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Michigan News

Governor Rick Snyder Delivers First State of the State Speech

Highlights of Governor Rick Snyder’s State of the State speech
http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/story.aspx?id=569803
A mixed bag but not entirely unexpected from a moderate. The Dashboard idea is a good one as a step towards transparency however
Detroit International River Crossing is one where serious questions must be raised before lawmakers should approve the bridge project as Gov Snyder wants.
Questions such as if Canadian dollars help fiance the project then who has control over the bridge?

In a News Release the Mackinac Policy Center finds;

MIDLAND — Gov. Rick Snyder’s 2011 State of the State address included nine proposed expansions of government and three limitations, according to Mackinac Center Fiscal Policy Director Michael D. LaFaive, who has tallied and categorized annual State of the State addresses dating back to 1969.

Proposed 2011 Expansions
Replace Michigan Business Tax with 6 percent net corporate income tax.
“Build a system” that encourages annual physicals for every person and promotes healthier lifestyles.
Use a statewide network to connect businesses with job seekers.
Offer a statewide job posting service for companies that expand, locate or start a business in Michigan.
Create an Office of Urban Initiatives.
A new initiative to encourage immigration for people holding advanced college degrees.
Lift restrictions on 21st Century Jobs Fund activities.
Increase Pure Michigan funding.
Support a new taxpayer-funded bridge between Detroit and Windsor.

Limitations
Stop efforts to create regulations on ergonomic standards.
Eliminate the “item pricing” law.
Eliminate the Michigan Business Tax and its surcharge.

Not a limited government ideal but then we knew that Gov Snyder was not a Conservative from the get go….

Movers and Shakers: Rep. Rogers to Interrogate White House Over Interrogations

The Michigan Republican, who since last year has been howling about the president’s alleged law enforcement-approach to battling extremists, is set to chair the House Intelligence Committee when Congress convenes for its next session
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/31/movers-shakers-rep-rogers-interrogate-white-house-interrogations-1816325268/#ixzz1B90cru99

20-something politicians head to Michigan House

Richmond — Diane Okay and Betty Turk were enjoying coffee after a lunch of fish and spinach pie at Ken’s Country Kitchen when they found out their 23-year-old waitress is a state representative-elect.
Read More:

With GOP in charge of both chambers, Jones vows to end retirement health care for legislators

LANSING – With Republicans in charge of the House and Senate, state Sen. Rick Jones says his bill to eliminate free health care for retired legislators is not going to be sidetracked this time. Calling the current benefit “obscene,” Jones’ bill would eliminate free health insurance at age 55 for former legislators who have six years of service.

It is one of several cuts legislators will feel this year. Their salaries were cut 10 percent on Jan. 1 and their staff budgets were cut. Pensions were eliminated and replaced with 401(k)-style retirement benefits.

Read More: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/01/with_gop_in_charge_of_both_cha.html

GOP State Convention Information
January 28 & 29
http://www.migop.org/index.php/convention/information/

Stabenow’s divorce

Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow was divorced from her husband in May after seven years of marriage, according to court documents dug up by The Detroit Free Press.

More than two years after her husband was busted for paying a prostitute $150 for sex at a Troy hotel, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s divorce was made final on May 28, according to court papers in Eaton County. http://www.politico.com/blogs/davidcatanese/1210/Stabenows_divorce.html

US charges filed in Sen. Levin pie-in-face case

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. –  An anti-war protester who hit Michigan Sen. Carl Levin in the face with an apple pie has been charged with assault.

An indictment filed Thursday charges Ahlam Mohsen of Coldwater with two counts of assault against the Democrat while he was meeting with constituents in August in Big Rapids. Her friend Max Kantar of Big Rapids was also charged.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/30/charges-filed-sen-levin-pie-face-case/#ixzz1B912TbVM

Personal Recommendation

As a delegate to the GOP State Convention I along with other will be voting on leadership positions. My personal recommendation for Vice-Chair…Is Eileen McNeil. Eileen has been a dear friend of over 20 years. I know Eileen to be a solid pro-life Conservative, a woman of charter and integrity and a hard worker. If you a delegate I urge you to vote for Eileen. If you are delegate and have question for Eileen…http://www.scribd.com/doc/46975643/Eileen-McNeil-for-Outreach-Vice-Chair

National News

UAW President Tells Membership to Vote for Democrats!
formerly/http://www.scribd.com/doc/47213992/UAW-President-Tells-Membership-to-Vote-for-Democrats

Any pretense was dismissed when the current UAW President Bob King called on the membership, “to back Democrats”
He also said, “a top priority is getting President Barack Obama re-elected in 2012″

A portion of monthly dues paid by the membership is deducted for “political causes” and it’s obvious now that those causes and candidates are all Democrat. But what if as a UAW member that isn’t YOUR top priority and also do not vote Democrat?
Your only recourse now is to send a letter asking that those portion of dues used for political purposes be refunded to you

Refunded is nice but what difference does that make once they are used for political purposes you do not support?

Time for the membership to demand the use of a simple YES or NO form used PRIOR to taking out any dues, that asks permission from the member to do so.

In the meantime…members may use this template letter to send asking for those dues to be refunded to them Letter Requesting Dues Used for Political Purposes Be Re-Funded

Editorial: ObamaCare Unravels; House Votes To Repeal

Repeal: The House voted by a wide margin Wednesday to rescind ObamaCare. Critics sniff that the vote was merely symbolic and therefore a waste of time. But this decision carries some weight.

Though it passed 245-189 in the lower chamber, the repeal measure is not likely to get through the Senate. Even if it did, President Obama would stand ready with a veto, and there’s no hope of an override.

So the ObamaCare train wreck will continue until the Republicans have veto-proof majorities in both chambers or simple majorities in the House and Senate to go with a GOP White House.
Read Morehttp://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/560296/201101192011/Reform-Unravels.htm

The Obama Administrations panders to homosexual supporters

‘Mother,’ ‘Father’ Changing to ‘Parent One,’ ‘Parent Two’ on Passport Applications

The words “mother” and “father” will be removed from U.S. passport applications and replaced with gender neutral terminology, the State Department says.
“The words in the old form were ‘mother’ and ‘father,’” said Brenda Sprague, deputy assistant Secretary of State for Passport Services. “They are now ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two.’”Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/07/passport-applications-soon-gender-neutral/#ixzz1B8zZ8cuZ

U.S. New Government Policy Imposes Strict Standards on Garage Sales Nationwide

It is scary to think that there could be such hefty fines imposed on unsuspecting households,” another garage sale organizer, Patti Lombardi, told FOXNews.com. “I think I speak for many people when I say that the government spends too much time interfering in the individual citizen’s personal life and this is almost bordering on the ridiculous … what if it opens up a Pandora’s box of litigation brought by the purchasers of items at garage sales?
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2009/09/18/new-government-policy-imposes-strict-standards-garage-sales-nationwide#ixzz1B922mqjg

How the Tea Party Fared

DISCLAIMER: Identifying Tea Party candidates is undoubtedly inexact. The criteria, used here was generally, was to include anyone who has either been backed by a Tea Party group or has identified themselves as a member of the Tea Party movement and MAY not be complete.  We realize there may be disagreement as to whom is really a Tea Party adherent. Time will tell as we see how these members move towards limited government during their term http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/04/us/politics/tea-party-results.html