Tag Archive for Crime Pays

Conservative News, Democrats, Firearms, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Part Time Legislature, Republicans

Ready For A Crime Wave?

by 10x25MM • June 18, 2015 • 9 Comments

Governor Snyder's 'Smart Justice' Improves The Risk/Reward Payoff For Armed Criminals

Michigan House Bills 4419/4420, Proposed Substitute H-3, gut Michigan’s 25 year old mandatory minimum sentences for crimes committed with firearms. Introduced by Republican Representative Kurt Heise (R-20th) of Plymouth and co-authored by 28 bleeding heart Republicans (4) and Democrats (24), these bills:

1. Convert Michigan’s long standing mandatory 2/5/10 year minimum sentences for criminals using firearms into maximum sentences

2. Allow ‘use of firearms’ sentences to be served concurrently with the underlying crime sentences for the first time

3. Allow prisoners serving ‘use of firearms’ sentences to be paroled prior to completing even these sentences

Now the proponents of ‘Smart Justice’ are telling the public that their effort will:

– reduce the number of ‘non violent prisoners’ held in Michigan prisons

– reduce the price Michigan pays for incarceration

As you might imagine, this is quite attractive to Michigan politicians who just got slapped down on Proposal 1. The Michigan Department of Corrections consumes $ 2 billion in General Fund revenues every year. Roughly 20% of the total General Fund.

Governor Snyder kicked off this issue back in early March with his Special Message to the Legislature on Public Safety. The primary public advocate driving his ‘Smart Justice’ sentencing reforms is one Barbara Levine, the Assistant Director of Research and Policy at the Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Policy and one of Governor Snyder’s appointees on Michigan’s new Criminal Justice Policy Commission. She just released a massive study titled “10,000 fewer Michigan prisoners: Strategies to reach the goal”. This could produce up to a 23% drop in prison spending, something on the order of $ 450 million a year. A lot of new Lansing office buildings with views and more idle train cars in Owosso. A Pavlovian metronome irresistibly beckoning our state politicians.

But how much would it cost Michigan residents in crime taxes?

All the Other Stuff, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Oh & BTW – Convention Edition

by Jason • August 22, 2014 • 2 Comments

Though many may be casting a protest vote, it won't likely be for Mark Schauer

Bad guys is just plain bad guys.

We police our own, but fact of the matter is that Democrat Mark Schauer had the biggest campaign finance violation and fine that Michigan has seen to date. In 2007 former RM editor and operator Nick DeLeeuw noted the unmitigated gall of Schauer, and the 22 counts of his election violations:

“Here’s how it worked. Schauer decided to go ahead and raise a bunch of illegal campaign cash. He received illegal money from Democrats including Carl Williams, Alexander Lipsey, Bob Schockman, Gretchen Whitmer, Mickey Switalski, Buzz Thomas, Liz Brater, Mike Prusi, Gilda Jacobs, Glenn Anderson and Mark Slavens and then pitched in $187,000 himself. Mind you, the limit is $20,000.

Once the Democrats realized they’d been discovered each of the folks who currently serve in the legislature went ahead and asked for refunds. Essentially they said “oops, our mistake, don’t punish us for it!” Prusi, Whitmer, Switalski, Brater, Thomas, Slavens and Jacobs all took their illegal cash back, essentially admitting they’d been caught with their hands in the cookie jar and trying to make things right (well after the fact).

But no such change of heart from Mark Schauer. When he breaks the law he stands by his criminal activity! And he stands by his man, too. Ken Brock, the anti-Semite who’s racist comments drew the ire of everyone in Michigan except Mark Schauer, was the Senator’s treasurer on this particular money laundering operation and signed all of the papers. “

The scheme was noted and investigated.

Democrats

Dontcha Just Hate When This Happens?

by Jason • February 17, 2014 • 5 Comments

From the not so incredibly surprised department.

As most anyone who has owned a home and might have considered owning another knows; you don’t get to double dip. Only ONE free pass per household. The Lansing State Journal reports:

“Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, and her husband Fayez claimed a 100 percent personal residence exemption for both the Detroit home they live in and a rental property they own in Dearborn, city assessment records from both municipalities show.”

You don’t say?

(H/T to Joan F and Steve D BTW)