much lower rates of recidivism, probably because it better tracks released prisoners who have moved to other states and also looks at a longer time frame.

This BJS study followed 67,966 state prisoners released in 2005, in 30 states, over the 9 year period following their release. This was a statistically representative sample (16.8%) of the 404,638 prisoners released that year in those 30 states. The BJS study included 2,603 Michigan individuals; sampled from the 12,177 releases from MDoC custody during 2005.

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan Politics, Republicans, Taxes

House Speaker Tom Leonard’s Support of ‘Special Assessment’ Tax Hike Shows Leadership Unbefitting of an Attorney General

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Recently, I received an email showing all of the “conservative leaders” throughout the state of Michigan who support House Speaker Tom Leonard for Attorney General. This list of leaders assured me that Leonard’s leadership record in the House was impeccible and that he is a man who “truly understands our issues and stands up for our values.”

Then I saw that he voted for House Bill 5325 (HB5325), legislation that hikes property taxes on homeowners for the purposes of crony giveaways to well-connected private interests. This scam is called a “special assessment” and a similar scheme may be on a local ballot in your municipality in the near future. This fraud is now picking up steam because of Leonard’s actions.

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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Disgracing The Uniform

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It’s a given to the point of predictability, in contested republican primaries, that eventually someone will defensively mis-invoke Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment. Naturally, this will require someone to explain that the intent of “thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow republican” is a prohibition against personal attacks, but that calling someone out on an accurate understanding of their actual record is always fair game. That said, I can honestly say that I never expected to have to explain one of the Ten Commandments in the context of a political campaign, nor that I would have to do so as a remonstration to a political attack that is not only blatantly personal, but also patently false (to the point of being willingly, deliberately, and knowingly deceptive).

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Mackinac Center Interviews Pat Colbeck

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Michigan Gubernatorial candidate Pat Colbeck was interviewed earlier this year on a number of issues.

A couple of choice quotes:

Essentially the state has deemed it upon itself to play venture capitalist with taxpayer money to the tune of about a billion dollars. It’s about halfway split between MEDC and Michigan Strategic Fund. … I propose broad-base tax incentives that honor Article I, Section I of the Michigan Constitution, which means that our policies are meant for the equal benefit of all of our citizens.

Right now, with these venture capitalist approach to economic development, like the ones you mentioned, the only people that get the deals are the ones with the ears of the power brokers up in Lansing, … it’s turned into more of an “old friends and family discount” than something that benefits all the citizens of Michigan. It’s something that I’m vehemently opposed to.

and

Businesses thrive when you lower the total cost of doing business, which is confirmed if you click here and read this article. One of the major costs for businesses is the cost of government, and we can get into some of the other costs here down the road here, but health care is another one and energy is another one, and if you can lower all three of those costs, you actually create an economic development incentive package that’s not picking winners and losers; that applies to everybody equally.

When folks ask if it is possible for someone to represent ‘everyone.’ I say this last part is how its done.

The full transcript is available at Michigan Capitol Confidential’s site.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Quis Solvet? MSU Settles With Nassar Victims For $ 500 Million

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Who exactly is going to pay the $ 500 million that MSU just agreed to pay to 332 victims of Dr. Lawrence G. Nasser?

MSU says they can’t tap their $ 3 billion endowment, which was the focus of former President Lou Anna K. Simon (and why she wasn’t paying any attention to Nassar and Strampel).

This bleed will probably eclipse that of the Flint water fiasco. From the Detroit Free Press:

The settlement, which covers all 332 current claimants, will cost Michigan State $500 million. The school will pay $425 million now and hold $75 million in reserve in case other Nassar victims come forward.

MSU will now work on how it will pay the settlement, MSU spokeswoman Emily Guerrant told the Free Press.

Survivor attorney James White said this is a chance for the survivors to begin to move forward.

“I don’t think they can ever be made whole, but this is a step in the right direction,” he said.

The settlement was announced Wednesday, after the Detroit Free Press published news of the settlement, following two days of closed-door mediation sessions between lawyers for the university and the survivors.

Terms of the settlement are as follows:

• $425 million dollars will be paid to all current claimants

• $75 million dollars will be set aside in a trust fund to protect any future claimants alleging sexual abuse by Nassar

The settlement was approved by the MSU board in a conference call Tuesday night.

I underestimated the costs here by $ 25 million, when adjusted for the additional claimants who have come forward.

Strampel’s cases are not part of this settlement, so there is more bleeding to come.

This disaster is on the Democrats, exclusively.

Michigan has the least elite elites in the nation.

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Conservative News, Elections, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Macomb County Gubernatorial Debate – June 7, 2018

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The Macomb County Republican Assembly will be hosting the first gubernatorial debate to be held in Macomb County in 2018.

Sen. Pat Colbeck, Dr. Jim Hines and LG Brian Calley are all scheduled to attend.

Citing yet another “scheduling conflict” AG Bill Schuette will not be attending this event.

The event will take place at Macomb Community College University Center on June 7th. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the debate begins at 7:00pm.

The debate will be moderated by Charlie Langton along with Kathy Hoekstra and Nolan Finley.

Tickets for the event will be free, but there is a limit of two and must be reserved here first before attending. There will be no tickets available at the door.

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Michigan Politics

2018 Michigan Congressional Races

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Cross-posted at The Western Right, Right Michigan, and Red Racing Horses.

Michigan will see several interesting congressional races in 2018, with one open seat.  Michigan has 14 congressional seats.

There are several articles that analyze the general political leanings of the districts.

Michigan Redistricting: Congressional Map Passed
Republican Michigander Congressional District Profiles (Sidebar at right)

District 1 (Upper Peninsula, Northern Lower Peninsula) Safe Republican.
CD12: 48.1-47.6 CD14: 52-45 CD16: 55-40 McCain: 48.5 Romney: 53.5 Trump 57.9
Following the retirement of Dan Benishek, conservative retired general Jack Bergman defeated moderate state senator Tom Casperson and former senator Jason Allen 39-32-28 in the R primary. He defeated former Michigan democrat chairman Lon Johnson, a liberal who bought a small house in Kalkaska County, in the general. Veteran Matt Morgan is running for the D nomination, but may be disqualified because he messed up his petitions.

District 2 (Ottowa, Muskegon) Safe Republican.
CD12: 61-34 CD14: 64-33 CD16: 63-33 McCain: 50.4 Romney: 56 Trump 55.8
Republican former state rep. Bill Huizinga won a close primary in 2010 to replace Pete Hoekstra, and was easily reelected since then. He has generally voted a fairly conservative line. This remains the most Republican district in Michigan.  Robert Davidson and Nick Schiller are running for the D nomination.

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Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

Something In The Water

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There’s Crazy – Then There Is Traverse City Michigan crazy.

Once upon a time, Traverse City owned TCL&P (Traverse City Light & Power) produced electricity.  (see picture at right) We had coal docks, a steam producing boiler, and turbines that were able to produce all of what was needed for Traverse City, and some surrounding area power needs.

In the early eighties, TCL&P, contracted with the county to operate power generation from three dams that were deeded to Grand Traverse County a decade before by Consumers Power. It cost them nothing. In the 90s, TCL&P erected the region’s first windmill, while at the same time reducing output and planning complete decommission of  its coal fired facility which (by the way) was located on the valuable public waterfront.

Stories were plentiful about how the city was conscious of the environment, had to do their part, and how some folks would sign up for that ‘expensive’ energy which cost only 3 or four times the current rate. There were TCL&P customers who voluntarily paid for ‘green’ energy that came down the same transmission lines, even though it was the same electricity as the guy was getting next door for less.

I suppose a byline in the local fish wrap was worth it?

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Governor’s Debate Takeaways

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I’ll admit it, I have a dog in this race.

I prefer Patrick Colbeck for the GOP nomination, but an honest critique of the Grand Rapids debate is warranted here. The one hour forum broadcast with at least 5 minutes of technical difficulties, and a scheduled emergency broadcast test in the middle offered voters a better picture of who ought to represent as gubernatorial flag bearer for the GOP in November.

Bill Schuette, Brian Calley Patrick Colbeck, and Jim Hines participated.  Each candidate was clearly prepared, and felt comfortable in front of the camera.

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