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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Michigan Politics

2016 Michigan Post-primary State House Fundraising

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September 1 was the deadline for campaign finance reports for Michigan legislature.  Here are summaries of the total amounts raised (with cash on hand) in competitive general elections for Michigan state house.  XX means the report has yet to be filed.

17. (Safe D) (R) Bellino 43K (19K) (D) LaVoy 54K (5K)
20. (Lean R) (R) Noble 27K (10K) (D) Pubur 28K (19K)
23. (Tossup) (R) Howey 67K (37K) (D) Camilleri 62K (7K)
24. (Lean R) (R) Marino 110K (42K) (D) Peterson 75K (20K)
30. (Lean R) (R) Farrington 76K (32K) (D) Notte 46K (14K)
39. (Lean R) (R) Kesto 176K (101K) (D) Stack 6K (13K)
41. (Lean R) (R) Howrylak 84K (34K) (D) Peltonon XX
52. (Safe D) (R) Clark 15K (4K) (D) Lasinski 123K (19K)
56. (Lean R) (R) Sheppard 107K (64K) (D) Redmond 23K (10K)
57. (Tossup) (R) Kahle 88K (28K) (D) Schmidt 22K (21K)
61. (Lean R) (R) Iden 132K (82K) (D) Fisher 33K (17K)
62. (Tossup) (R) Bizon 109K (85K) (D) Haadsma 77K (47K)
64. (Lean R) (R) Alexander 104K (4K) (D) Brooks 16K (6K)
66. (Lean R) (R) Griffin 110K (50K) (D) Brown 62K (29K)
71. (Tossup) (R) Barrett 130K (77K) (D) Abed 50K (25K)
76. (Safe D) (R) O’Neill 40K (6K) (D) Brinks 70K (40K)
79. (Lean R) (R) LaSata 50K (14K) (D) Seats 9K (6K)
83. (Safe R) (R) Hernandez 49K (8K) (D) Frank 9K (4K)
85. (Lean R) (R) Frederick 126K (30K) (D) Karhoff 11K (4K)
91. (Tossup) (R) Hughes 182K (119K) (D) Lamonte 143K (103K)
97. (Safe R) (R) Wentworth 53K (14K) (D) Townsend 8K ($250)
98. (Safe R) (R) Glenn 179K (98K) (D) Malicoat XX
99. (Tossup) (R) Hauck 53K (21K) (D) Mielke 109K (70K)
101. (Tossup) (R) VandelWall 66K (52K) (D) Scripps 107K (22K)
103. (Lean R) (R) Rendon 84K (41K) (D) Stancil 31K (1K)
104. (Lean R) (R) Inman 122K (29K) (D) Coffia 35K (16K)
106. (Lean R) (R) Allor 77K (21K) (D) Kennedy 20K (3K)
108. (Tossup) (R) Lafave 41K (3K) (D) Celello 59K (21K)

I moved 83 and 97 to safe R based on these reports.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

The Movement

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DSC_0481Meshawn Maddock laid it out the best.

In a Freep article, she correctly assesses the reasons to have the micro events across the state in support of Trump and Pence. She says:

“This is an action thing, you take an hour out of our life, you don’t wait all day to hear a Trump speech,” said Meshawn Maddock, one of the organizers of the flash mob. “We came out to show people who are undecided a movement. We’re trying to show all of these people that we have hope again.”

DSC_0500She is spot on.

The typical media treatment of anything Trump is anything but reality.  Right now as these stories are going on out there, the social media trolls are hard at work attempting to diminish the positive effort made on behalf of the GOP presidential team.

Typically, each social media posting has one or two trolls who are either paid, or simply have no life.  They refuse to let any positive statement go unchallenged through ridicule and insults.  Many supporters rightly avoid the verbal melee, and opt to keep their opinions silent; the goal of such subterfuge.

Reality can rear its head with proper reporting however.

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy

Well Hot Dayum

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I suppose I could have predicted this.

And again, perhaps I should have.  While not exactly putting me in the Nostradamus category, it might have been fun to be that guy who says “I told you so.”   Capitol Confidential has (as expected) caught on to the ‘changing of the guard’ in Emmet County:

While primary elections for local offices rarely garner much attention, the results of the August election were dramatic for one county in northern lower Michigan. Of seven members of the current county commission, only one will be on the fall ballot.

Charlie MacInnis.  And good for him.

We mentioned this a year ago.  At that time also speaking of predictability.

I Could have predicted this.

Perhaps I would have; if I lived in Emmet County.  However, there should still be nothing surprising about an apparent divergence of priority between the voters and the elected numbskulls who ‘serve’ them.  The same type of thinking that drives the nonsense in DC can be just as bad locally, and have a more immediate financial effect.

Reading the bills, or allowing a real debate to happen before committing millions of dollars extracted forcefully from taxpayers should be paramount.  The latter option was never allowed to happen however.  A year ago, Emmet County commissioners jacked the electorate without the chance to object, leaving them to foot the bill for a $15 Million boondoggle.

As quick as a shooting star, Emmet County commissioners (pictured above) approved a sale of $15 million in bonds with nearly half of the proceeds being used to build an observatory and a new event building at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City.

Without the chance to object.

Taxpayers didn’t even know there would be a vote on such an expensive proposal. One watchdog called it out.

Apparently the voters are wising up?

One could hope.

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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

2016 Michigan Republican Convention Highlights

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DSC_0020The Michigan Republican Party Convention in Grand Rapids selected nominees for the State Board of Education, and University spots on Saturday.

The State wide races were the primary reason for the convention, but Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and others also spoke during Friday Night caucuses as well as on Saturday about the entire ticket “from top to bottom” as being critical for all republican seat wins.  The current RINO squish Rick Snyder has yet to endorse the nominee, but has at least stopped short of endorsing the criminal Hillary Clinton as did his ideological mentor Bill Milliken.

The slate of GOP nominees selected in the full convention include:

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Humor in Michigan, Michigan

Liberalocks & The Three Bears

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Once upon a time, there was a little Michigan Millennial Bohemian named Liberalocks.  She  went for a walk in the  suburbs near the state capitol (Okemos).  Pretty soon, she came upon a house.  She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in because she had been taught to be entitled.

At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of gluten free porridge.  Liberalocks was hungry, and without hesitation or consideration for other people’s property, tasted the porridge from the first bowl.

“This gluten free porridge is too hot!” she exclaimed. “How dare someone leave such a hazard lying around! Perhaps I call an agency about this?  There must certainly be a law!”

Then, she tasted the gluten free porridge from the second bowl.

“This porridge is too cold,” she said “It’s just not fair!  There are standards for food service in this country! And how did my dreadlocks fall into it?!”

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Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

Rails To Fails

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MicDSC_4010higan, and other states have seen a change from railroad grades to walking biking trails over the last several years.

While the old industrial infrastructure is converted to ‘cool cities’ attractions, communities are being asked to pitch in for tourism, and by golly, to commit for more of that brownfield dollar abuse as well. From today’s ticker:

“The new trail route is estimated to cost $5.3 million to complete. According to TART Trails Executive Director Julie Clark, $3.6 million (or 68 percent of the construction budget) is already earmarked in brownfield funding for the project. TART will seek an $800,000 commitment from Garfield Township trustees at their 6pm meeting tonight (Tuesday), leaving an $877,000 funding gap, or the remaining 17 percent of project costs. The city could help cover those costs, and partners could also apply for state grants, which “have funded the Boardman Lake Trail since day one,” Clark said.”

Its only money right?

One commenter says:

“Kudos to the City and TART. Trails are big money for cities, both in enhanced tourism and in adding value to properties. This will open up a lot of cool opportunities and add value all around Boardman Lake.“

Well snap.

I guess its “big money.”

Add to this the suggestion of creating a new parks authority, it only starts there.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Religious Freedom, Republicans

This Is Why

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In 2007,  Congressman Pete Hoekstra told me that the Bush administration was going to call terrorist attacks “Man-Made disasters” going forward.

It was a report of incredulity. It was the first time I became aware that our federal government was not at all interested in fighting a ‘holy war,’ and was actually more concerned that any reference to Islam in a negative way would incite more violence and hostility from Muslims as such.

It was at that point, I knew we had lost a major battle in the fight against radical Islam.

Words matter, as other popular pundits note.  The failure to recognize one’s enemy can only guarantee that enemy remains invisible until it is too late.  This administration has made no attempt to reverse that policy, and has in-fact embraced it to the point that Islam Jihad has occurred on our soil several times since 2008.

No change would be expected under a 2nd Clinton administration either.  Of this we can be certain.  Hillary’s European style pandering would likely give us more Charlie Hebdo, or Paris theater style attacks.  As it is, she is calling out for more refugee settlement of radicalized Muslims in the US and IN MICHIGAN, a position that the Obama administration has been obliging.

This speech by Donald Trump should remind folks that he is not afraid to call out an evil by its name.

 

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Republicans

Trump Rally In Dimondale Friday

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Dimondale-TrumpUPDATE – Doors now open 2 p.m. rally begins 5 p.m.

Donald Trump will be in Dimondale on Friday for a 5 p.m. rally.

Michigan is apparently still viewed as in play, and it It will be the second visit to Michigan for Trump in the last two weeks.

Doors will open for the rally at 2 p.m.

Summit Sports and Ice Complex,
9410 Davis Highway in Dimondale.

Trump scheduling and ticket info is available here.

Do not let the media portrayal of Trump’s polling numbers fool you.

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