Tag Archive for MEDC

Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Through the Gates of Common Coreism

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Alas! The corporate cat is finally out of the crony capitalism bag.

“There is a massive transition to digital happening across the country and around the world in education, and schools looking to prepare their students for the world beyond the classroom are empowering their students and teachers by providing devices, services, training and other elements needed for improved student outcomes,” Margo Day, vice president of U.S. education at Microsoft, said in the news release. “At Microsoft, we are proud to be a partner with so many great schools that are leading the way forward for education and in preparing our youth for tomorrow’s workforce.”

If the last part of that Day’s quote sounds familiar, it should. Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates and other Common Core supporters have used that same language – probably word for word in some instances – to justify the one-size-fits-all learning standards that they’re busy foisting onto schools in more than 40 states.

The official fairy tale – er, “narrative” – of Common Core goes something like this: THE REST

So, what might fit perfectly in Michigan, for that agenda? Oh, perhaps a Slick former CEO of crappy computers with cow patterned boxes who is well versed in the art of government contracts? Hmm, I wonder. Perhaps, a billionaire with stealth agenda glomming onto his longstanding crony Bush family ties to a Board that’s chaired by li’l Jeb, sniffing at a disastrous presidential run so he can share bragging rights at get togethers on the holidays?

Nah. That’s just “Wacko-Bird!” kind of thinking. Then again… res ipsa loquitur.

Good God! Frank Foster is either a functional illiterate or, a liar.

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Conservative News, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

8.6%

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Pure Michigan Schadenfreude.

Michigan authorities say the influx of seasonal workers [Illegal Aliens and H-1B visas] into the job market drove the unadjusted unemployment up 1.3 percentage points to 8.6 percent in the latest month.

Well, no kidding. Nearly $1 Billion a year is cooked into our state budget for those “seasonal workers“. Just wait until the self-invented Nerd persona really sticks it in all your unemployed/underemployed asses [I’m retired] with Rick’s “Office” for 50,000 STEMinist “jobs” scAmnesty.

Home Team comes first, with Rick Snyder? Completely laughable.

So be it. Enjoy your undischargeable student debt loans, kiddies… ‘hic‘

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Elections, Humor in Michigan

Speaking of Schadenfreude

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Uh-oh, there’s that cool German word that Bush-ite money bundler Ron Weiser and his toady Yob don’t like.

Gov. Rick Snyder’s re-election campaign said Wednesday it has fired an unpaid [how is one fired from an unpaid “job”? Are folks really that stupid?] college intern after he attempted to volunteer for rival Mark Schauer’s campaign.

Taylor Grenawalt, 19, was dismissed Tuesday evening after a liberal blogger published emails the Schauer campaign received from Grenawalt asking about opportunities to help Schauer get elected, Snyder campaign spokeswoman Emily Benavides confirmed.

“This is concerning a former intern who did this of his own volition. He’s no longer a part of our campaign,” Benavides told The Detroit News.
….

Benavides said Grenawalt was an unpaid part-time intern who joined the campaign in late May.

“As soon as we found out about all of this, he was dismissed. It’s nothing that the campaign condones,” Benavides said. “We did not know about it at the time. It’s definitely not in line with our campaign ideals.”

Of course it isn’t “in line”. That kind of behavior is reserved for Slick Rick’s paid professionals…

Slick ‘hic‘ Riiiiiick. More Kool-aid, kiddies?

Just remember, you can’t have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat.

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Cronyism, Democrats, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Ya, it is a Big Swamp

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GeorgeSnyder

As Synder states on record about another one of his transparency indiscretions, “My cousin is involved in an office equipment business that has been doing business with the State for well over a decade, and the contract, the correct contract was done under the prior governor. So there was nothing involved in that”.

Not even a smidgen, Slick Rick? And who served out his Chair of the MEDC under the prior governors? Slick Rick. Who was it that selected the current Chair of the MEDC from the Progressive Utopia of Ann Arborstan? Jennifer MoleRattler …and Slick Rick.

The take away? Always follow the money, and keep a watchful eye on the man from Chicago behind the curtain now rolled into the Lansing fold, protected by Executive office privilege, and with a taxpayer funded $40,000/year raise.

In one of the July e-mails to Baird, George Snyder also thanked Baird for helping his accountant’s daughter get a job with the Michigan Department of Human Services.

Another take away? Being a Constitutional Conservative has absolutely nothing in common with the make up of either Party.

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Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Deep Pockets – Short Arms

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As expected…

Detroit’s planned 3.3-mile $137 million Woodward Avenue streetcar project faces a $12 million funding shortfall, and Michigan members of Congress warn the project could be in jeopardy unless the Transportation Department gives it more money.

A two-page letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx obtained by The Detroit News on Tuesday warns that the project urgently needs additional grant money to proceed. But even without federal funds, officials of the so-called M-1 project says it would survive — but concede it might have to be scaled back.

Whoa! Has anyone looked at the top two names listed on the M-1 Rail Board of Directors? Click here. So, you mean to tell me that Roger Penske, or Dan Gilbert, both billionaires, can’t reach into their front pocket and pull out $6M each? YGBFKM. Better yet, if one looks a little further down the Board of Director names listed one will see Ilitch Holdings. How about giving a little back to the rest of us in the state, Mike and Marian? There you go. Penske, Gilbert, and Ilitch, can all pony up $3M each to cover the “shortfall”.

Funny how yet another .gov subsidized P3 project always has these budget “shortfalls,” isn’t it?

The May 1 letter, which has not previously been made public, discloses that Detroit applied for a supplemental $12.2 million grant from the Transportation Department’s TIGER grant program. The project received $25 million in federal funds from the program in January 2013.

“Without the requested $12.2 million TIGER grant, this important project will be delayed indefinitely, and we fear the resulting costs could make the project unaffordable,” said the letter signed by Sens. Carl Levin of Detroit, Debbie Stabenow of Lansing and Reps. Sander Levin of Royal Oak, John Dingell of Dearborn, John Conyers of Detroit and Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township. The lawmakers, all Democrats, urged Foxx to “award a TIGER grant to close the funding gap.”

Ah, all Democrats Socialists. I guess that is where the Ilitch’s paid their “fair share” already.

Subsidies in perpetuity! Get ready to keep paying up, Nerd voting suckers.

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Rent Seeking, Republicans

If it isn’t a Cousin With Furniture Contracts, Then it’s…

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Other no-bid contracts on wasteful spending eliminated from Wisconsin government.

“I guess if I were running a multimillion-dollar company, which you are called MDOT, and I only got one bid, boy, would I be nervous as to what I had missed, and I guess I would step back and look at the entire process and start all over again,” said Sen. Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale.

REST

Ironic is who is now the fly in Snyder’s Big “transparent” Government ointment. Yet, MDOT and the Republican brain-trust say they need more money for fixing roads? Gee, one wonders why…
Talgo_MDOT

click to enbiggen

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Opinion

Pure Gross Waste of Tax Dollars

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Hey y’all, guess what. Our big spending Lansing Majority is about to stick us with the tab to change out frivolous road signs. You read that right. My Rep., Peter “I love Red Light Cameras” Pettalia (video here) just recently got some traction in the House for his buffoonish legislation to rename tourist-trap roadways with the Pure propaganda trademark. Added MEDC approved bonus? MDOT will have control over the “indeterminate” costly bid process! Cha-ching for some crony relative with a sign business.

Now, for some credit where credit is due.

Amendment offered by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on March 26, 2014, to require the proposed signs to also disclose the amount of cash subsidies and selective tax breaks the state paid to corporations and developers through its “economic development” programs, with the information posted in the same sized font. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on March 26, 2014.

Thanks for trying, Rep. McMillin. You’re a true lone voice of Conservatism in Lansing. Consistency matters.

Maybe now some of y’all will have a better understanding why I take offense at these two sleazy CD-8 sociopaths.

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