Tag Archive for Lame Duck

Conservative News, Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Rent Seeking

A Letter To Amazon

by Jason • January 16, 2015 • 4 Comments

An open letter to Amazon.com Owner Jeff Bezos on the Main Street Tyranny tax.

Regulars have seen the attempts here to correct the misinformation about the main street fairness act.

Michigan lawmakers were snookered by Kowall and Verheulen into passing their tyranny in the lame duck; a time when there would seem to be no voter backlash. We call that cowardice, and reprehensible. This morning I penned (typed) a letter to Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon.com:

Jeff,

I am an online retailer. I have been fighting the mainstreet fairness taxes for several years now. Recently, Michigan legislators in a lame-duck session voted to address nexus issues in the state in an attempt to collect use taxes from out of state vendors such as Amazon and other drop shippers.

Clearly you have been arguing that the commerce clause is the remedy to what the states are trying, and frankly you are right. Quill v North Dakota settled the matter, and if there was EVER a reason for Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3, this is it. The states cannot use tariffs or taxes to discourage (or encourage) trade with other states. It is one of the enumerated powers of the congress, and the states have little business attempting to work around it.

All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Maybe A little Mis-Read?

by Jason • December 22, 2014 • 2 Comments

A Traverse City Retailer might well feel the pain of his misplaced good cents.

There will be more than a few legislators regretting their turkey moves of additional regulatory rules during the ‘lame duck’ session.

But its not just the legislators. ‘Exhibit A,’ might well be a story that ‘celebrates’ the “early Christmas present” that Front Street Traverse City business received via SB 569 and SB 658 on Friday Morning. Demonstrating that the lobbying efforts of a few rent seeking business interests are not at all in line with taxpayer interests, the piece on Saturday’s TC Ticker starts with the ‘celebration’ of the “main-street fairness” law:

“It’s been years in the making, but state lawmakers have handed brick-and-mortar retailers like Bill Golden and others throughout Traverse City and Michigan a welcome Christmas present. Starting in October, more online retailers will have to add on Michigan’s sales tax to customer purchases — just like Michigan retailers have always had to do.”

Of course, folks around here (and very likely in all other places) understand that what is sold as fairness is usually anything but fair.

Conservative News, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

Lipstick On A Pig

by Jason • December 2, 2014 • 3 Comments

The lame duck legislature has nine more days (including today) in which it could seriously harm Michigan.

One of the items which has ZERO business being considered, is the elevation of a dangerous behavior to ‘protected class’ status. Making every landlord, business owner, or boss, the potential target of people with a (previously diagnosable) mental condition. Incoming Michigan State Rep Todd Courser, in an email newsletter cautions supporters to NOT let their current Reps off the hook. He writes:

A Lipstick Makeover…

The Effort by the GOP to wrap this Expansion of Elliott Larsen in some weak religious exemption is akin to taking a Cheap Pig and Slapping a Cheap Lipstick Makeover on it; it is still a pig and it still has cheap lipstick on it. This is the granting of protected class status to the LGBT community and in doing so, it kills religious liberty and freedom of speech! Don’t be fooled…and don’t let your rep off the hook for standing SILENT as this rolls through the House. Ask them where their press releases on this issue are…encourage them to stand against this rogue action by the Republican Speaker who has been paid a small fortune and is partnering with the LGBT activists to destroy religious liberty and freedom of speech!

If this expansion to Elliott Larsen passes it will institutionalize discrimination against Christians and other faiths and make freedom of religion and freedom of speech subservient to the wishes of the homosexual lobby.

Even with the pretend religious exemptions being promised by a paid-in-advance speaker of the house, it’s still a raw deal.

Fact of the matter, is that the THREAT of a lawsuit based on such characteristics as personal choice and preference, is an affront to freedom of association and speech. It hardly matters if one can exempt themselves based on their religious practice or beliefs if the must first stand before a judge and make that exclamation. It still costs time, and money, and hardship.

And taking into account what it will cost the taxpayers, Rick Snyder doesn’t want to see it on his desk anyhow.

You Betcha!

(27)Nuh Uh.

(2)

Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Republicans

And So It Begins

by Jason • November 13, 2014 • 15 Comments

Taking no chances that the grassroots come out in opposition, the Progressives strike.

The Michigan State Senate nearly doubles our state gasoline taxes.

Voting to raise the gas taxes by 17 cents at legislative maturity, RINO Senate Leader and tax raiser Randy Richardville’s bill will create even more hardships on those who are already struggling to put fuel in the tank. Much of it earmarked for mass transit too? Wonderful. The Ivory Tower reports:

The bill from Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, was passed quickly and without debate, by a 23-14 vote, after a number of false starts earlier in the day.

The Senate took “a big step to show people we’re serious,” Richardville said. “If you’ve got an alternative, we’re going to take a look at it.”

Emphasis provided to demonstrate what double speak is

Cowards and thieves.

You Betcha!

(16)Nuh Uh.

(1)

All the Other Stuff, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1

Hey Tim Skubick!

by Jason • November 10, 2014 • 2 Comments

Where is that 'tax cut fever' you promised?

Reposted from the Mackinac Center

Posted by Michael D. LaFaive on November 5, 2014 at 12:55pm

Nearly a year ago, popular Michigan pundit Tim Skubick opined on MLive.com that “another disease is starting to make the rounds in this town (Lansing): Tax Cut Fever.”

Personally, this observer welcomed the prospect of a bipartisan frenzy to convert a projected state budget surplus into tax cuts, even if the politicians’ motives included wanting to “help cement their 2014 re-election bid …”

The promise was especially welcome given that Lansing then looked more ready to raise taxes than cut them. I pointed out some examples in an article published last January. Among them:

The Legislature had recently enacted $82.6 million in fee hikes. It had also granted certain local “Business Improvement Zone” authorities the power to levy additional property taxes. And there was plenty of chatter about imposing taxes on Internet transactions (an Amazon tax) and other new extractions.