In This Issue: Are we losing ground? Had enough? Ready to ROLL?
Security leaks; Comey revealed; Citizen Task Forces; should public school students be taught to bow to Islam? Right/Wrong changing; Energy Policies; Obama Record in charts; CPS abuses; lots of legislation reviewed!
Your support, readership and sharing is making a difference and is much appreciated. We change public policies by changing pubic opinions. Perhaps we have been given a reprieve to restore God and His principles to out great land. We are pleased to work hard to equip you with a digest of key news, information and opinions to share. The work is not done. Please help! Pass this newsletter on to another or copy and share an article. If there is a way you can make it, please join us at MiCPAC as we strategize, network and prepare to win conservative governance.
The federal government should "avoid the slightest interference with the rights of conscience or the functions of religion, so wisely exempted from civil jurisdiction."
James Madison, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1809 (Thanks, Michael)
"Accept challenges so you can feel the exhilaration of victory."
Conservatives - Are we losing ground? Must we switch to "gorilla" tactics to direct
the troops to weaknesses in the relentless onslaught? We must step up efforts to get
our arguments out there, limited and cogent and aimed at precise targets.
One way we have effectively organized is by the use of Citizen Task Forces.
A typical task force meets in person about six times over a six month period to
study issues and propose conservative policies and solutions. We are looking at inviting panels on Energy and Health Care, and additional sessions on Education (Phase V) and Property Rights (Phase II). Participants pay their own expenses. They are expected to
bring experience and expertise on the subject, a commitment to conservative governance, and the ability and willingness to donate time and work in a collegial group atmosphere. Meetings are well organized and of limited duration, typically 90 minites and usually in Lansing. Additional phone or subcommittee meetings are sometimes used.
If you are interested, please email [email protected] with vitae or bio.
"Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist." - John Adams
++ Should our public school children be taught to bow to Islam? Link
++ Did Trump give Russians "classified" information? It is unbelieveable how the MSM has blown this up with reckless allegations from unidentified sources. Apparently disgruntled people who no longer whipsaw Americal policies. The President has unquestionable authority to determine what is classified. And to decide what information might be shared for strategic reasons. It does take some time to learn to navigate in a classified atmosphere. Been there.
The bureaucracy changes rules on the fly and sometimes even hide significant information from the Principals by creating pockets within programs and keeping it "secret" even from policy makers. Been there, too. The black side of the budget can be wasted and used for personal purposes. We saw that in the Iran-Contra debacle that nearly brought down a Presidency.
We encourage the Administration to get a firm grip on this and demand to see EVERYTHING!!
As for the alleged presidential leak, it is likely illegal to publicly report discussions in a highly classified meeting, Who on the inside keeps doing this? It is a most destructive attempt to bring down the Administration. It meeds investigation and resolution. The alleged President's leak seeks to second guess and undermine the President. It deserves no additional coverage.
++ ++ Trump Made No 'Classified' Leak, Someone Else Did - The Washington Post reported Monday that President Trump revealed "highly classified" intelligence to Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their recent meeting at the White House.
But the Post forgot to mention that the President's conversation with Lavrov is itself among the most secret and classified matters our government holds - and the leak of key parts of that conversation is likely a crime.
This is now the third time in a short period that the president's most secret and private discussions with a world leader have been leaked to The Washington Post.
During his first week in office, the full transcripts of President Trump's phone conversations with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto were quickly leaked to the Post.
Such leaks are a serious and illegal attack on the presidency. They undermine the country, trust in the president and his ability to maintain global leadership.
More
++ 10 MAJOR FBI SCANDALS ON COMEY'S WATCH -Comey will be remembered for the controversial role he played in the 2016 presidential election, where his agency conducted surveillance of the Trump campaign as well as investigated the Clinton camp for mishandling classified materials, giving both sides arguments for how the FBI ultimately swayed the vote. But even before the 2016 campaign, the FBI endured a number of humiliations under Comey's tenure. Most damning were revelations that the FBI was generally aware of almost every terrorist who successfully struck America over the last eight years. Here are 10 of Comey's biggest embarrassments at the FBI: Link
++ Comey stepped over the line - several times. - He had no authority to tell the World that the justice Department should not indict Hillary Clinton. That was not his decision, and previous Directors used much more discretion. He was playing politics and on a massive ego trip. Tucker Carlson Video
++ President Donald Trump had no choice but to fire FBI Director James Comey after receiving the letter from Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, a career professional with no political ax to grind, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said. Rosenstein was confirmed by a 94-6 bipartisan Senate vote, Gingrich pointed out Tuesday night on Fox News' "Hannity." Rosenstein listed a series of mistakes made by Comey, and talked to several former attorneys general who concurred, Gingrich said. Attorney General Jeff Sessions concurred with Rosenstein and forwarded the letter to Trump. "What I would say to Democrats is, if the president of the United States gets a letter like that from a career professional who you just voted for, how could he do anything else except accept the letter?" Gingrich said. "He cites attorney general after attorney general from both parties saying this is exactly wrong, and Comey in fact violated the rules of the Justice Department, the principles of the FBI, and he is not capable of rebuilding the FBI. I think President Trump frankly had no choice at that point." Link
++ Alan Dershowitz: "He (Comey) should have resigned," the Harvard Law professor emeritus told Don Lemon on CNN. "He lost his credibility. "A lot of this is his fault. He should have looked in the mirror and said to himself, 'I am not trusted by Democrats, Republicans, by the American public' and should have resigned. Article
++ The Bipartisan Case against James Comey - The memorandum issued by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to explain Comey's dismissal Tuesday is well crafted and will make it very difficult for Democrats to attack President Trump's decision. Rosenstein bases the decision not merely on Comey's much discussed missteps in the Clinton e-mails investigation - viz., usurping the authority of the attorney general to close the case without prosecution; failing to avail himself of the normal procedures for raising concerns about Attorney General Lynch's conflict of interest. He goes on specifically to rebuke Comey's "gratuitous" release of "derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal prosecution." That "subject," of course, would be Mrs. Clinton.
Rosenstein makes a point of quoting condemnations of Comey by Democrats prominent in law enforcement: former Obama attorney general Eric Holder and Clinton deputy attorney general Jamie Gorelick. Recall that Comey endorsed Holder for AG. This was an important seal of approval at a time when critics were arguing that Holder's key participation in the Marc Rich pardon scandal was disqualifying: Comey had not only been a respected deputy attorney general in a Republican administration; he had for a time inherited the Marc Rich investigation as a prosecutor in New York, when Rich was among the FBI's most wanted fugitives.
Yet, Holder has blasted Comey for breaking with "fundamental principles" of the Justice Department, and thus undermining "public trust in both the Justice Department and the FBI" (in a way, I suppose, that Holder's own citation for contempt of Congress did not).
In any event, given that Rosenstein's reasoning in calling for Comey's termination echoes Holder's judgment about the damage done - Rosenstein's memo is titled, "Restoring Public Confidence in the Federal Bureau of Investigation" - it will be tough for Democrats to argue convincingly that Trump fired Comey for any other reason. More
++ Bill Clinton Fired The FBI Director The Day Before Vince Foster Was Found Dead -
Link
The FBI opened the investigation into the Travel Office firings in May 1993.
Bill Clinton fired the FBI director on July, 19th 1993.
Vince Foster was found dead on July 20th 1993.
The FBI was called in to assist with the investigation.
++ Democrats called for resignation
- then!Video Link
++ "She should have fired him ... he should not have fired him" - Democrat hypocricy Video
According to a new survey, fully 8 in 10 Americans are concerned "about declining moral behavior in our nation."
But when it comes to the issue of how one determines what is right and wrong, there is far less agreement.
In fact, as the chart shows, a majority of young people now say that standards of right and wrong are changeable:
Survey: 60% of Millennials Don't Believe in Right and Wrong More
Based on these thoughts, is it possible that we are experiencing such a dramatic decline in rational discourse because so many young people don't have an objective standard of right and wrong on which to base their reasoning?
For Conservative Governance!
We need forsight and courage today,
the commitment to fight evil and stop the rush towards communisim and socialism that both Parties are pushing with relentless "progressive" actions in the form of more regulations, more government spending and more taxing
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Cron 7:14
++ Genomics vs. Privacy - One major concern is over privacy and security of genomic data. For instance, policymakers in Washington recently threatened to make genomic data necessarily available to employers. Complicating the privacy issue is the fact that there is no clear legal owner of genomic data; that data was found to be unpatentable and, because it lacks authorship or a creator (legally), cannot be copyrighted.
It seems the only way to have any control over your genomic data is to simply not get tested, keeping that data hidden "in" one's own body. But this defeats the entire point of most modern medical genomic technology.
MORE (Thanks Mari-Ann)
++ Planned Parenthood does NOT offer pre-natal care. Abortion is their game :
Link
++ Michigan Supreme Court Justice Joan Larsen is headed to the federal bench,
pending Senate confirmation, White House officials confirmed Monday. Larsen, who during the presidential election campaign appeared on a list of potential nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court, was nominated Monday by President Donald Trump today to the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, the newspaper reported. The 6th Circuit, based in Cincinnati, handles federal appeals from Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. Larsen, a former U-M attorney and adviser to the administration of former Republican President George W. Bush, was appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court by Gov. Rick Snyder in 2015. She won election to the court in 2016. More (Thanks, Catherine and Paul)
++ Deported 8 times to Mexico, undocumented immigrant arrested in Bay County- For the second time this week, a Mexican citizen has been indicted in federal court in Bay City on charges related to entering the country illegally. Federal prosecutors on Wednesday, May 10, charged Rafael Munoz-Molina with one count of illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. The charge is punishable by up to two years' incarceration.
Munoz-Molina identified himself to ICE officers and "freely admitted to not having any legal status or documentation to reside or remained in the United States," Rivera wrote. The officers arrested Munoz-Molina and took him to the ICE field office in Detroit. More (Thank, Nick)
++ THE NIGHT WATCHMAN - Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.
Democrats in Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night."
So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?"
So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions,and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?"
So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One was to do the studies and one was to write the reports.
Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?"
So they created two positions: a time keeper and a payroll officer then hired two people.
Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"
So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.
Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $918,000 over budget, we must cut back."
So they laid off the night watchman.
NOW slowly, let it sink in.
Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter. Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY during the Carter administration?
Anybody? Anything? No? Didn't think so!
Bottom line is, we've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency, the reason for which very few people who read this can remember!
Ready?? It was very simple... and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted on 8/04/1977, TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???
AND NOW IT'S 2017 -- 40 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY"
DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND
APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT HAS DONE!
(THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?")
34 years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports.
Ah, yes -- good old Federal bureaucracy.
NOW, WE HAVE TURNED OVER THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?
What can possibly go wrong?
Hello!! Anybody Home? 'Drain the swamp'!
Signed.... The Night Watchman (Thanks, Duane)
++ To our legislators: We almost gagged at the Consumers Power testimony before the House Energy Policy Committee May 16, 2017. Unbelievable moxy in demanding the green light for even more "zero energy cost renewables" by way of approvals for more automatic infrastructure and rate increases. I really appreciated some of your questions. It is a new day, and we have hope this new Committee with make some sense of the destructive policies from the last several decades.
"Aging" infrastructure is conjecture and matters of design and management choices. I recall Orion Schools seeking a new millage because its high school was 14 years old. While students are taught better in 600 year old schools in other countries. DTE and Consumers have been paid a guaranteed percentage (was 12.5%, not sure what it is now). That is 100% replacement in 8 years! They certainly can capitalize routine maintenance and replacement with that. It is a disingenuous lever to force you into lousy (for rate payers) choices. That Toledo customers pay half the rate is something we hope YOU will contemplate.
Your editor ran the conservative and renewable energy programs for President Reagan, and authored much of his National Program Plan for Energy . We had every imaginable program to try to conserve (sometimes paying $300 to save an $18 barrel of oil) and to develop cost effective "renewables." We were spending millions of dollars proving, again, what architects and engineers have known for three millennium. We had wind fields the size of counties and solar fields the size of townships, What a waste of tax dollars! We were competing with the private sector and losing, but doubling down to try to catch up. The gamut - wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, energy storage, and much. much more.
Until we started cutting this bottomless pit and forced the bureaucracy to think strategic and efficiently. Then we started asking the fundamental questions governments might properly ask, like what makes good insulation? What are the off-setting costs when super-insulation forces indoor air quality issues that then impose more energy consumption to alleviate? Should government regulate to force behaviors that are counter-productive, restrictive, costly, unwise?
We spent a million dollars studying the Residential Conservation Service whereby utilities passed on to rate payers (with profit) 90-95% of the costs of energy valuations of individual homes and businesses. Most of those ordering the audit had already insulated to the hilt and used the program to brag to neighbors and market their homes. Costs were 17x savings. At great political expense we closed the program down. Only Michigan of the 50 states continued it. Michigan utilities were the only ones wanting to continue these wasteful programs.
We spent a million dollars studying prevailing and available winds across the country. I still have a copy of the two inch think report in storage. The most promising winds were in major river valleys then generating at $0.18/kWh where hydro was available at $0.01/kWh. Solar is getting marginally better but is FAAAR from cost effective. I pass a large DTE solar field along !-69 in Lapeer County where it might be the most visible to the public, seeing them covered by snow, clouds and darkness most of the time. I want to hang a huge sign on the fence: WASTE OF OUR RATE DOLLAR$
It was a warped struggle getting Michigan to 10%. The costs are huge as we pay with guaranteed profits on two infrastructures due to the inherent and intermittent inefficiencies of "renewables" requiring traditional plants as "back-ups", that now run less efficient due to their interrupt able use. I can't think of a less wise policy! Take it to 30%? NUTS! The Governor's energy czar testified that might generate 1000% price increases. That is a very chilling prospect for jobs and population in Michigan.
First, ALL energy is "renewable" and all are gifts from God's great design. Some (coal, gas) take longer to re-compost, but they, too, are renewable. While they talk about "no cost" energy they are not talking about is the higher maintenance costs, and shorter "plant" lives, and the destructible natures of these "altenatives".
There is no shortage of energy. There is no need for "dependence' on foreign energy. We are blessed with all we need. And we will have all we need, when we need it, from wherever it properly comes from, if we back off governments' bullying and let God's plan and the market decide.
I have burned in my memory the lessons learned when DTE sold its fleet of trucks. They were largely depreciated and were a continuing operating cost that could be passed on to rate payers. By selling them they acquired millions of dollars to invest in the Greenwood plant that then was guaranteed a profit on capitalization - and the higher cost of renting the trucks back, could be passed on as higher operating costs. A double whammy for rate payers.
I cannot conceive of a worse basis for providing energy to the users. The guaranteed monopolies with an automatic bonuses for pushing ineffective and overly expensive "renewables" is a very destructive model for an open and creating energy policy, and for jobs in Michigan.
Governments have no money until they take it from We The People. That is your parents, siblings, children, neighbors, parishioners, co-workers, grass roots supporters, constituents etc. It is a trust that commands stewardship, for them, not "specials interests" or favored corporate or lobbying interests. Thank you, if you are a responsive steward. You are doing God's work.
Some TAXATION
= THEFT
++ Off FB
Mike Hewitt· - We need to offload the lie of huge monolithic schools and return to township and neighborhood schools. We need to tell the state and federal government to bag their 'good public policy ' rhetoric and get their hands off our children's education.
Neal Rohrs - Let's Be Clear. Hillary Clinton violated countless laws with her server and sending Top Secret Emails on a non Governmental sever. This Trump story is more Fake News B.S. Then I hear the MORON Nancy Pelosi babbling about it. Pathetic!!!
Stefanie Simmet - I'm sorry, but who really cares?! So Trump "leaked classified information to the Russians"...SO WHAT?! Hillary carelessly leaked TO THE WORLD and she got away with it! We have truly become a nation where the elite get away with murder, quite literally, so why on Earth should we care until We the People are willing to sacrifice our comfy little lives and TAKE THIS NATION BACK from ALL of them?! Until that happens, WHO CARES!!! The deceivers (Republicans), the hypocrites (Democrats), cowards (99% of Americans)...rule the day, so just prepare your home and family for what's coming, and trust in God ALONE. We are worthy of the days ahead of this nation.
++ The Obama Record
++ Should (Conservative) Free Speech be limited to one room on campus?
Michigan News and Views
1,000 days of obstruction -
The Michigan Republican establishment abandoning it's platform, principles, promises and supporters with constant spending and tax increases
In the face of losing thousands of students and admitting decreased quality, they are throwing even more money at a broken education system - doubling down on failure. Time to think out of the box and return to principles, or have Dems in charge.
The chart to the right shows
Democrats were more responsible economically in Granholm's last four years. Thank you for right to work, but much has been a fiscal disaster since. There are many Republicans who will NOT vote for an establishment candidate for governor next year. Plan ahead!
.
| Granholm
| Snyder &
| last term
| Republicans
Dem. House
| Blew out $$
Rep. Senate
| Quality Dropped
++ CPS abuses - Children taken from Parents without adequate protection for Children or Parents.
In 2013, Cary Flagg and his ex-wife were going through a bitter divorce and custody fight. CPS was involved and there were complaints on both sides, though nothing was ever substantiated. Later that year, the girls' mother took their then-5-year-old daughter to the hospital after blood was found in her underwear. A CPS investigation was opened and investigators immediately focused on Flagg.
Flagg insists he never touched his daughter. CPS investigators and a Mecosta County sheriff's deputy interviewed the children - but none of those interviews were documented on video, leading to ambiguities as to what the child said or didn't say. That confusion would have been eliminated if the interview had been taped.
"I would have been able to use these tools to prove my innocence and to prove what was actually said in their own voices to the jury and that jury would have never given jurisdiction," Flagg said.
Last year, Target 8 asked former CPS caseworker Ben Hall to look at Flagg's case. Hall said what happened to Flagg is an example of a department employing investigators who were inexperienced, overworked and often at the mercy of supervisors who never had any contact with the families under investigation.
"Children are being removed from families not because of the law, not because of safety, but because of policy," Hall said.
Rep. Jim Runestad - I have a bill moving through the legislature that would require videotaping of all of these interviews at every CAC in Michigan. When everything is at stake for children and parents we have to get things correct. We can have no miscarriages of justice
David Singh - It is custom in CPS cases to not use rules of evidence. No discovery no cross examination no refutation. All court action is based solely on a single CPS MSWs biased testimony. All court and CPS actions are financially incentivized to break up families and keep children to in Foster care for at least 12 months.
David Singh - Heinous and morally corrupt NGOs like Bethany Christian Services vertically kidnap children using False Testimony to fund their fiendish money glut.
Abigail NobeI - hate family breakdown. As soon as family bonds break, the state has excuse to step in. It's not the proper role of government to provide family love and security; and they're BAD at it. I hope everyone does everything possible to strengthen the current and future families around them so that more and more we can limit government in this area.
Linda Hickerson - I've quit referring to any of it as a "justice" system - it's a "legal" system and that's it. Not to say that everyone once in awhile justice doesn't happen, but it's not what the system is based on
Sherry Wantsanisland -Recently, 02/28/17, I had the opportunity to assist CPS. Upon completion of the CPS investigation I was privileged to read the report as written by the caseworker and approved by caseworkers' manager. What I read was opinion with little substance, certainly not a worthy of the tax dollars invested to compile the report. I not only lost all respect for CPS, I will never assist the department in the future. In fact, I am still contemplating going public with the report to call attention to the waste of tax dollars, and the conspiracy by state employees to commit libel.
Carol Moore - I just learned that CPS is incentivized to remove the child from the home. They receive $12,000 from the federal government. They also receive $5,000 more if child started on psychotropic medication. Are you aware of these?
Doug Carter - First I would recommend that we remove the immunity from prosecution of social workers, then require an attorney present at all interviews, and no interviews to be done at a school
++ Good money for more bad performance - WASTE! House Roll Call 87 on 2017 House Bill 4313: Appropriations: "Omnibus" education budgetPassed 60 to 47 in the House on May 2, 2017. The House version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2017. A separate budget bill authorizes the rest of state government spending (House Bill 4323). This bill would appropriate a total of $16.324 billion, of which $1.838 billion is federal money. Of this total, $14.309 billion would go to K-12 public education, compared to $14.161 billion approved last year. Another $1.619 billion is for state universities, compared to $1.582 billion the prior year. Community colleges would get $395 million, the same as last year.
++ Where's the best city in Michigan to start or expand your small business? The nation? According to a new study by WalletHub, the personal finances website, it's one in the same: Holland, Michigan, the lakeside tourist destination in the western part of the state.
With a population of just 33,000, the town topped a study that examined the business-friendliness of 1,261 small cities.
"We've had a long-term culture of entrepreneurialism, mainly because we had to," said Craig Hall, a Holland-based entrepreneur, and investor, in an interview with Inc. "It always seemed that all of the resources went to Detroit, so we had to create our own opportunities."
The study examined 16 variables, from "access to resources" to "business costs."
A slew of Michigan cities made the list:
Southfield (59); Dearborn (89); Bay City (92); Portage (109); Wyoming (115); Eastpointe (135); Farmington Hills (164); Madison Heights (168)...Mount Pleasant (244) - One of shortest work weeks in average hours, 1257th;...Battle Creek (286) - Among the worst in accessible financing at No. 1156; East Lansing (624) - One of shortest work weeks in average hours, 1261st....Read the full report Here
WHEN POLITICANS or PARTIES TAKE FAVORS AND DELIVER LEGISLATION, IT ISN'T A MATTER OF WHAT THEY ARE, BUT MERELY THE PRICE.
Legislative Accountability!
It is OUR responsibility to know the issues and the players, and to inform others so that we Change Policies by changing public opinions! Check back in the next issue. Get briefed at MiCPAC
HB 4594 and 4597 The prevailing-wage repeal resurfaced last week with a bill, sponsored by state Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield Township, to repeal the law for public school construction projects. Gov. Rick Snyder has said he would veto a repeal of the prevailing wage if it passes the Legislature because he feels it would hamper efforts to boost skilled trades workers. Article
We think the legislature needs to pass full repeal of Prevailing Wage, as they are not true "prevailing wages", and artifically increase the costs of all government services. Challenge the Governor to stand up for taxpayers, for a change, and let his Lt.Gov. know this is a pivotal issue that will effect the next election.
SB 373: Allow the use of design-build constructing for certain school buildings. Sponsor: Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge. This could save a significant amount ot time, money and liability on government construction projects.
Rep. Jim Runestad testifies for his E-Verify bill.
Runestad's bill stops illegal workers from collecting taxpayer dollars Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Jim Runestad requires public employers to use free E-Verify program Article
We still expect the legislature to
Repeal Common Core
Pass an income tax cut
Get rid of mandated energy types and monopolies. Wind and solar are NOT cost effective. Let the market decide
Eliminate Prevailing Wage Laws that stifle competition and quality
Roll back regulations and taxes!
Quit spending our tax dollars on "winners" - giving some businesses unfair advantages
Here is a series of votes supporting using tax dollars to redistribute our money to certain priveleged and connected businesses. This is anethema to conservatives. This is anti-free enterprise. These will all be rated in the Michigan Conservative Union scorecard. As a legislator if you get a lousy score, frankly, it reflects your liberal votes. We hope some researcher out there will review donations to politicians by the companies and their officers to legislators who voted for their booty. We want to be able to support the legislators we helped elect. You are sent to represent us to Lansing, not Lansing to us. Don't get captured by the system!
Senate Bill 111: Transfer state revenue to big developers Passed 85 to 22 in the House on May 4, 2017 To authorize giving ongoing cash subsidies to particular developers and business owners selected by state and local political appointees. Developers would get cash subsidies for up to 20 years based on the income tax paid by their employees and tenants. Fiscal agency projections suggest the process could transfer up to $1.8 billion state tax dollars to these beneficiaries. This would mean less money available for other state services (or for broad-based tax cuts). This is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 111 to 115; see also Senate Bills 242 and 243.
Senate Bill 112: Transfer state revenue to big developers Passed 85 to 22 in the House on May 4, 2017 To authorize giving ongoing cash subsidies to particular developers and business owners selected by state and local political appointees. Developers would get cash subsidies for up to 20 years based on the income tax paid by their employees and tenants. Fiscal agency projections suggest the process could transfer up to $1.8 billion state tax dollars to these beneficiaries. This would mean less money available for other state services broad-based tax cuts. This is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 111 to 115; see also Senate Bills 242 and 243.
Senate Bill 113: Give cash subsidies to some big developers Passed 83 to 24 in the House on May 4, 2017
To authorize giving ongoing cash subsidies to particular developers and business owners selected by state and local political appointees. Developers would get cash subsidies for up to 20 years based on the income tax paid by their employees and tenants. Fiscal agency projections suggest the process could transfer up to $1.8 billion state tax dollars to these beneficiaries. This would mean less money available for other state services broad-based tax cuts. This is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 111 to 115; see also Senate Bills 242 and 243.
Senate Bill 114: Give cash subsidies to some big developers Passed 83 to 24 in the House on May 4, 2017 To authorize giving ongoing cash subsidies to particular developers and business owners selected by state and local political appointees. Developers would get cash subsidies for up to 20 years based on the income tax paid by their employees and tenants. Fiscal agency projections suggest the process could transfer up to $1.8 billion state tax dollars to these beneficiaries. This would mean less money available for other state services (or for broad-based tax cuts). This is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 111 to 115; see also Senate Bills 242 and 243.
See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
HouseSenate Senate Bill 115: Give cash subsidies to some big developers Passed 85 to 22 in the House on May 4, 2017 To authorize excluding local income taxes from the tax exemptions authorized for owners or occupants of property in a "renaissance zone," if the property's owners are benefitting from subsidies authorized by Senate Bills 111 to 114, and subject to negotiation. These subsidies essentially allow a developer or business owner to keep the income tax withholding amounts associated with a particular building. This is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 111 to 115; see also Senate Bills 242 and 243. See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
HouseSenate
++++++++++++++++++++++
Senate Bill 348: Criminalize clitoridectomy Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on May 2, 2017 To establish sentencing guidelines for the crime of performing a clitoridectomy proposed by Senate Bill 347.
Official Text and Analysis.
SB 347 by Sen. Colbeck would also Criminalize clitoridectomy
Text & Analysis
Senate Bill 349 & 350: Restrict campus free speech restrictions Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on May 2, 2017 To prohibit state colleges and universities from restricting "expressive conduct" in public area unless the restriction serves a "compelling government interest," is the "least restrictive means" for doing so, leaves open "ample opportunities" for expressive conduct and allows for "spontaneous assembly and distribution of literature." Individuals aggrieved by violations could sue for up to $1,000.
Official Text and Analysis.
Senate Bill 365: Give temporary teaching certificate to military spouse teachers - Introduced by Sen. Dale W. Zorn (R) on May 4, 2017 To grant a temporary Michigan teaching certificate to the spouse of a member of the military from another state if the person has an equivalent license or certification from that state.
Official Text and Analysis.
House Bill 4565: Revise concealed pistol license no-gun zones Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on May 2, 2017 To eliminate most of the no-gun zones in Michigan's concealed pistol permit law, which are places a permit holder may not bring a gun. The list currently includes schools, sports stadiums, arenas, bars, bar/restaurants, places of worship, hospitals and courts. All but courts and schools would be removed from the list.
Official Text and Analysis. House Bill 4568: Revise concealed pistol license no-gun zones Introduced by Rep. Steven Johnson (R) on May 2, 2017 To update references state's weapons and firearms law so as to conform with changes proposed by House Bill 4565 to concealed pistol gun ban zones.
Official Text and Analysis.
House Bill 4581: Restrict community college free speech restrictions Introduced by Rep. John Reilly (R) on May 3, 2017 To prohibit a community college from restricting peaceful forms of assembly, protest, speech, distributing literature, carrying signs, and circulating petitions (called "expressive conduct" by the bill), unless the restrictions are deemed necessary to achieve a compelling governmental interest, are the least restrictive means to do so; leave open ample alternative opportunities for expressive conduct; and allow for spontaneous assembly and distribution of literature. See also Senate Bills 349 and 350. Official
Text and Analysis.
House Bill 4581: Restrict community college free speech restrictions Introduced by Rep. John Reilly (R) on May 3, 2017 To prohibit a community college from restricting peaceful forms of assembly, protest, speech, distributing literature, carrying signs, and circulating petitions (called "expressive conduct" by the bill), unless the restrictions are deemed necessary to achieve a compelling governmental interest, are the least restrictive means to do so; leave open ample alternative opportunities for expressive conduct; and allow for spontaneous assembly and distribution of literature. See also Senate Bills 349 and 350. Official Text and Analysis.
House Bill 4583: Use gas tax levied to clean up underground fuel tanks to actually do that Introduced by Rep. Mary Whiteford (R) on May 4, 2017 To amend a state law under which a 7/8 cent per gallon gas tax is levied to pay for leaking underground fuel tanks, by allocating some of the revenue to actually clean up leaking underground fuel tanks. This revenue stream was the target of a 2004 fund raid that earmarked most of the money for other department spending. The bill would add a new provision called the "legacy underground storage tank cleanup program," to do the things that were promised when this gas tax hike was originally enacted. Official Text and Analysis.
Some "Turkeys":We are seeing a trend among legislators - Republicans and Democrats, to ratchet up regulations, licensing requirements, and fees. How did we ever get by without so much government? Better!
House Bill 4573: Let townships impose property tax for mosquito control Introduced by Rep. Tim Sneller (D) on May 2, 2017 To permit townships to impose special assessment property taxes for mosquito abatement, which would permit them to use existing tax revenue that might go to this function to pay for other spending instead.
Official Text and Analysis.
House Bill 4578: Increase tobacco and e-cigarette taxes Introduced by Rep. Henry Yanez (D) on May 2, 2017 To increase the state cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack, which would bring the total state tax up to $3.50 per pack, plus another $1.01 imposed by the federal government. The tax on cigars and other types of tobacco including electronic smoking devices would be raised from 32 percent of the wholesale price to 81 percent.
Official Text and Analysis.
House Bill 4580: Expand scope of MSHDA lending Introduced by Rep. Diana Farrington (R) on May 3, 2017 To expand the scope of a state government housing development authority by allowing it to also participate in residential loan refinancing.
Official Text and Analysis.
Project Kirk is designed for us to better understand the true precepts of conservatism and what Kirk called "The Permanent Things." Russell was the writer that Reagan, Goldwater, Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. and so many others read and referred to as the founder of modern conservatism. Share his wisdom with others
Dr. Russell Kirk once served as Justice of the Peace for Morton Twp., Mecosta Co., MI. - back when it didn't require belonging to a Bar to use wisdom in settling the Law.
What are America's greatest influences, and what holds America together?
In 1974, the American political theorist Russell Kirk wrote
The Roots of American Order, identifying the beliefs and institutions that nurtured the American soul. His narrative might be called a "tale of five cities," because he attributes America's founding to Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and Philadelphia.
This infographic sketches out Kirk's narrative about our nation's greatest influences, as summarized by author John Zmirak.
Michigan is in trouble. Neither of the major political parties rule with conservative principles. We CAN change that!
Ten Conservative Principles
By Russell Kirk
Being neither a religion nor an ideology, the body of opinion termed conservatism
possesses no Holy Writ and no Das Kapital
to provide dogmata. So far as it is possible to determine what conservatives believe, the first principles of the conservative persuasion are derived from what leading conservative writers and public men have professed during the past two centuries. After some introductory remarks on this general theme, I will proceed to list ten such conservative principles.
In essence, the conservative person is simply one who finds the permanent things more pleasing than Chaos and Old Night...A people's historic continuity of experience, says the conservative, offers a guide to policy far better than the abstract designs of coffee-house philosophers. But of course there is more to the conservative persuasion than this general attitude.
First, the conservative believes that there exists an enduring moral order. That order is made for man, and man is made for it: human nature is a constant, and moral truths are permanent.
This word order signifies harmony. There are two aspects or types of order: the inner order of the soul, and the outer order of the commonwealth. Twenty-five centuries ago, Plato taught this doctrine, but even the educated nowadays find it difficult to understand. The problem of order has been a principal concern of conservatives ever since conservative became a term of politics.
Our twentieth-century world has experienced the hideous consequences of the collapse of belief in a moral order. Like the atrocities and disasters of Greece in the fifth century before Christ, the ruin of great nations in our century shows us the pit into which fall societies that mistake clever self-interest, or ingenious social controls, for pleasing alternatives to an oldfangled moral order.
It has been said by liberal intellectuals that the conservative believes all social questions, at heart, to be questions of private morality. Properly understood, this statement is quite true. A society in which men and women are governed by belief in an enduring moral order, by a strong sense of right and wrong, by personal convictions about justice and honor, will be a good society-whatever political machinery it may utilize; while a society in which men and women are morally adrift, ignorant of norms, and intent chiefly upon gratification of appetites, will be a bad society-no matter how many people vote and no matter how liberal its formal constitution may be.
More in the next issue. If you can't wait, read
HERE
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