Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Taxes

Speaking of Fakes, Forgeries and Mysteries

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Just in from the You Gotta Believe Me files…

Orr-BealThe art world is buzzing, albeit quietly, about a prospective, voluntary sale of some Detroit Institute of Arts works — including an 1886 Van Gogh still life.

In the hubbub of Detroit’s Chapter 9 bankruptcy, the prospect of selling off the DIA’s collection was a key controversy. Selling even one painting to satisfy creditors or fund operations, DIA officials said then, could destroy the DIA’s standing in the museum world.

The DIA triumphed when the so-called “grand bargain” ensured the museum would remain intact last year. Instead of selling any art, the museum pledged $100 million to help the city pay down debt.

REST

So, where do the RINO Weiser shakedown monies go? Inquiring minds would like to know.

For that matter, where the hell have the L. Brooks Patterson endorsed (it’s a no-brainer, right?) metro county shakedown monies been going?

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Did Proposal 1 Decamp to Washington?

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Government Spending Image 3While Michiganders were being entertained and infuriated by the lies of Proposal 1 proponents, few of us noticed that the very same roads funding strife is reaching a crescendo in Washington. The Federal Highway Trust Fund spends about $ 50 billion dollars on ‘transportation’ across the U.S.A. each year. Michigan received $ 1.39 billion from the HTF in Fiscal Year 2014 for new construction of roads and bridges, along with mass transit activities. As a point of reference, Michigan spent an additional $ 2 billion of funds raised within the state for the same ‘transportation’ purposes. The Federal HTF paid for 40.9% of Michigan ‘transportation’ spending in FY 2014.

Funded in the past by an $ 0.184 per gallon Federal gasoline tax ($ 0.244 per gallon on diesel fuel), the Highway Trust Fund’s traditional fuel tax revenues have fallen to about $ 34 billion. The Federal government has been supplementing the Highway Trust Fund from general deficit spending revenues since 2008. In Fiscal Year 2014, the Federal government supplemented the Highway Trust Fund with $ 11 billion in general revenues.

How did this happen?

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

From each according to their ability…to each according to their need – Part, oh, whatever

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First off, I’d just like to thank those who have sent in suggestions so far for “The Right Michigan Solution for Fixing Michigan Roads” (and yes, I have gotten a few already). I’ve got an update that I like to pass along after the fold.

And for the record, the title of this post isn’t referring to these “poor” schemps.

{More below the fold}

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Part Time Legislature, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking

Really?

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Perhaps we take a different look at how we compensate our legislators (and maybe most of the top level bureaucrats)

Perhaps we do away with all of the term limit nonsense, and decrease the salaries of those who remain in government (YES including those who are high dollar appointees) by 10% each year to encourage them to return to the private sector.

Maybe THAT would be the direction pay should go in the future?

Check this out.

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Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Rent Seeking

Forget it, Duggan, Your Bailout Subsidy Answered the Door Naked

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Slick Rick’s clown-car of gimme, gimme, gimme actors in Detroit, are completely delusional.

Money SwirlMayor Mike Duggan says he doesn’t expect his proposal for low-cost auto insurance in Detroit to be derailed by the legal troubles of the bill’s planned sponsor, state Sen. Virgil Smith.

According to an article I read while going through Safeco insurance reviews, Duggan told City Council members on Tuesday he is pressing forward with his January timetable for the plan, which would allow auto insurance companies to sell Detroiters lower-cost policies with a maximum of $275,000 in medical coverage for auto-related injuries.

Smith, D-Detroit, who last month announced he would sponsor the proposed legislation, was arrested in connection with an assault and shooting involving his ex-wife.

The mayor stressed Tuesday that Smith’s challenges will not jeopardize the proposal. The next stop, he added, will be to seek a Senate hearing.

“We’re going to do what we’ve got to do and line up our votes,” Duggan told reporters, adding he’s confident that he’ll ultimately gain the support of the Michigan Legislature.

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Ya, right. Below is a glaring representative example why insurance rates are higher in the City of Detroit.

So, which legislator would like to sign his name to Duggan and Snyder’s special carve out? Better yet, which legislator would like to put his name next to a vote for that?

Good luck.

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Cronyism, Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Rent Seeking

Tesla Motors: Round 2

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Slick Rick along with Joe and Marcia Hune stepped in it this time.

The Federal Trade Commission on Monday strongly urged the Michigan state legislature to reconsider its ban on Tesla Motors Inc. and other automakers from directly selling vehicles to owners.

In a 10-page letter to Michigan State Sen. Darwin Booher, R-Evart, three senior FTC staff members urged the state to drop its long-standing bar to automakers selling vehicles directly to consumers, saying “Michigan’s consumers would more fully benefit from a complete repeal of the prohibition on direct sales by all automakers.” The commission voted 5-0 in favor of the comments.

rick-snyder-the-calley-crusherThe letter came after Booher asked the FTC about a pending Michigan Senate bill that would create a limited exception to state law that would allow manufacturers of “autocycles” — enclosed three-wheelers that are more like cars than motorcycles — to sell vehicles in some circumstances. But the FTC said the Senate bill “does not go far enough,” and would “largely perpetuate the current law’s protectionism for independent franchised dealers, to the detriment of Michigan car buyers.”

Booher’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The bill was introduced April 15 and referred to the state Senate economic development committee, which has taken no action.

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But, I don’t want everyone to get too down on our Lansingcritter’s moronic displays of legislative prowess. Remember, they went to public schools.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Weasel Words? Really? We can do much better than that!

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There is an axiom that everyone has probably heard numerous times already that goes something like this: “Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.”

A friend of mine would add in a second line to that to make it a little bit more interesting…”Those who fail to learn the lesson of history correctly, well they are just plain doomed.”

It strongly looks like were seeing that second line play out here in Michigan after the defeat of Proposal 1.

This time around, though, it doesn’t have to end that way.

{More after the fold}

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Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion

LMAO: Detroit Teh #ComebackCity

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Mike Duggan’s auto insurance subsidy legislator buddy in action…

Police: State senator facing charges after Detroit shooting

2015_mercedes_benz_gla

Sorta looks like ‘ol Virg took Slo-Joe Biden’s advice to heart, huh? Actually, it also appears that ‘ol Virg took Bill Clinton’s advice to bed, too. Yep. Democrats being Democrats. #WhiteMercedesMatter

But, never fear, Worthy is kicking that can down the memory hole from the 36 hour *news* cycle.

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