My Two Dads

Most people who know me, understand that I shy away from that which is politically correct.

This Fathers Day, it seemed to be an excellent time to reinforce that understanding, and offer a view that may not be widely held. Try as I might, I can no longer disguise the fact that I have not one, but two fathers; each of whom are so incredibly important, that the loss of either one would leave me in a state of severe depression.fathersday

Both of my fathers have cared for me since I was young, somehow knowing what to provide for my brothers and I, and always making sure we had what was needed. Though they did not always provide the things that we wanted, there is no question we were never without the essentials, and those necessary things were given with unconditional love, and often a touch of sacrifice.

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Another “Grand Bargain”

Was that crappy cow-box computer company a bastion of nepotism?

Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday appointed the father of House Speaker Jase Bolger to the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees.

James Bolger, of Whitehall in Muskegon County, is a former state police leader, a criminal justice instructor at Grand Valley State University and alumnus of WMU.

The Republican governor appointed Bolger to the remainder of an eight-year term that expires on Dec. 31, 2020.
….

“I look forward to my dad’s efforts to help WMU continue to excel and prepare their students for success while providing parents exceptional value for their investment,” Jase Bolger said in a statement.

And, only 18 months for his brother to leap up the government trough. One can’t really figure out why Jase Bolger votes the way he does, can they?
BolgerSchmidtFraud

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Taxed Too Much Follow Up

Report from Joan Fabiano

Despite the best efforts, arm twisting, promises and amendment upon amendment) of Gov. Snyder, Senate majority leader Randy Richardville (term limited) and Speaker of the House Jase Bolger (term limited) to put lipstick on a pig the legislature could not  muster the votes Thursday for a big tax increase. The Senate has adjourned until July 16 returns August 13, but doesn’t resume the regular schedule until September 9.

In fact it was high drama under the Dome as Snyder, Richardville and Snyder huddled trying to find a way to “get er done” including keeping the Senators in session long into the night on Tuesday to wear them down however, time after time the big tax increase was rejected.

READ THE REST at Grassroots in Michigan

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Why Is This Load So Heavy?

Edward John Markey, the junior U. S. Senator from Massachusetts (since July 16th, 2013) has represented the Bay State in Congress since November 2nd, 1976. Adding in his time in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (starting January 3rd, 1973), he’s served a total of a little over 41-½ years in publicly-elected office. During this time, Markey has developed a reputation, supported by both his voting record and his own live-mic admission, of having never once seen a tax increase that he didn’t support. (The long-running backroom joke is that the surefire way to get Markey’s support on a bill that he’d otherwise oppose is to slip a tax increase into the final version of the bill.)

Similarly, a certain candidate for this summer’s convention nomination to a certain university governing board already has an 18-year history on the governing boards of Michigan’s Division I universities. Reviewing her history during that time, I have found no evidence whatsoever of a tuition or housing increase that she wouldn’t support. If she gets back on one of those boards this fall, then that particular habit is going to be a problem.

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Giant Killers

goliath1The defeat of US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor yesterday has revived the hopes of tea folk across the country, and has set a different tone for the 2014 election season.

While it is only ONE race, it is a whopper; the coattails of which might have real consequence in current GOP contests. One of those is the Dan Benishek (CD-1) incumbency being challenged by business owner, veteran, and political newcomer Alan Arcand.

Arcand, who has been highly visible in Northern lower Michigan, will likely see a boost from the news of Cantor’s defeat; primarily because it drives home the reality that a successful challenge CAN be made if the incumbent is seen as giving in to the other side.  It is not all automatic for the good Dr., who rode in to a win on the tea party train of 2010.

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Small Victories

 

Small Victories

I keep telling the conservative activists I work with each campaign cycle that they need to look for the ‘small victories’ achieved in any election, rather than dwell on any defeat. The defeats far outnumber the victories. The letdown is tremendous, not only is the air let out of your balloon, but a huge rock is placed on top of it. At my age, and with my political objectives set from local races to national ones, reinflating that balloon requires some major time and effort. The time is spent ‘under the rock’ just wondering what one individual can accomplish against a political system so corrupt and weighted against any ‘outsider’ that victory appears impossible. That is when I think of my grandkids. That is when I think of ‘my’ America compared to what theirs will be, and I remove the ‘rock’. The ‘small victories’ reinflate my balloon. The Scott Brown victory to gain the “Kennedy Seat”; I joined the “Brown Brigade” to do what I could from my keyboard in Michigan, lining up phone bank volunteers from across the country to help him win. It inspired me to do more. Three election cycles, two local recall battles, and the defeat of a horrendous tax millage later; it is the small victories that keep me focused on the goal of restoring the greatest nation and society this planet has ever seen. Last night was a ’small victory’…HUGE in its effect on the rest of the 2014 elections, and ONE in particular…the Michigan 1st District primary.

I’ve had a feeling of a different version of ‘climate change’, this time, the political winds are changing. The campaign promises of Dan Benishek lie in broken pieces across four years of establishment party politics. The people he was elected to represent are tired of the same rhetoric and inaction; the complete lack of ‘spine’ , the ‘fluff’ PRs and ads. We want to hear the bald truth. We want commitment to conservative American principles and values. We want someone to stand for those as our representative in Washington. This isn’t a political party thing, it’s an AMERICAN thing. We want our country back. Virginia said it in spades yesterday, the ‘establishment’ was kicked in the teeth. Eric Cantor was found guilty of representing himself and the bug government he was part and parcel of by the voters of VA-07. The only work he was busy doing in that district was apparently a substantial effort to purge the Republican local parties of conservatives. Evidently, that backfired. There is a message in that somewhere for the rest of the nation’s establishment Repubicans…”Use us, or lose us.”…Cantor lost us.

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I ain’t as good as I once was

But I’m as good once as I ever was

Likewise, Hoekstra said his win was a referendum on Washington and Vander Jagt, who was criticized for taking lavish trips on behalf of special interests while managing the Republican National Congressional Committee that funneled campaign cash to GOP candidates.

“A lot of people thought Guy had gone “DC” on them,” said Hoekstra, adding that both Cantor and Vander Jagt “became the face of Washington rather than the face of their district.”

Pete’s a regular legend in his own mind.


If they’re all like Pete, one really can’t imagine why this is nearing insolvency, can they? Not to worry folks, the Lansing Nerdpublicrats got Pork Barrel Pete’s back covered.

Sometimes it is the best entertainment on the planet to watch how these old corrupticrats bray about themselves.

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Cantor’s Defeat Proves “The Conservative Tea Party” Voice Means Business

This should show the establishment MIGOP that when they attack the Grassroots, Conservatives, Libertarians and Tea Party faithful and their voices are ignored you will pay a price at the voting booth! A Tea Party

For Michigan’s Republican voters can you say the “dele-gate” fiasco with the Romney supporters or how about that fiasco at the Tampa Convention?

But it just doesn’t end with those two examples either. How about all the state party rule changes brought down by the power brokers of the MIGOP as to stifle the Grassroots Conservative Tea Party voices here in Michigan?

The party establishment will go to any and all lengths as to protect their perceived power and control along with their spots at the public “feeding trough” over its shrinking membership. 

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