Tag: Rick Snyder

 " How blind is a 'blind trust'?"

Or perhaps should we ask instead, how is that "blind trust" in the calculations provided working for ya'll.

As strategic National (Yob's political consulting firm) looks forward to 2014 and an expected continued representation of Rick Snyder's campaign efforts, he will have to overcome one particular obstacle; The governor himself.  Perhaps even the governor's staff and surrogates.  As brilliant as some of those operatives within Strategic National might be, the 'pig' that is the governor's reelection chance might be far too gone for lipstick and a little rouge.  

Especially given yesterdays grass roots announcement and letter.  The announcement was picked up by all of the state papers, and has gathered attention even nationwide. However, Snyder's mouthpiece Sara Wurfel says:

"As an (accountant), Gov. Snyder knows there's a strong case that this Medicaid component is the financially responsible and smart thing to do while also being the right thing to do, both short- and long-term for Michiganders and our state's economy and health status,"

Think along the lines of the Congressional Budget Office(CBO).  IF, given all the input it was supposed to have had before offering an opinion to congress on the ACA in the first place, it might not have offered such a rosy picture of the plan's finances to that congress.  Adding the 'unforeseen' costs (we saw them and said so - but ..) that have made it already unworkable, we can do little but laugh at his 'accounting' skills. There are always costs which are held off the books till it is too late to do anything about the overall plan.  One of the conservative activists Jeri Leroi who is on the list in opposition, makes a valid point today in one of her email broadcasts:

"Keep in mind, in the past the federal government has robbed the Medicare budget to pay for the increase in medicaid.   Medicare recipients have paid into the medicare program for over 40 year before receiving any benefits at all.  We pay a co pay and extra premiums for hospital care which are also scheduled to go up under Obamacare.  The Medicaid recipients have not paid into this program, whole families have stayed on it for life.

She also influences many within our community.

As promised, Governor Snyder will have to face the reality that the conservative base might well leave him to fend for himself as he repeatedly (and without remorse) promotes expansion of the ACA in Michigan.  Joan Fabiano and Jen Kuznicki in an article and open letter to the Governor explain that Republicans should, and will not be casting their vote for him in the coming election.

"It is with careful consideration that we decide on a course of action that is, in our view, politically problematic, but nonetheless a forthright answer to a governor who will not listen to his base: Conservatives should not help this Governor get reelected."

Many are concerned that The 2014 Democrat candidate for governor is likely to take advantage of this, and they are correct.  Thus another reason to fight for, and support the legislators who stand up for limited government intrusion into our lives; something clearly pointed out as part of the problem with the ACA by Fabiano and Kuznicki:

'Unsustainable consequences of the passing of the "Affordable" Care Act will leave millions without a job, and millions with cut hours and wages.  Those consequences lead us to believe that expansion will overwhelm the system, rip off doctors, temporarily prop up hospitals, all leading to requests for more taxpayer funding on both the State and Federal levels.

Medicaid expansion is not solely a fiscal issue, it gets to the heart of the role of government in our lives.  Take into consideration the life of a restaurant worker who has been working full time.  Due to Obamacare, he will be facing a cut in hours because of the fees placed upon his employer by the cynical law.  He will lose his health insurance as a result, and he will be eligible for Medicaid if the state expands it.  You have, at the hands of government, changed that man's life from being a hard-working climber to one that has been knocked back by a government he is in charge of.  He has lost half of his income so that the government can manage his life.'

Workers at a fast food restaurant on Detroit's east side have walked off the job as part of an effort to push for higher wages.

Detroit pastor Charles Williams II says workers want $15 and hour, better working conditions and the right to unionize. The one-day protest starting Friday morning at a McDonald's on the 10000 block of Gratiot is one of about 50 that organizers say they've planned around Detroit.

The D15 campaign says many workers make $7.40 an hour or just above it.

Fire every damn one of them for walking off.  They're at an inflated wage as it is for saying, "want fries with that?"

In the bizzarro world state that we live in, it might soon be even more true.  Surprising as it might be, Andy Dillon might actually shed the comfort of a fat bureaucratic job for the gold fringe executive seat. And it might work. Not because Dillon is better, but because he is undermining the governor's better efforts with punitive management of the treasury.

The treasury department is the enforcement arm of Michigan's revenue collections. And true to the progressive mindset that you not only do-not-own what you think, he manages that way.  Its bad enough to be PERSONALLY LIABLE for actions of an entire department you manage, but to carry that liability  for decisions made prior to your own involvement?  Charles Owens reports:

"In the majority of states, personal liability statutes have required that the responsible person be employed in a tax-supervisory position with the company during the time that the person's company failed to pay the government. However, Michigan's Treasury is departing from this body of law. Treasury now extends its assessments to persons not employed by the tax liable entity or were not employed during the time period in which the tax was not paid. That is, the state Treasury is now assessing persons for tax debts that arose before the person was employed by the company. It is assessing persons that were members of other holding companies that invested in the tax liable company - and had no hand in day-to-day operations. Treasury is assessing persons for debts which arose after they left the company. No other government jurisdiction practices such an expansive assessment."

And before someone says "Hey, Andy can be tied to this. Its HIS department after all", I would suggest we find some precedent setting moment in time.  You know, some point in history where 'the buck actually stopped there.' This is SNYDER'S problem, and will be, no matter who makes the primary calls.

Right?

How about a nice big bowl of Yooper Super Scooper Fudge ice cream?

Or Traverse City Cherry Bomb or maybe a sugar cone of Very Vernors?

Those flavors haven't been created yet but they could be in the Pure Michigan ice cream contest, which kicks off Wednesday.

Pure Michigan is teaming up with Hudsonville Ice Cream in an effort to help promote the bounty of food and agricultural products available in the state.

REST

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Kerry Bentivolio introduced the Read the Bills Act of 2013. This legislation makes important changes to the way Congress does business by giving ample time to review legislation before it is voted on, requiring that all votes on passage be taken by roll call, and by providing that legislation shows in context how it modifies existing law.

It is a basic moral question that a member of Congress should only vote to pass legislation having read and understood it. The Read the Bills Act accomplishes this by requiring that every vote on a bill's passage take place no less than 7 days after the text of the bill is available on-line to the public where it can easily be found. There is an exception to the "7 day rule" for declarations of war.

"It is our duty to be transparent to the constituents we serve. This legislation will increase transparency and ensure that Congress doesn't pass legislation to find out what is in it," said Rep. Bentivolio. "Every law affects how the American people live and it is a dereliction of the Oath of Office to pass laws without knowing what they are."

Rep. Bentivolio's, bill may be viewed here.