Michigan Politics

Independence Day – The Declaration

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A Transcription from the national archives.

 

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

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All the Other Stuff, Liberty, Michigan

Queue Up That Zoning Ordinance Claim

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As a property rights advocate/activist, I am beyond thrilled.

Local governments be forewarned, the path to pursue when property owner’s constitutional rights have been violated has just been shortened.  Zoning ordinances which have grown to be nearly as large as the worlds largest fungus might now face appropriate challenges in venues that serve as constitutional protectors.

The Supreme Court Of The United States (SCOTUS) has smashed a ‘takings’ precedent, and in doing so has made it easier for property owners beset with zealous planning and land use prohibition to clarify more immediately where a constitutional line is drawn.  From the SCOTUS blog:

In its long-awaited opinion in Knick v. Township of Scott, the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that plaintiffs alleging that local governments have violated the takings clause may proceed directly in federal court, rather than first litigating in state court. The opinion overrules a 34-year-old precedent, Williamson County Regional Planning Commission v. Hamilton Bank, triggering a sharp dissent and another debate among the justices about the meaning of stare decisis. The majority opinion also rests on a reading of the takings clause—that a constitutional violation occurs at the moment property is “taken,” even if compensation is paid later—that may have consequences beyond this case.

The takings clause of the federal Constitution provides: “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” This takings case arose from a dispute between petitioner Rose Mary Knick and the township of Scott, Pennsylvania. Knick has a small graveyard on her property, and the township attempted to enforce against her an ordinance requiring such properties to be open to the public during daytime hours. Knick alleged an unconstitutional taking, but a federal court dismissed her suit because she had not first sought compensation in state court.

The 34-year-old precedent was not all that it upended.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

So Then Nessel Kicked Herself In The Coconuts.

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Who knows?  She may have coconuts.  We aren’t supposed to consider such things as impossible anymore, right?

But Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is certainly committed to her true passion. One might think that she might wish to respect the office she holds, if only to protect her own opinions going forward.  Clearly, that is not the case.

Using federal government activity to upend a legitimate AG opinion barely a year old, Nessel puts perhaps every opinion of her own in jeopardy.  It also points out how completely political the AG’s office has become.  From the State Ministry Of Propaganda:

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Immigration, Michigan

SE Michigan Tea Party Meeting June 14th – Featuring Katie Hopkins

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From my inbox:

The Southeastern Michigan Tea Party will he hosting Conservative Commentator Katie Hopkins at their nest meeting on Friday, June 14th. Doors open at 6:00pm with the meeting beginning promptly at 7:00pm.

Ms. Hopkins will be showing her newest project “Homelands” (along with Q&A following).

Here is a brief synopsis of her documentary:

“There is a silent exodus underway in Western Europe – an entire generation no longer feel like they belong. Intimidated by a rapidly growing Muslim population, fearful of the rabid anti-Semitism of the left, and weary of feeling like targets for attack, Jewish and Christian families are on the move, looking for a new place to call home. They have no voice. Homelands in their story.”

The meeting will be held at the Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church located at 3600 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

For more information, contact the SE Michigan Tea Party via their website.

 

 

 

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

Guilty?

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I was driving through St. Louis when I got the news that Larry Inman had been indicted.

It was pretty big news.  Disappointing, yet it didn’t surprise me.  In fact, there has been so much ‘questionable’ activity going on in Lansing for decades that it was not surprising that a representative with a record of poor instincts would be the victim of a sting operation.

At least that is my assessment of what happened.  Clearly there is pay for play in our state politics.  The existence of the MEDC, and by extension any organization that profits from doing business with the state would have incentive to fill campaign coffers.  Ask any one who still raises money after they have been term limited why they do so.  If they don’t tell you directly, then look at their campaign statements on the debt side.

It’s not for charity.

Mistakenly express the the wrong sentiment, in a way that is contextually vulnerable, to the wrong people, in the wrong format. Then whammo!  You get a Representative Larry Inman indictment.

But the GOP led house, wishing to remain unscathed in a (heavens forbid) scandal of such magnitude would prefer to let Larry off the bus, ask him to inspect the rear brake lights, and …well as one might see by now, the bus does have reverse.

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Cronyism, Education, Liberty, Michigan, Rent Seeking

Globalization of Healthcare is Blurring State Lines

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Globalization of healthcare marches merrily onward with a Michigan bill hearing this week. Corporate lobbies always play a strong role at these events. This time, there’s a twist.

Big Healthcare lobbied for Obamacare in Congress, and drives most healthcare bills in DC and Lansing. More obscure healthcare lobbies are leading centralization of state health occupational licensure. It still violates market principles, and it’s important to your healthcare.

Individual healthcare rights are losing out to population care. Given what’s at stake, we should probably make an effort to push back on this one.

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Cronyism, Democrats, Economy, Elections, Fees, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Governor Whitmer Thanks You For Your Political Donations

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Anyone with DTE electric and gas service donated about $ 1 towards Governor Whitmer’s election last year. DTE donated $ 840,000 to the Progressive Advocacy Trust and the Michigan Democratic State Center.  The Progressive Advocacy Trust is an ill disguised front for the Ingham County Democrats, Ms. Whitmer’s home base.

Both groups supported Whitmer in 2018 through cascade contributions made in turn to Build A Better Michigan in the 2018 primary election and A Stronger Michigan in the 2018 general election. All these groups gamed Michigan election law, laundering corporate contributions and transforming them into political advertising supporting Whitmer.

The laundering was quite effective. You would never know that DTE was contributing to Whitmer by looking at BABM’s financial disclosures. Whitmer concealed the corporate contributions further by using snail mail to file her campaign finance reports.

These contributions eventually wound up at Whitmer’s media shop, Great America Media, a Democratic campaign management outfit on K Street in Washington which placed all her mass media advertising.  They paid for her TV ad campaign.

Build A Better Michigan was actually found to have violated Michigan campaign finance laws. Only because they were screwing other Democrats in the primary election cycle.  No one of importance would have cared if only Republicans were being screwed. BABM got a sweetheart deal from our new Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, paying only $ 37,500 and agreeing to dissolve itself.

Tu quoque

A Republican group, Michigan Jobs and Labor Foundation, was fined $ 18,000 for identical campaign law violations in 2014 The MJALF fine equaled its illegal 2014 advertising expenditures. Build A Better Michigan spent $ 1.8 million in its illegal 2018 advertising campaign, so its $ 37,500 fine was 2.1% of its illegal expenditures.

Governor Whitmer and DTE got a sweetheart deal from our new Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson.

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Michigan Politics

Justin Amash Acolyte Praises Primary Challenger Jim Lower on State House Floor

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Just one day after state Rep. Jim Lower (R-Greenville) announced his primary campaign challenge to ‘Never Trumper’ U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Cascade), one of Rep. Lower’s most conservative colleagues, Rep. John Reilly (R-Oakland) gave strong praise for Lower on the House Floor as well as on Facebook.

The remarks from Reilly carry some significance because he shares much in common with Amash. Like Amash, Reilly is one of only a few lawmakers to post explanations for each of his votes on Facebook. And Reilly often votes against the majority of his own party when he feels it violates his liberty-oriented principles.

According to various scorecards at MichiganVotes.org, Reilly has one of the most conservative voting records of any of his colleagues.

Yet Reilly saluted Lower the very day after the Congressman announced his bid to unseat Amash on the occasion of Reilly’s first bill of the year passing the House.

“This common sense bipartisan legislation has faced surprising hurdles at every step, but throughout the process, Local Government Chairman Representative Jim Lower helped move this legislation forward to do the right thing for these needy children,” Rep. Reilly posted on Facebook. “Thank you Representative Lower for your hard work and support for this bill.”

Reilly’s legislation, which would increase the number of children permitted in foster homes located on large properties of 20 acres or more from 6 to 10, had passed Lower’s committee last year, but was vetoed by then-Governor Rick Snyder. Rep. Reilly re-introduced the bill, which was referred again to Lower’s committee. After passing in the Local Government Committee, the bill was re-referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, where Lower testified in support of the bill alongside Reilly. The bill then passed that committee unanimously.

It is therefore possible that Reilly was simply thanking his colleague for his support of the bill. However, given that Lower announced his candidacy just the day before, Reilly may have went out of his way to signal his support for Lower. Reilly’s office declined to comment.

It is worth nothing that Reilly is an outspoken Trump supporter, for his nationalist ‘America First’ economic policies and restoration of U.S. sovereignty. Reilly is probably the liberty movement’s most shining legislator in Lansing. The fact that Reilly stands with Trump and not with Amash in his impeachment crusade shows that Amash’s hostility toward the President is alienating liberty supporters.

On the House floor, Reilly thanked “the chairman and representative of the 70th district” for his patience and support for the bill. House rules forbid members from naming one another in speeches.

Also, check out the first edition of my biweekly video blog series, “Cronyism in the Capitol.” It is about the legacy of Arlan Meekhof and the hidden costs of auto insurance reform!

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