Tag Archive for Mackinac Center

Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

More Info On Proposal One

by Jason • March 25, 2015 • 4 Comments

The contentious May issue is complicated, but understandable. It just takes time.

There is a ton of information to be shared on the road funding issue.

RightMi.com has pointed out many of the flaws, and the bad policy associated with the late night lame-duck session passed monstrosity voters will be asked to approve May 5th. We pointed out the obvious in a graphic (to the right) only 24 hours ago, and as of this writing, the graphic has been viewed over 2200 times on Facebook alone. (still climbing fast) We invite those who are here looking for information on this constitutional disaster to sift through a few pages on our site for all you need to know about the single biggest tax increase many of Michiganians will face in their lives.

And the argument is fierce. On one side we have the shills for the road industry pimping the YES vote, and the other side we have families who don’t much feel like picking out the switch so ‘daddy’ government can beat them down with an additional $500 a year in taxes.

Then there are the studies. Like the one published by the Mackinac Center’s James Hohman:

Elections, Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Bejebus! Our Proposal 1 inbox is Smoking Hot This Morning

by Corinthian Scales • March 20, 2015 • 4 Comments

A reader sends this juicy morsel from Paul Egan a few days ago.

■ Allow cities whose transit services carry more than 10 million passengers per year, which includes Detroit, to spend up to 20% of its share of Michigan Transportation Fund money on transit, rather than city roads and streets.

■ Add language to allow the Michigan Transportation Fund to receive money from any source, not just fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees.

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Can one say Regional Transit Authority? Us well-informed RightMi.com readers sure can. Matter of fact, there is a Tag for that, and we here will allow the missed it by 4% registration fee hike to remain in this Tag, here.

But, back to that RTA… isn’t it nice of the movers and shakers within SEMCOG to provide means of special assessments and property tax hikes by statute for the ongoing bailout of Wayne County? Gee, all of Michigan should thank, slick Rick and Lt. Calley, for that, no?

OABTW, did I happen to mention that I had the opportunity to shake hands with our beloved Republican governor on St. Patty’s Day? True story.

I was at a local convenience store reaching for my wallet and accidentally intercepted Snyder’s hand.
Because every president really needs a *Smart Guy™*…

You Betcha!

(17)Nuh Uh.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Vote yes or you all will D-I-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Corinthian Scales • March 19, 2015 • 1 Comment

That’s the latest narrative for unaccountable MDOT from “Vote Yes” spokesperson governor Snyder.

Gov. Rick Snyder joined Wayne County Executive Warren Evans [see here], Washtenaw County Sheriff John Clayton, Brad Williams of the Detroit Regional Chamber [these guys] and others for a morning press conference at a fire station in Dearborn [allah shazam].

Snyder, holding chunks of a broken road and bridge, reinforced the public safety message that the “Safe Roads Yes” campaign is emphasizing ahead of the May 5 vote.

“Can you imagine one of these coming through your windshield?” the governor said, going on to state that 14 percent of the bridges in Metro Detroit have plywood installed beneath them to catch falling concrete. “Your life is in jeopardy.”

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Pathetic. You know what? I’m getting a little sick of the scare tactic bullsh!t coming from Snyder to justify his big spending, and crony contractor friends. Even a party bootlicker like Tom Shields recognizes this is a major backfire, however, milquetoast Willy’s protégé hailing from Ann Arbor, is tone deaf on the matter and I strongly encourage Snyder, along with his Lt. toad to carry on with this “we’re all gonna dieeeeeee” meme. I mean, what’s better than having tax-hike loving Virg Bernero in Prop 1’s corner?

Perhaps, commercials showcasing a school bus with a disgruntled AFSCME driver in them? Maybe, some mom who maintains her own life in the very same fashion that MDOT maintains theirs and the squandering of our tax dollars while lying about it?

Remember folks, Prop 1 is a $2,000,000,000 hike with annual tax hike ratchet mechanism on fuel with a whole lotta public sector union payola (everywhere) and fraud embedded into it.

Is that how our state constitution should be changed?

I think not.

You Betcha!

(27)Nuh Uh.

(1)

Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

Monday’s TOTD

by Corinthian Scales • January 12, 2015 • 1 Comment

To sum it up in a tidy, easily digestible little package… the bad actors using the agenda above is responsible for this.

H/t 90 Miles

You Betcha!

(28)Nuh Uh.

(1)

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

Puppy Training

by Jason • January 10, 2015 • 19 Comments

Why the Mackinac Center decided to weigh in this way is somewhat of a mystery, but we learned from them ...

Mr Lehman, (with whom I have had little argument in the past) premises a decision made to be based on politics, though policy is really their game.

Gratuitous picture of Dave Agema to 'prove' he is not an insensitive Racist

Gratuitous picture of Dave Agema with ‘black’ tea folk

He makes a brief statement, which essentially claims that fact, and then implies clearly that (We cancelled our sponsorship of the Pow wow because we don’t like Dave Agema) “The reason the Mackinac Center withdrew from the event was Mr. Agema’s prominent role there” And stopping there. Fair enough. Its not my money, resources, or political ties to the Snyder administration that is going to stop them.

OK, taking a page from the book of Mackinac, I figured it would be appropriate to deal with disagreements in policy or politics in the way they have previously suggested. For this exercise, I have located two articles from the Mackinac Center.

The first article was written by a guy who once worked for MCPP, and now spends his time stalking a particular retired Air Force Captain hoping to find SOMETHING that can be used to further defame the many time honored veteran. Ken Braun during his time at the Mackinac Center wrote: (I have made critical edits to update)

All the Other Stuff, Michigan

Bully For CapCon!

by Jason • June 7, 2014 • 1 Comment

Capitol Confidential Receives Multiple Awards For Impactful Journalism

Reporting can sometimes be more of a dance than simply presenting the facts.

Capitol Confidential has become a powerhouse of Michigan government and policy reporting. Since its inception in 2010 it has blossomed into a respected source of information and insight. And its writing is now being recognized for that growth.

In typical ‘main stream media,’ there are natural limiters to obtaining the truth, or at least properly reporting it. Be it an advertiser’s objection to something once written, or a source of information who might have been embarrassed by a writer’s depth of coverage, there are conditions which can prevent a full telling of events; even if the tale of those events is comprise of “Just the facts ma’am.”

We might be inclined to opine from these pages, but more often there is a collection of facts and history woven into our stories. If one looks through RightMi.com, it might be hard to find advertising, because we can equally offend all comers. Not that a few bucks wouldn’t help, but enjoying our content and putting the neck out to support what is an informative opinion site are two different options.

And one involves risk.

Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan

Don’t Bail Out Detroit

by Jason • January 16, 2014 • 0 Comments

Apparently, there is a caveat to recent ‘good news’ for the DIA.

Reposted from The Mackinac Center for Public Policy in time for Rick Snyder’s State of the state address tonight:

Don’t Bail Out Detroit with State Tax Dollars

By Michael Lafaive
The recent announcement that philanthropic foundations may donate $330 million to help the Detroit Institute of Arts, which would also help city pensioners avoid the consequences of Detroit government mismanagement, sounds like great news.

Unfortunately, there may be a hook: A requirement that the state treasury contribute, which would convert voluntary private generosity into a coerced taxpayer bailout.

A state bailout of Detroit is a terrible idea. It creates moral hazard and adds to the overly generous financial support the city has for years received from state taxpayers.

And it’s unfair.

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You Betcha!

(2)Nuh Uh.

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