Tag Archive for Taxes

Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Philosophy, Republicans

Enabling Is Bad M’K?

by Jason • December 15, 2015 • 9 Comments

We reward the spoiled attitudes that have destroyed Detroit.

Blame game.

“The Democratic-controlled State Board of Education recently released a statement that appears to blame Michigan’s state government for the Detroit school district’s crippling debt. “

Full stop.

That’s a little like the stories of parent blaming McDonalds for their fat kids. Below, are just a few of RightMi.com stories covering the incredible generosity of Michigan’s taxpayers under current GOP control.

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Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

Truth and Charity

by Jason • December 1, 2015 • 1 Comment

'Giving Tuesday' finds a surprising headline.

I have never been a fan of pressured giving.

It’s giving Tuesday, and one might wonder if the United Way is, or ever was an organization that speaks to our collective benevolence in conscience. We might ask what joy is there in supporting organizations that encourage business to round up it’s employees and make them actively acknowledge that they are “not giving today, thank you.”

As an employee of UPS in Traverse City a couple of decades ago, I attended the Friday morning Charity of the week sessions where United Way sent representatives to talk about the good it was doing with our pulled-from-the-paycheck donations. We stood around for a half hour (paid by UPS) listening to the mandatory presentation on why we should continue giving. I Didn’t much care for that; I was there to work.

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Conservative News, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Taxes

TAKE ACTION! SB 306 could raise Federal Taxes 40%!

by Norm Hughes • November 26, 2015 • 10 Comments

It sets up an interstate compact to use YOUR taxes to force a Constitutional Convention that will raise Federal taxes 40%!!!

+ Hi–Blast needed on Michigan’s SB306 (again!)…it’ll be up for a vote this time…This is a bill to bind Michigan to an interstate compact to pay a staff to force other states to option in on a constitution convention supposedly to pass a Federal Balanced Budget Amendment. There are many problems.

FIRST, there is no guarantee a ConCon will be limited to one issue, or that it will be bound by the ratification. More than 600 times it has been tried and each time dropped when folks realized the risk. Sec. of State Thomas Jefferson pursued it in 1796 and when the Jay Supreme refused the opine that such a convention could be limited to one issue. James Madison was alarmed when two states were calling for and Art V ConCon just a year after the Constitution was ratified. It dawned on him that this provision slipped through and was very dangerous. If a ConCon was too dangerous when Washington was President, John Adams VP, Hamilton and Jefferson in the Cabinet, Madison in the Senate and Jay on the Court, how much more dangerous would it be now with an electorate that chose Obama twice, and a political class that puts in congressional leadership people like Pelosi and Reid and Republican capitulators like McConnell and Boehner/Ryan? It is WAAAY too risky. The Constitution needs to enforced not gutted

SECOND, this compact allows Governors to name the delegates and binds that the delegate from first state to ratify (South Carolina) will chair the ConCon. It seeks to bind states and the Congress in ways contrary to the Constitution and Art. V and sets other criteria that will not stand up to current Constitutional authorities. Under Article V states petition but Congress calls a convention and will set criteria. The same Congress that will not limit spending.

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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans, Taxes

I’ve Heard It Snows In November

by Jason • November 4, 2015 • 2 Comments

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.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

MDOT Station Hosts Wild Party

by Jason • August 17, 2015 • 6 Comments

Perhaps we ask the MDOT why the May 5th question failed so badly.

The Michigan Department Of Transportation continues to ‘effectively’ use transportation monies provided by the richest state citizenry in the nation.

But a “wild party?” OK, maybe just because its usually accompanied by cookies and orange juice. And yes, as some readers might suspect, I have the sarc switch on. ‘Effective’ use of our taxpayer dollars might actually mean that we don’t have to face the crony machine kicking into full gear tomorrow. The Steudle led MDOT does indeed continue to spin its wheels and waste our resources in areas not reflected in their mission.

There is no question the good works provided by our blood letting missions will save lives, and continue to provide our hospitals with the perishable commodity that we all share. Indeed we have need for those organizations who will accommodate blood drive efforts, and we hope those needs will be met.

However, it is neither the mission or responsibility of the Michigan Department of Transportation to manage,, aid, provide assistance, or promote such efforts. Yet they think it is:

August 17, 2015 — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) encourages state employees and the general public to give the gift of life by donating blood at the Ishpeming Transportation Service Center (TSC) Aug. 26.

The Upper Peninsula Regional Blood Center will have its mobile collection vehicle at the facility from noon to 2 p.m. The TSC is located at 100 S. Westwood Drive in Ishpeming.

“Making the decision to donate blood can save lives, it’s really just that simple,” said Harmony Michaud, the MDOT employee coordinating the event. “We sometimes take for granted that there will always be blood readily available in an emergency, but what if no one donated? It only takes 10 minutes to donate and it could help save a family member or friend – or someone else’s family member or friend. There are a lot of people who need long-term treatments and donated blood is their lifeline.”

Harmony’s paycheck is from the state (taxpayers), not the UP Regional Blood Center.

Perhaps her time might be best spent filling out the warranty orders?

Policy Changes:

Making MDOT accountable.

What good are road warranties, if you won’t enforce the ones you have already?

Given that literally MILLIONS were wasted when it was recently reported that MDOT let road warranties expire without any action being taken, legislation should be implemented to hold those accountable. No one would tolerate an employee who simply walked off in million in Michigan Taxpayers money, so why should hiding under the guise of being an appointed official and not doing the job you were hired to do, be any different?

Exactly.

Some things are hard to change, yes?

Some folks expect action to fund more of the same to happen this week.

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Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

Mad Max Hits Midland

by Jason • June 29, 2015 • 2 Comments

A new 'terrorism' and whole communities brought to a stop

In a ‘Roundabout’ way.

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.

Just spin and spin until dizzy.

Imagine that.

That is all.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Did Proposal 1 Decamp to Washington?

by 10x25MM • May 14, 2015 • 2 Comments

Spectacular Death in Michigan No Bar to Success in Washington

While Michiganders were being entertained and infuriated by the lies of Proposal 1 proponents, few of us noticed that the very same roads funding strife is reaching a crescendo in Washington. The Federal Highway Trust Fund spends about $ 50 billion dollars on ‘transportation’ across the U.S.A. each year. Michigan received $ 1.39 billion from the HTF in Fiscal Year 2014 for new construction of roads and bridges, along with mass transit activities. As a point of reference, Michigan spent an additional $ 2 billion of funds raised within the state for the same ‘transportation’ purposes. The Federal HTF paid for 40.9% of Michigan ‘transportation’ spending in FY 2014.

Funded in the past by an $ 0.184 per gallon Federal gasoline tax ($ 0.244 per gallon on diesel fuel), the Highway Trust Fund’s traditional fuel tax revenues have fallen to about $ 34 billion. The Federal government has been supplementing the Highway Trust Fund from general deficit spending revenues since 2008. In Fiscal Year 2014, the Federal government supplemented the Highway Trust Fund with $ 11 billion in general revenues.

How did this happen?

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

Acta Est Fabula

by Jason • May 5, 2015 • 3 Comments

Proposal 15-1 died as it was supposed to, but there is still work to be done.

Assume ‘gloat mode,’ then get back to work.

If anyone thinks it ends here, they have forgotten the lesson of 2013 when we eased up pressure, (if only temporarily) and the governor slammed us with Medicaid expansion. In fact, when looking at the way things happen with this progressive mess in Lansing, scales put it this way to me directly:

“The gross underestimation has only brought a hike in the State Income Tax, Medicaid expansion, retirement pensions being raided, Common Core, 300+ Ghey *marriage* licenses, a quarter of a billion to the Ilitch’s ice rink who vote Democrat, a Detoilet bailout for the DIA, a recapture of control of the state Party via his pal Baird from Chicago and the Rockefeller-wing Romneys, a monolith of a Health Department, a NAFTA Bridge, a cousin with furniture contracts, more slightly faster Amtrak railcars, driver licenses for illegal alien anchor brats, a H1-B visa center operating out of his MEDC, the launch of moonslime Day at the Capital, Boji payola buildings, no-bid Medicaid contracts with moonslimes, a pending abomination of energy policy waiting in the House and Senate, and this goddam ballot proposal, of which, you notice the Nerd ain’t wooing anybody who falls within the Right side of the political spectrum, yes?”

His point can be taken to the bank.

And it will earn interest.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1

The Final Word On Proposal 15-1

by Jason • May 4, 2015 • 6 Comments

Tomorrow morning the polls open for those who have yet to electorally weigh in on the largest tax increase that Michiganians have ever had the opportunity to give themselves.

We have chronicled the multiple failures of the package here in nearly 80 articles, specifically referencing the proposal itself and dozens of other articles leading up to it. Our efforts over the last five months have demonstrated that the overall issue in Michigan’s roads situation is one of complete dysfunction. In fact we’ve shown the proposal is hardly about roads alone, though that aspect is the only legitimate premise under which the proposal is being sold.

Aside from the convoluted language and constitutionally flawed (and with predictably BAD outcomes) package, it is a cacophony of noisy promises to Michigan’s recipients of taxpayer largess. Townships, schools, ‘the working poor’ and the road builders themselves all seem to have a dog in the fight if one was to buy into the governor’s hype.

It all comes at a cost, and it appears the taxpayers are wising up.

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