Tag Archive for Theft

Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Lucido Clear On Proposal 15-1 Power Grab

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Why would we need to tax ourselves more at the pump or otherwise???

Don’t even start with me on government honeypots.

There’s a problem with those big ol cash reserves set up for specific issue.  They WILL get raided for something else someday.  Recall the tobacco settlement which has been re-purposed at least a couple of times since the award.   Remember the BCBS Three and a half $Billion of ratepayer/Taxpayer (by reason of contract with state)  money that has disappeared.

Peter Lucido says not necessary. While most lawmakers are cowering in fear lest someone learn how they stand, he is as clear as glass on the issue. In this case, its a $20,000,000,000.00 pile of dough that earns nearly a billion a year?    Given the planned obsolescence of such a fund in the wake of ‘insurance reform,’ why on earth would we NOT consider its use for paying down current and immediate needs.

$20 billion? holy guacamole.

Oh and someone stand watch over Rick’s ‘stash’ ok?

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Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking

Octogenarian who Aimed the IRS at Conservatives now Advises Businesses on Government Investigations

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I guess the old saw holds true… it takes a crook.

Retired [Chose not to seek re-election] Michigan Sen. Carl Levin said Monday he is joining a Detroit law firm as senior counsel and will advise businesses on government investigations.

SudsBamaLevin, 80, who was the longest [self]-serving senator in Michigan history after serving [occupying] six terms, will join Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP in April as senior counsel, the law firm said.

The focus of Levin’s practice at Honigman will “include aiding corporations with internal investigations and crisis management; assisting corporations with social responsibility and compliance issues; and facilitating alternative dispute resolutions and mediations.” Levin will also serve as an advisor to the firm’s Government Relations and Regulatory Practice Group.

MORE

As an asides, here is a fun piece of some Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn handiwork.

Yep. The old fart younger brother of Sander (where does Sandy live?) will be right at home in that cesspool of shysters.

H/t ‘featured image’ source here

You Betcha! (14)Nuh Uh.(0)

Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

It Would Be About Time

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moore-moneyTaxpayer provided incentives for one industry or another have always been morally wrong and with questionable results.

Maybe this time we can end ONE particular part of an ongoing ‘eating out of our substance’ for the purposes of one industry’s benefit.  HB4122 will do this, and we support its passage.  The Ivory Tower reports on the effort to push through this bill with some commentary on both sides of the debate.  Supporting removal of the subsidies is one former lawmaker:

“The film subsidies send much of the $50 million allocated to them, out of state — to Hollywood millionaires and billionaires,” said former state Rep. Tom McMillin, a leading opponent of the incentives. “A lot more jobs will be created by keeping that money in Michigan and employing Michigan workers to fix roads or keep the money in the pockets of business owners across the state, so they can hire more employees.”

Indeed, one of the missed points when giving taxpayer money away is what the benefit might have been if it had been left in the hands of those who produced it.

This is a start.  Rumors of a bill to end the MEDC have been floating around, and would be well received by overtaxed Michiganians, but so far no such effort from ANY lawmaker has borne any fruit.

You Betcha! (12)Nuh Uh.(0)

Cronyism, Detroit, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Pay up Suckers

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Never underestimate the local ‘Team R’ actors who will roll with RINO Ron’s DIA Bailout.

gingell_mike_smIn the letter, which Gingell read to The News, Gargaro said he wants to work on connecting the three art authorities — which are contracted with the DIA and collect tax money on behalf of the county — with compensation decisions by meeting with them three or four times a year.

“So the county art authorities have opportunity for input, so that’s a good measure,” Gingell said. “They would review the DIA audited financial statements and discuss it in an open forum with the art authorities. It’s definitely more outreach, more transparency, more practical steps to address compensation.”

Reached by The News Wednesday afternoon, Gargaro declined to discuss the specifics of the letter or what it was offering. “I haven’t had a chance to speak with the commissioners about it yet,” Gargaro said.

In other words, Eugene Gargaro hasn’t read the official script yet.

Gargaro is expected to meet with commissioners during their caucus Thursday morning, Gingell said. That will take place just before the start of the regular board meeting, at which commissioner Dave Woodward, D-Royal Oak, had planned to offer a resolution to dissolve the Oakland County Art Authority, which sends $11 million a year to the DIA.

Gingell said once all 21 members of the board read the letter and speak with Gargaro, “my personal opinion is things will move on” and the issue of dissolving the art authority will be over.

REST

Yep. Easy peasy. Just another case of watching the layers of bureaucrats and their insider onion peel.

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking

So, Weiser was in on the DIA Raises too

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Ho, ho, ho, this certainly is fun. The chair of the DIA just threw RINO Ron under the bus.

“We sincerely regret that we did not anticipate the way in which our promotion and compensation decisions in late 2011 and early 2012 would be perceived in late 2014 in light of the conditions that developed for the city and the region as the DIA millage was approved in late 2012 and as the City of Detroit entered bankruptcy in 2013,” Gargaro said.

This from, Thursday, December 16, 2010:

“We are happy to welcome these prominent community members to our board,” said Eugene A. Gargaro, DIA chairman of the board. “Their dedication to the arts and array of experience and expertise will help us continue to provide great art and educational programs to the community.”

Re-elected members include Jeffrey Antaya, chief marketing officer, Plante & Moran, PLLC; Eleanor Ford, philanthropist; Thomas Sidlik, retired from Chrysler; Ronald Weiser, retired ambassador to Slovakia; and Janis Wetsman, art collector and philanthropist. Marc Schwartz, managing partner in SM/ART Editions, was re-elected to the board after a two-year hiatus.

Lying frickin’ liars.

Shall we talk about those low interest loans, Ron?

You Betcha! (18)Nuh Uh.(2)

Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

Of Course he did

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I have to hand it to whatever brainiac who Snyder hired to dream up his highly orchestrated overly scripted *town halls* with the wealth of documented lies they bring back to light.

Rick Snyder then:

Rick Snyder now:

Want another doozy of a Snyder lie?

Rick Snyder then:

Rick Snyder now: http://rightmi.com/the-joys-of-obamas-moochercare/

Folks, this is where today there is a growing contingent who see the wisdom of not giving Snyder his “lame duck” term, in which his Progressive agenda will go completely unchecked by just enough legislative losers who run with Snyder’s big government agenda. Is Mark Schauer a loser? Only about a shade paler that of what one can see with a term limited Rick Snyder.

Bottom line. If Conservatives must bird dog our Republican legislators to vote consistent to Party platform and principle, then we can do that just the same with a confirmed Democrat governor as we do with this center-Left abomination named Snyder under the Republican banner, now. Frankly, our task as Conservatives will most likely become easier with removing the facade of “going against their own” without Snyder.

And, before any simpletons start their crap about absolutists, y’all’s can just go park your “No true Scotsman fallacy” bullshit elsewhere. You aren’t welcome here.

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