Soros money used for SOS project
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(6)Nuh Uh.(1)Tag Archive for Money
Democrats, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Research & Analysis
In A Couple Of Pictures
by Jason • • 1 Comment
Analyzing $500 Plus contributions to El-Sayed Gubernatorial bid reveals significant outside interest.
The total amount contributed to Abdul El-Sayed through contributions of $500 or more as reported to the SoS is nearly $1,500,000.00
This is not the total amount he has raised, but simply the aggregate amount by contributors who really really really want him to be the first Islamic Governor in the United States. It INCLUDES his own minor personal and in/kind mileage contributions, which in the tables shown are reflected in the Michigan portion.
Let this sink in. Less than 50% of this particular candidate’s receipts $500 and more are from Michigan voters.
The BIG money comes from somewhere else.
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(16)Nuh Uh.(0)Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Republicans
A Major Mistake.
by Jason • • 4 Comments
Contributions to NRCC and NRSC forsake donor intent.
Received this today.
WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC) have announced the transfer of $8 million to the NRSC and the NRCC in support of their midterm election efforts. The Trump Campaign will max out to nearly 100 candidates in its first round of contributions. The RNC will transfer $4 million to the NRSC and $4 million to the NRCC.
Not good.
Truth be told, I am still not a fan of my own state’s Republican political apparatus as they attempt to manipulate primary elections. Just take a look at who gets the stage when the president or Vice President comes to town. But I am happy to contribute through my local dues and contributions to my local party, and sometimes nationally.
The RNC has not always been great in its finances historically, but has gotten a few of my shekels as contribution from time to time. And the most recent iteration of it under chair McDaniel has been as an excellent
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(13)Nuh Uh.(0)2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans
Milton Friedman For Governor
by Jason • • 4 Comments
If you wanted the best economic outcome for Michigan, wouldn't he get your vote?
Today’s economists aren’t.
I mean they aren’t around anymore. Not since November 2006 anyhow. That was when Milton Friedman took his last breath.
No one understood markets based on how people respond to incentive like Milton Friedman. While sympathetic to our desire to do good for others, he recognized the nature of how we prioritize (en mass) when making spending decisions.
The first time I heard the “four ways to spend money” was not Friedman however. It was during a presentation on health care options for Michigan by Pat Colbeck. He wasn’t a candidate for Governor at that time, but he was clearly advocating a sensible approach on how we pay for our health care needs. Part of it is returning the incentive to those who will watch more closely how well the money is spent to achieve the best results and at lowest cost.
A recent newsletter from the Mackinac center reminded me of this, which is the way Colbeck had put it a year and a half ago.
There only four ways to spend money.
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(10)Nuh Uh.(0)Michigan, Michigan Politics
So What About That ‘Establishment?’
by Jason • • 3 Comments
What constitutes an ‘Establishment’ player?
Since the rise of the ‘Tea Party’ movement, certain elements of it have been co-opted by those who were originally threatened by it. The reality that money is the mothers milk of politics cannot be ignored however. The left has their billionaire backers, and we have our own.
Power is an aphrodisiac.
After spending more than a couple million in political expenditures attempting to gain a regents seat on the most liberal university in our state, Ron Weiser finally succeeded in 2016. Riding the coattails of the now-president, a man who was one of the few candidates he did not financially support prior to Trump winning the GOP nomination.
That is how it works however, when an power seeking opportunist with a full wallet wants access to the oval office perhaps? Truth be told, the $120,000 (roughly) given to the Trump Victory PAC may well have played a small part in Trump’s victory in Michigan. Even one stop missed (easily $100K in expense) might have spelled doom for the effort.
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(6)Nuh Uh.(0)Conservative News, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans
Bi-Annual Reminder
by Jason • • 2 Comments
Mackinac Island is always with great views, great fudge, and unforgettable politics.
As the Mackinac Island conference winds itself up, and the “drank” is consumed, we give our salute to the finest of the finest.
Six years ago, we witnessed the stunning display of so many of the ‘millennial’ generation. When Cash was tossed around to get slick Rick some name recognition. And a guy who for the price of a ‘drank’ and paid lodging, was willing to parade around in a free bright neon t-shirt with a Bill Schuette sticker.
The resulting hilarity is classic.
Indeed we are all laughing now. Nothing is so funny, as expanded medicaid, higher road taxes, reinventing ‘cool city’ utopias, a Granholm bridge, bigger and better authorities, Detroit bailouts, and payouts to crony friends.
And nothing so completely knee-slapping as a reinvention of the color green.
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(11)Nuh Uh.(1)All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans
And Even More
by Jason • • 1 Comment
As I pointed out the other day, the flow of federal funds used for welfare is, and has been huge in our state.
I also hinted at the ka-ching of ‘excess moneys that local communities get to use. It keeps them on board and in line. For example, in this case:
In July 2010 Michigan received $498.6 million in federal Hardest Hit Funds (HHF) in response to the housing crisis that led to an unprecedented decline in home prices and high unemployment. MSHDA created the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Housing Corporation (MHA) to oversee distribution of the funds through a program called Step Forward Michigan.
“The Step Forward program has helped unemployed and under-employed people remain in their homes and in our state as they searched for new jobs as our state recovered,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “That’s important for families who were struggling as our state started its recovery.”
While the title reads:
“Michigan’s hardest hit families have received $241M worth of assistance since 2010″
Efficient distribution, yes?
Just sayin.
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(11)Nuh Uh.(0)Michigan Politics
Attack Ad On Republican Candidate Draws Sharp Rebuke
by Jason • • 2 Comments
The first complaint about an attack ad by Michigan Democrats against 104th Candidate Larry Inman comes from where?
A political attack television ad aired in the 104th district (which covers Grand Traverse County in its entirety) is drawing an immediate call for its removal. Not from candidate Inman, but by his opponent.
An advertisement that suggests Republican Larry Inman is out of touch, voted for tuition increases as a university trustee, supports higher taxes, and is guilty by association with those who voted to raise property and pension taxes is under fire by the person who would benefit from such ads. Betsy Coffia, a Democrat who has sworn off PAC money and these types of ads says “We have committed to running a positive campaign, and we consider negative ads to be part of the problem, instead of part of the solution.”
Coffia then goes on to ask supporters to call the Democrat state party directly and ask them to remove the ads.
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(9)Nuh Uh.(0)All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans
License Of Looters
by Jason • • 1 Comment
The problem is not the expense of the tools, but the tools themselves.
I have frequently argued that the problem with campaign finance is not the ability of donors to support candidates, but rather the destructive hammer that government wields.
Full disclosure, as we have argued on these pages is critical. The process out in the open encourages good behavior, and provides a limiting effect on pandering to financial interests by politicos. Even the amounts even being less important to the argument. Saying:
We DO agree that limits should be removed from campaign finance. We agree that limiting to an arbitrary amount can impede free speech and political expression. What is considered a fair contribution into the process is a completely subjective matter that can only be resolved by the person who is willing to contribute into that process. A person’s individual priorities and where a subject reaches a level of importance are hardly the providence of external assignment.
The full argument making the point that ‘effect’ of the contributions being known, lessens the harmful power of the influence.
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(10)Nuh Uh.(0)All the Other Stuff, Michigan
Bully For CapCon!
by Jason • • 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.
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