Making Education Great Again.

The Michigan chapter of Americans for Prosperity is launching an effort to contact 90,000 grassroots activists across Michigan and engage them in opposition to the latest iteration of the Detroit bailout deal

The group plans to spend significantly in order to hold state legislators accountable if they choose to support an appropriation of Michigan taxpayer dollars for this deal. Checkout StrongerDetroit.com for more information on the bailout and AFP’s grassroots efforts. Scott Hagerstrom says:

“Detroit receives more of our hard-earned tax dollars than any other municipality in Michigan. It should be clear to all of us that throwing more good money after bad can’t save Detroit from big-government policies that constrict private growth and rob taxpayers of wealth. Allowing the City of Detroit to sit on $3 billion in assets while pensioners see cuts is not acceptable. Lawmakers in Lansing need to know that 90,000 Michigan activists are watching closely as they consider appropriating more money to throw down the drain.”

And we agree.

Detroit tries to have its cake and eat OURS too, and our GOP legislators could very well sell us down that river.

Go get em AFP.

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All the Other Stuff, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

Tea Party Pow Wow Flashback

by Jason • May 20, 2014 • 0 Comments

Been busy folks!

But never fear, we always have good stuff for you.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Michigan, Opinion

To Serve….

by Corinthian Scales • May 19, 2014 • 9 Comments

Again, I ask Why?

Attempts by the Kalamazoo Gazette to reach Wagner through his union, the Michigan State Police Troopers Association, were unsuccessful. Wagner has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation by MSP that is ongoing.
MORE

See what happens when public sector union thugs start believing in their First Responders are Heroes™ crap.

click on image to enbiggen.

H/t WRSA

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Democrats, Detroit, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Snyder’s non-bailout Detoilet Bailout and Lansing Legislator Looter Scorecard

by Corinthian Scales • May 19, 2014 • 2 Comments

I have to hand it to the folks over at MCC, this is a great vote tracking device.

A bipartisan 10-bill package has been introduced in the Michigan House related to a proposed Detroit bailout. A link to the concise, objective, plain-English MichiganVotes.org descriptions of all 10 bills is here.

It’s worth noting that the grant (or bailout) bills do not require passage of the reform bills to become law. Also, nothing would prohibit a future Legislature from repealing the reform measures, although in practical terms this could get complicated given that a potential federal court bankruptcy settlement may be all wrapped together with the grant and reforms — if they are approved.

REST

Big, big, Thank You shout out to, Mr. McHugh.

A reminder from the beginning of the year… when Bee-esS Talks – Money Walks.

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Republicans

NOTICE – Tax Increases Imminent – Update – Cancelled (for now)

by Jason • May 19, 2014 • 4 Comments

Please bend over.

COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee – Senator Roger Kahn Chair

DATE: Tuesday, May 20^th, 2014

TIME: 9:30 a.m.

LOCATION: Senate Appropriations Room, 3^rd Floor, Capitol Building

100 S. Capitol Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933

AGENDA

Re-Referral of Bills:

· SB 6 (Sen. Proos) Sales tax; distribution; percentage of sales tax collected on motor fuel to be earmarked to transportation funding in 2013 and each year thereafter; establish.

· SB 84 (Sen. Casperson) Natural resources; funding; recreation improvement account; authorize to receive portion of 2% sales tax dedicated to transportation.

· SB 85 (Sen. Pappageorge) Transportation; motor fuel tax; motor fuel tax act; repeal.

· SB 86 (Sen. Pappageorge) Vehicles; registration; registration fees; modify.

· SB 87 (Sen. Kahn) Transportation; motor fuel tax; motor fuel tax; modify, and implement tax rate based on the average wholesale price of gasoline.

· SB 88 (Sen. Kahn) Vehicles; registration; registration fees; modify.

· SJR J (Sen. Richardville) Sales tax; rate; increase in sales tax and use tax; provide for, and revise distribution.

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan

Payola Or Pretense?

by Jason • May 18, 2014 • 5 Comments

What does the largest government body North of Clare do when it sees a case of vendor provided payoff to an employee?

It blesses the transaction. <– yes, that is the punchline

As yet another example of misplaced priorities, and a misunderstanding of the roles they play, the Traverse City Area public School board trustees have approved a ‘settlement’ which involves a payment from the soon-to-retire superintendent Stephen Cousins, and a gift from one of the school’s vendors to make up the difference between the $25,000 owed to the school district by the superintendent and his $14,800 cash reimbursement component.

First a recap of the facts as we know them.

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Michigan Politics

2014 Michigan State Senate Elections

by Conservative First • May 16, 2014 • 3 Comments

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

All 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are up for election in 2014. Republicans currently have a 26-12 supermajority, and have controlled the senate since 1983.

Republican control of the state senate has prevented democrats from complete control of Michigan’s government, and stopped a lot of bad things from being passed. More recently, the Republican supermajority has prevented some of Governor Snyder’s more liberal plans from being implemented.

Fortunately for Republicans, the Michigan state senate is up only in midterms, which favor Republicans much more than presidential years. 2010 was very good to the Michigan GOP. Republicans picked up four state senate seats (and one earlier in a 2009 special election).

Republicans had complete control of redistricting this cycle. They crafted a very effective map. One democrat district was eliminated in Wayne County and replaced by a Republican one in west Michigan. Four other dem districts were made more dem. Most of the potentially vulnerable Republican seats were made more Republican, though a couple got slightly worse due to the need to avoid splitting counties. The new map is actually cleaner than the old one, excluding the Detroit districts, which are ugly for VRA reasons.

Michigan Redistricting: Official Republican State Senate Map Released
Michigan Redistricting: Republican State Senate Map Passed

There are ten open seats. Seven senators, four republicans and three democrats, are term-limited. Two republicans are just retiring, and one is running for Congress. Three Republican-held open seats (17, 20, 32) are tossups, and one other (13) could be competitive. Democrats have only one top challenger to a Republican incumbent (7), though another (34) could be competitive. Notably, dems failed to recruit credible candidates in several districts that were hotly contested in 2010 (29, 31, 38).

All but one of the current state senators are former state representatives. This pattern held in the past, and most credible candidates this time are current or former state reps.

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