Combined, the budget hole could be about $700 million. So the options could include covering fewer people, cutting back on benefits or paying providers — doctors and hospitals — less.
Departmental self promotion is apparently nothing new.
Oh.
I guess Kirk Steudle wasn’t the first propagandist within the roads department. Apparently some of his predecessors also made films to let us know what a grand job the highways departments are doing. From “gay holiday crowds where everyone is having a good time” to the storm blasted snow drifting over our roads, this film teaches us what Michigan is all about.
Running the gamut from man eating roads to bald face lies, Michigan politics is a ‘special’ place. RightMi.com highlights certain aspects of our system by bringing certain aspects not typically examined by the mainstream to the forefront. With writing from folks in all parts of the state, we have been able to add perspective not found elsewhere. Please enjoy, be active, and keep coming back!
Coming out of 2014, that session’s legislative knuckleheads carved out a wonderful political battle extending right up to a special vote May 5, which was soundly defeated 80 to 20. Add to this the cost of the special election that could be as high as $10,000,000, and the resources necessary on both sides to fight it.
“But, I’ve also heard that very same sales pitch before (going back at least several decades, in fact), and have been very disappointed by the outcome each and every time.”
And he was hardly wrong in hedging his optimism as disappointment has once again begat the theme with the political class we have learned to trust so implicitly. <sarc=off>
The ‘safe roads’ nonsense was replete with payoffs to just about every single constituency, and the majority GOP legislature made sure that those ‘po folk’ would get their due if the tax hikes would pass.
The PowWow happened, and we promoted, then reported on it. The Mackinac Center made an unexpected decision to withdraw from the opportunity to reach 400 or so Michigan activists. Apparently, Dave Agema, a white haired old veteran ‘racist’ (seen on the right with one of his ‘mortal enemies,’ Pastor Phil Smith) was too overwhelming and politically incorrect that he might rub off in some way. We gave them a “bad doggie” award and moved on. (I still love you guys.. just don’t do that again, OK?)
Now that guy was the real deal. He offered an inspirational speech (click the link above), and was later used as an example of concern about the lack of will by a couple of ‘tea soldiers’ to fight in Michigan’s legislature. Though with a couple of highlights, the powwow takeaway in the end, was less than stellar from the perspectives of attendees and some organizers.
Natural disasters, or 'states of emergency' CAN happen in our Great Lakes State.
Michigan is not immune to the effects of nature, and the SoS may have once again missed an opportunity to protect the electorate.
“Once again,” I say because when it mattered, Ruth Johnson sided with the governor in his lawbreaking. In the Proposal 1 (loser by 80%-20% statewide) leadup, the governor broke the law in front of Johnson, Schuette, and nearly every single lawmaker and judge in the state.
Nothing was done, and in-fact there was an effort to circumvent the process that had been defended only years before. Even the Michigan GOP’s pet poodle Greg McNeilly noted the infraction saying “.. it was “inappropriate” for Snyder to use the televised speech to advocate for a “yes” vote on Proposal 1.” yet stopped short of calling a misdemeanor what it is. Flame Hard indeed.
But this recent failure by the SoS is a little more local, yet profound. When a natural disaster prevents voters from reaching the polls, ought not the top elections official be a little more proactive? In the case of an Elmwood township millage question, Johnson’s office went from a failure to uphold the law to negligence and simple abject failure.
Watch this instructional traffic video produced for those in Midland who are about to have a circular road feature. Pay attention to the way folks enter and exit, then imagine what would happen if 8 or ten cars just went around a few extra times on a busy day.
Safe Roads Yes has reached a point of desperation in its failing effort of selling higher taxes, that has driven it to geological interference.
What better way to sell the bad roads deal in the eleventh hour than to mastermind a natural disaster that only James Bond villains and Dr Evil would dream up. Michigan is now getting its roads pulverized by earthquakes!
Taking away the options, our elected class leaves us with no choice, right?
So, do you say “Baaaa” or “Moooo” on Wednesday May 6th?
That is, if you intend on voting for proposal 15-1. And all the animal sounds notwithstanding, will anyone reading this accept the fact that they have pretty much been ‘herded’ like common farm critters if they decide to support the measure?
Consider how ‘heeling’ with a border collie is done. By taking away the options for movement, a nip at the herded animal’s feet, and the dog manipulates the path of the animal so that it pursues the desired direction. When one goes astray, the new direction is blocked ensuring a return to the planned route.
When looking at proposal 15-1, it should not have gone unnoticed that the scheduling of the proposal’s vote is at the time when the roads are at their peak ‘crap’ condition. The end of winter and at a time when patching work by the local road commission has not completely caught up with the seasonal destruction.
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:
News stories on the Michigan road tax proposal are replete with compelling, eye popping factoids about the costs poor roads impose on Michigan drivers. These factoids are so compelling that our colorless Governor cites them to sway voters in the upcoming sales tax proposal debate. Some examples:
An inadequate transportation system costs Michigan residents a total of $7.7 billion every year
Driving on rough roads costs Michigan motorists a total of $2.3 billion annually in extra vehicle operating costs
Driving on rough roads costs the average Detroit urban area motorist $536 annually in extra vehicle operating costs
Driving on rough roads costs the average Michigan motorist $357 annually in extra vehicle operating costs
You are expected to conclude that a 16.67% sales tax increase is a just trifle to escape these ghastly financial burdens. These factoids are always attributed to “TRIP, a national nonprofit transportation research organization”. Sounds like an independent, credible source – right? The adjectives ‘nonprofit’ and ‘research’ give you a high level of confidence in their pronouncements? Perhaps you should dig a little deeper than our conniving politicians and their lazy media scribes. The TRIP report they are mining for these factoids is: MI_Transportation_By_The_Numbers_TRIP_Report_Jan_2014
A few items of note from each month in the year 2014.
RightMi.com was the back up site for RightMichigan.com in the event something happened to the WWII servers hosting the original site.
We started off in January fighting for a good man and ultimately getting booted for saying enough is enough from those who profess to be conservative, but cannot be counted on when it matters. We argued that some GOP leaders have their priorities off, and when Betsy DeVos attacked one of the most stalwart and responsible Republicans in the state, we said not-no-fast.
Of course that resulted in the move from the old site to the new. Much of January was spent reminding people of the values Republicans are supposed to hold and why attacking our most conservative committeeman was maybe not such a good idea. RighMi.com as a destination became a reality. Unapologetic, informed, and collaborative; Michigan’s conservative blogging has a home just like Do Six Figures
OH, and as for the subject of the misplaced attacks?
(11)Nuh Uh.
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