Tag: Stimulus

Oh boy, the figures are rolling in on The One's stimulus package and that unbelievable recovery we're in! And the Enchanted Mitten is number 7 in the latest rankings!  

With Michigan's budget deficit ballooning to cartoonish proportions and tax revenue plummeting every time analysts dare peek, there's still a move afoot, championed in the liberal media, created by Congressional Democrats and carried out locally by Lansing Lefties (whoa! Alliteration!) to dramatically increase spending in the now and over the long term.

Yesterday in the Michigan Senate the Democrat Minority acted like children, stamped their feet and threw a proverbial hissy fit in an attempt to convince the Republican Majority to buy them something they knew the taxpayers couldn't afford.  Thank goodness the Republicans acted like the adults in the room and rejected the Faustian exchange.

At issue was $140 million in new federal "stimulus" cash targeted at increasing unemployment payments for everyone who has lost his or her job during six-plus years of the Granholm-Cherry economy.  And free money is always a good thing, except of course when it isn't free.

According to the Associated Press there's one whopping string attached to that cash.  Had the legislature accepted it we'd get that nice fat check to cover this year's rate spike but we'd specifically and intentionally be on the hook for the increased payments into perpetuity.  

That's the genius (and the sickness) of Congressional Democrats "stimulus" plan.  They are attempting to bribe state legislatures into making radical long term policy and spending changes with giant sums of short term cash.  It's a familiar scheme... I think it's what folks refer to as "selling your soul to the devil."

Amazing benefits now in exchange for an eternity of service to the dark lord.  

And just like Satan, if you turn down Democrats they're going to try to make your life a living hell.  

By blocking the Dems' attempt at woefully irresponsible spending Mike Bishop and the Senate Republicans expose themselves to the inevitable fiery slings and arrows of the campaign trail.  'They turned down free money,' the Dems will proclaim.  'They don't care about the unemployed,' they'll continue.  'Cruel and heartless,' the FREEP will inevitably opine.

Listen, it always stinks to say "no" and to admit we as a state can no longer afford to do every nice thing we might like but that's part of that whole "leadership" and "responsibility" thing.  And believe me... a little more pain now is better than a whole lot of perdition later.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've suddenly got Stryper on the brain...

In late March, 2008, Wolverine asked the County Planning Commission to amend it's original special use permit to include the burning of biomass.

The GOP House minority continues to sponsor and introduce legislation, to work behind the scenes and to try to figure out some sort of positive solution to this tax-hike / budget mess.

We rarely hear about that in the MSM.

Being a member of a legislative minority makes it tough to garner headlines. But they're working hard and they're trying to make a difference.

This week I spoke with freshman Representative Jim Stamas (R-Midland).

Interview after the break...

The GOP House minority continues to sponsor and introduce legislation, to work behind the scenes and to try to figure out some sort of positive solution to this tax-hike / budget mess.

We rarely hear about that in the MSM.

Being a member of a legislative minority makes it tough to garner headlines. But they're working hard and they're trying to make a difference.

This week I spoke with Livonia's freshman Republican Representative John Walsh.

Interview after the break...

We talk so often here about the things that are going wrong in Lansing and what the tax-and-spenders are up to that I think it's important to check in with the good guys from time to time to get their take on the issues facing taxpayers and the legislature today.

The GOP House minority continues to sponsor and introduce legislation, to work behind the scenes and to try to figure out some sort of positive solution to this tax-hike / budget mess.

We rarely hear about that in the MSM.

Being a member of a legislative minority makes it tough to garner headlines. But they're working hard and they're trying to make a difference.

This week I spoke with Calhoun County freshman Republican Representative Jase Bolger.

Interview after the break...

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The Detroit News reports this morning that a new stimulus bill was introduced yesterday in DC by Macomb County's own Candice Miller, this one designed to give every man, woman and 16 year old in America anywhere from $5,000 to $7,500 in free cash if they'll buy a new car and provide a gas-guzzling trade-in.  

The bill proposes giving consumers vouchers to buy new, more fuel-efficient vehicles in exchange for turning in vehicles at least eight years old. The program is dubbed the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save bill, or CARS Act.

Quick aside... that right there is a piece of fine acronyming.  CARS.  Get it?  Sorry... back to your regularly scheduled clip...

...60 percent of vehicles in the United States are old enough to qualify. The bill would award higher vouchers for vehicles assembled in North America -- up to $5,000 -- versus up to $4,000 vouchers for vehicles assembled outside North America, and would not apply at all to vehicles made outside North America. The proposal was endorsed Tuesday by Detroit's Big Three automakers and the United Auto Workers.

Ah, winners and losers and the government that picks them.  But that's a minor complaint, or is it?  If you're one of those squishy economics students who believes a little government stimulus can go a long ways this might not be such a bad idea.  If you'd rather the government stay the heck out of the market no matter the conditions then this will have you seeing red (or green, if you want to take advantage of the program when no one's looking).

If you're Congress and you're spending money like its free then I'll go ahead and say this qualifies as one of your better cash-burning ideas, at least from where I sit here in the state that put the world on wheels.  It's a stimulus that actually lands in consumers pockets (as opposed to the Obama administration's hundreds of millions in bonuses for AIG executives), that helps the Big 3, Michigan companies, but isn't a straight give-away and maybe most importantly, it will directly and could substantially decrease our dependence on terrorist states for fuel.

Call it the national security stimulus plan.  Or call it another example of an out-of-touch federal government spending like drunken sailors.  But call it something.  What do YOU think?