The “Bain Report” Articles that Affect You and Your Family for Monday, February, 28, 2011

The “Bain Report” is a weekly publication for those citizens of Michigan who are concerned with the representation they are receiving from their elected officials. The purpose of this report is to educate and inform the citizens with pertinent articles and legislation that affect the family’s of Michigan. If you or anyone you know wishes to receive the “Bain Report” reply to rabman13@aol.com with add me to the weekly “Bain Report” in the subject line with your name and e-mail address in the body. Your email will be added to the list of those Patriots, Activist, and Concerned Citizens here in Michigan who receive the “Bain Report” published every Monday. For those currently receiving the “Bain Report” and wish to be removed from these mailings please reply to above e-mail address with remove me from your list in the subject line.

Opinion: By R. Al Bain
Governor Rick Snyder and his budget proposal went to far in some area’s and not far enough in others! Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is doing not only what needs to be done but what the citizens elected him to do. Collective bargaining for Michigan’s Public Employee Unions is and has been bleeding the taxpayers!  Mandatory arbitration has turned out to be a rigged game rigged in favor of government employees and their unions, and against the taxpayers who supply their wages and benefits.
 
If there were a hall of fame for ideas that sound great in theory but are disastrous in real life, “binding arbitration’’ for government labor contracts would be a major exhibit. To public-sector unions and the politicians who do their bidding, binding arbitration is sacrosanct. As state and local governments have learned to their chagrin, once binding arbitration becomes part of the collective-bargaining process, it doesn’t facilitate compromise it undermines it. The National Labor Relations Act (a.k.a Wagner Act) does not apply to government employers. The term “employer” shall not include the United States or any wholly owned Government corporation, or any Federal Reserve Bank, or any State or political subdivision thereof.
 
Perhaps the worst effect of binding arbitration, however, is the way it erodes self-government. It takes away from citizens and their elected officials the power to shape local budgets, and to establish wages and working conditions for public employees. Those essential civic decisions are made instead by an outside arbitrator who likely has no ties to the community, and who will not have to live with the consequences or be taxed to pay the costs of the settlement the he imposes. But as taxpayers find it harder to pay the bill for public employees, more are coming to see why collective bargaining and government service are a bad mix. 
 
Why would a Michigan Republican Senator who calls himself a conservative introduce and sponsor an amendment in direct conflict to the principles of his Party and to the taxpayers he is supposed to represent in this regard? In 2010 Senator Randy Richardville introduced SB 1072  that would expand and mandate the scope of municipal binding arbitration. This Bill was tabled prior to the Primary Election in 2010 possibly for the implications it may have had on his re-election?
 
But like other controversial Bill’s he has introduced, sponsored, or co-sponsored such as to amend the Gun Laws to allow College Kids to Carry Weapons on Campus, (that was re-introduced by his fellow Democratic colleague in 2011), and the Carpenters Union Bill that that would be a form of forced unionization he co-sponsored along with his Democratic colleagues Ray Basham and Joel Sheltron, SB 1072 is sure to be re-introduced also. Don’t forget “Forced Unionization” of “Home Healthcare Providers” and “Home Daycare Providers” in which he also is onboard with!
 
The people ultimately responsible for setting wages of public employees are politicians: state legislators, school boards, county commissioners, city councils. They are elected to their positions, and need money to run their campaigns. This creates a special relationship between unionized public employees and the politicians: politicians are generous with public employee salaries; those salaries enable unions to extract hefty dues from unionized employees; unions use those dues to contribute to the campaigns of friendly politicians.

Collective Bargaining in Michigan Government Bleeds Taxpayers
In a 2/7/10 article titled Public-sector unions bleed taxpayers, Conservative political analyst Michael Barone says: Last month the Labor Department reported that private-sector unions lost 834,000 members last year and now represent only 7.2 percent of private-sector employees. That’s down from the all-time peak of 36 percent in 1953 and ’54. But union membership is still growing in the public sector. Last year 37.4 percent of public-sector employees were union members. That percentage was down near zero in the 1950s. For the first time in history, a majority of union members are government employees.
Collective Bargaining in Michigan Government Bleeds Taxpayers

Agema Finally Gets Action on Bridge Card Fraud Challenge
For more than a year, Representative Dave Agema has been talking about the fraudulent usage of Bridge Cards, the replacement for food stamps, by college students. He was unable to get any action out of Governor Granholm and the Department of Human Services until now. Agema said he has heard from many parents in his House district who say they are astonished their child is receiving the aid in college even though the parents are paying for all expenses. Now if we can only get our other elected representatives on board as to look out for the taxpayers of Michigan maybe we can right the ship! To many are worried about advancing their political careers than what’s in the best interest of those who elected them to serve as their voice in Lansing! Great job Mr. Agema keep up the good work!
http://coreprinciples.blogspot.com/2011/02/agema-finds-bridge-card-fraud-corrigan.html 

Forget the Elections, Focus on Outcomes and how they Legislate
Voters should not take for granted that any lawmaker, once elected, will automatically do what he or she was elected to do. Limiting government is a necessary core function, but I must warn you, don’t expect Republicans, who now control everything, to just start sending Gov. Rick Snyder bills to accomplish these things. The reasons for this are many, but let me illustrate the situation with a statement made in a radio interview by Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, the new Senate majority leader. When asked about a right-to-work law, which would prohibit employers from firing workers who do not support a union, he said he did not “see it as being a top priority” this year. He added that a right-to-work law seems to me to be more disruptive with little positive results, and that it could possibly reduce the strength of our workforce. With one look at his campaign contributions from Unions one can clearly see why he feels it would be disruptive, disruptive to his campaign coffers! I bet a lot of voters who re-elected Senator Richardville would be unhappy to learn that the man who decides which bills come to the floor for a vote has already effectively nixed a labor reform adopted by 22 other states, all of which are outperforming Michigan!
http://www.mackinac.org/14269

Township Tackles Costs With Aggressive Privatization Strategy
In West Bloomfield Township, it’s no longer a question of whether there are savings to be had by privatizing city services. Now the question has become: How much can be saved by pushing the private contractors to compete against one another? The township recently saw its annual janitorial bill go from $43,000 to $18,900 through a competitive bid process. That 56 percent reduction came after dropping the private contractor that had been doing the service and hiring another one. By contrast, using a public employee for the job would have cost much more. Joe Munem, West Bloomfield’s deputy clerk, said an entry-level job, with benefits, working for the township costs taxpayers $52,342 a year.
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/14560

Public-Sector Compensation Grows while Private Sector Shrinks
And you thought government budgets were cut to the bone!
Public employee pay in this state matched and began to exceed private sector pay back in 2005, according to a recent analysis by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. That is the year when government workers became the wealthiest class of workers in Michigan, relative to the average taxpayer who pays their salary. And the situation is perhaps worse when one considers the fringe benefits paid to government workers. According to Mackinac Center analysis, if government benefits were proportional to benefit plans in the private sector, taxpayers in Michigan would save $5.7 billion annually. Thus, Michigan taxpayers, who on average do not have Cadillac benefit plans, are paying an additional $5.7 billion each year so that members of government employee unions can have such benefits.
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/13905

Some Michigan Republican Senators Friends of SEIU Government Employee Union
The Service Employees International Union, which is the parent union for many of Michigan’s state government employees, is the fourth wealthiest political force in American politics, according to the Journal report. They have already anted up $44 million in spending this campaign season. One-hundred-percent of SEIU cash to federal candidates went to Democrats. (However, in Michigan’s state government, the SEIU has also found some Republican friends). Just to mention a few Michigan Republican State Senators who have cozied up to this Union are Randy Richardville, his uncle Roger Kahn, might as well keep it in the family, Mark Jansen, and also of note is Richardville’s (good friend) and colleague from across the aisle who was “delighted” that he was elected Senate Majority leader Democrat Senate Minority leader Gretchen Whitmer.
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/12116

Tea Party Targets Republican Senators in 2012
Tea-party activists, keen to build on their success toppling GOP incumbents in primaries this year, are already targeting more Republican veterans in the 2012 election. Tea-party activists have put certain Republicans and other incumbents on notice that the anti-establishment sentiment defining this year’s politics will not end on Election Day 2010. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, one of the most liberal Republicans in Congress, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah), Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R., Indiana) have all drawn fire from the right wing of their party. Not mentioned in this article is Thaddeus McCotter from Michigan’s 11th congressional district who has drawn fire for his support of “Union Bailouts,” “Homeland Security,” and the “Patriot Act” that is also on their radar! Michigan’s Tea Party groups will be watching closely it’s state lawmakers as well!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534431246487468.html

In Wisconsin, Teachers Take Students from Class to Protest
Teachers and students in Wisconsin are protesting Governor Scott Walker’s budget bill. But it’s not a mark of democracy: instead, teachers have been taking kids out of school to march on the Capitol in Madison. It’s being called a “sickout” — and it’s illegal. The students were asked what and why they were protesting and they haven’t a clue!
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/wisconsin-teachers-take-students-class-protest_550230.html

How Inflation Could Be 66% Higher Than the Fed Reports
Global food prices are at an all-time high, U.S. gasoline prices are at the costliest level ever  for this time of the year and yet inflation. With what most folks’ experience at the gas pump or checkout counter as economist Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, told clients Tuesday: “I share the growing concern among the Fed’s critics that the official measures of consumer price inflation may be understating actual inflation and that excluding food and energy from these measures is OK as long as you don’t eat or drive.” Inflation  is surging in U.S. and the first thing you should know is that the inflation numbers are a spoof, a spooky statistic, spoon-fed by Congress, to reflect the politics of Washington, not the reality of the market place. The costs of automobiles, carpets, homes, computers, TV sets, appliances a very important component of our market basket of goods and services are used to compute the rate of inflation.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/investing/inflation-66-percent-higher-than-fed-reports/19844638/

America: Do you feel violated yet? Do You feel the Change Yet?
“Then I say, the earth belongs to each of these generations during its course, fully and in its own right. The second generation receives it clear of the debts and encumbrances of the first, the third of the second, and so on. For if the first could charge it with a debt, then the earth would belong to the dead and not to the living generation. Then, no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence.” —Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1789. ME 7:455, Papers 15:393. The actual unemployment rate is 26.2%. The number of Americans on food stamps is 39.4 million – an increase of 5.9 million since last November. While Americans have nothing left after their paychecks are pinched for federal taxes and “entitlement” programs, usurper Hillary Clinton brokered a deal with Pakistan to steal more of the fruits of our labor.
http://www.usobserver.com/archive/april-10/america-do-you-feel-violated-yet.html

We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
Benjamin Franklin

 

 

 

The “Bain Report” Articles that Affect You and Your Family for Monday, February, 21, 2011

The “Bain Report” is a weekly publication for those citizens of Michigan who are concerned with the representation they are receiving from their elected officials. The purpose of this report is to educate and inform the citizens with pertinent articles and legislation that affect the family’s of Michigan. If you or anyone you know wishes to receive the “Bain Report” reply to rabman13@aol.com with add me to the weekly “Bain Report” in the subject line with your name and e-mail address in the body. Your email will be added to the list of those Patriots, Activist, and Concerned Citizens here in Michigan who receive the “Bain Report” published every Monday. For those currently receiving the “Bain Report” and wish to be removed from these mailings please reply to above e-mail address with remove me from your list in the subject line.

Opinion: By R. Al Bain
With my research on the issues and on our elected representatives I have come to the following conclusion. Unless we citizens educate ourselves and play a more active role in how we our governed we will be doomed to bigger government and higher taxation! With the reading of conventional local newspapers I find that the media represents those that they would perceive as above the common citizenry such as politicians and business leaders with a slanted view.

Let’s take a couple of recent articles published in the Monroe Evening News that does a disservice to it’s readers as an example. The first is “Area Foreclosures Up” (partial story subscription required for full story) where the writer paints a view not as bad as it may seem with the help of the Vice President of the Monroe Bank and Trust, a Bank, that in and of itself, has been labeled problematic by bankrate.com see report here – troubled bank.

Article two, the Senator from Monroe Randy Richardville “Painful’ times ahead” speaks to business leaders during a lunchtime legislative update for Monroe County Chamber of Commerce where he states that local revenue sharing might be cut in the new budget saying “That’s probably going to be hit significantly” without mentioning that he has voted in the past to cut local revenue sharing already! What this most likely means is the county will be forced to raise the taxes of it’s citizens for basic services at current levels!

Mr. Richardville did the same thing last year while addressing the same Chamber whereas he blamed his fellow legislators for the problems we face here in Michigan. See a letter to the Editor by a former president of the Monroe Homebuilders Association and former member of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. Click the link here – Letter. Why the local business leaders and the press continue to give our representatives a free pass is beyond belief! The citizens of Monroe County and the business community would be well advised as to start paying attention to how they are truly being represented.

So we had Welfare Reform? College Students, Bridge Cards, and More
For over 2 years State Representative Dave Agema R-Grandville has alerted lawmakers of this problem only to fall on deaf ears! Unqualified college students receiving welfare bridge cards at taxpayer expense. More than $2.1 billion in just the Food Assistance Program alone. Their are many other examples of fraud and abuse within the system costing taxpayers!  The bridge cards is just the tip of the iceberg! Below is from the Director of Americans for Prosperity David Spady of California exposing yet more abuse see video here  YouTube – AFP’s “Common Sense”: Around the World on $69 Million in Welfare Funds  Representative Agema should be applauded for his persistence on this issue! Keep up the good work Dave on behalf of all Michigan’s hard working taxpayer’s!
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/bridge-card-crack-down-coming-for-mich.-college-students-20110210-mr#

De-Fund the Predators of Planned Parenthood
Thanks to the persistent investigative work of young pro-life journalists, Planned Parenthood’s ruthless, money-grubbing colors are on full, fresh YouTube display. Those who dismiss the scandal as an anomaly are in denial or abjectly ignorant. Planned Parenthood is a $1-plus billion business that rakes in one-third of its budget from government grants and contracts at both the state and federal levels. There are other problems with Liberals within the Republican Party that may be hard to overcome on this issue. An email was sent out from Glenda Kennon first Vice Chair of the Monroe County Republican Party in 2008 to Twenty-Six Members of the Republican Women’s’ Club promoting Planned Parenthood as doing a lot more than abortion; they also provide different methods of birth control, counseling, STD’s prevention and treatment and much more. Other options are also supplied to the expectant mother instead of just abortion. If you read more that just what this one person has to say about this issue, you might be surprised what PP actually does. Maybe, if enough true conservative Tea Partiers “infiltrate” the Republican Party, then the Neoconservatives would go back to the Democratic Party!
http://townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2011/02/11/de-fund_the_predators_of_planned_parenthood/page/full/

City Unions agree to make concessions in Macomb County
With Monroe County facing a severe budget deficit maybe the City and County Unions (Police and Fire) should follow this lead? The Sterling Heights’ City Unions have agreed to wage concessions equal to 10% of their total compensation package, including a 4% reduction in benefits. It looks like a lot of municipalities are following Governor Chris Christie’s lead with what he is doing in the state of New Jersey. We are broke and cannot continue to pay for what past and some current politicians have promised that are unsustainable! If we continue down this road there will be more home foreclosures because the home owning taxpayers who will fund these wages and benefits will not be able to afford the new taxes that will be implemented in order to meet these contract demands.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110213/NEWS04/102130539/1001/news

Fox 2 News Poll on new Bridge (DRIC) contradicts other poll
My FOX Detroit conducted a new bridge poll on their website where 63% believe that it should be funded by the private sector verus 36% from the public sector. This refutes a poll done by the Detroit Chamber of Commerce which hired their own Marketing Research Group to conduct this poll with language not providing all the facts. Left out of the favorable poll where 9 in 10 Michigan voters approved of this was questions and studies such as bridge traffic down 41% at the Ambassador Bridge in the last ten years. Also how the bridge tolls will not cover the cost that will be passed onto the taxpayers of Michigan in a private public partnership, citizens and businesses uprooted from current locations, the jobs created for the most part will be part-time in that once bridge is completed those jobs disappear. The Detroit Chamber of Commerce generated poll also uses in their language that 2 billion will be procured for our roads that is just plain not true! Remember that the definition of a public-private partnership is that when money is made it’s private, when money is lost it’s public!
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/#44496047

Careful Cutting Film Subsidies, Industry Lobbyist Warns
Other states are eliminating Film Subsidies entirely but some lawmakers in Lansing don’t want to give up the status quo! Senator Randy Richardville, said that the state has started to make the transformation into permanent film jobs and infrastructures related to filmmaking, mentioning the $80-million Raleigh Michigan Studios in Pontiac. Studies have show this subsidy to be a complete and total failure of taxpayer dollars and so have other state studies as well. A recent report by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue found that $82 million of the $330 million program went to actors’ salaries in 2009, many of whom earned in excess of $1 million for their work. At least one true conservative in Lansing thinks otherwise. State Sen. Jack Brandenburg of Harrison Township, the Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he doesn’t support the film tax credits.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110213/ENT01/102130489/Be-careful-how-much-you-cut-film-credits-industry-warns

A Rule Changer: Taxing Pensions
We think debate will and should grow regarding two approaches. 1) Cuts in retiree health care coverage along with increases in co-pays and premium sharing; and, 2) Taxes on pensions Michigan is one of a handful of states that do not tax pensions, but given the unpaid liabilities, pressure will mount for retirees to kick in. A better idea would be to cut the size and scope of government and elected officials pay and benefits instead!
http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/analysis-a-citizens-cribsheet-to-snyders-financial-mind/

Local Bank Problematic – Memorandum on findings MONROE BANK & TRUST
Bankrate believes that, as of September 30, 2010, this bank exhibited a significantly below average condition, characterized by substantially lower than normal overall, sustainable profitability, very questionable asset quality, well below standard capitalization and near normal liquidity. Click link below for full Analysis showing severe problems!
http://www.bankrate.com/rates/safe-sound/memorandums-memos.aspx?fedid=364449

Home Foreclosures to be Worse in 2011
From staff and wire reports The bleakest year in the foreclosure crisis has only just begun. Lenders are poised to take back more homes this year than any other since the U.S. housing meltdown began in 2006. About 5 million borrowers are at least two months behind on their mortgages and industry experts say more people will miss payments because of job losses and also loans that exceed the value of the homes they are living in. ”Is 2011 going to be the peak or will this trend continue for years to come?”
http://article.wn.com/view/2011/01/14/RealtyTrac_predicts_2011_will_be_worst_for_foreclosures/

Civil Liberties Concerns Caused Michigan Congressman Justin Amash to Vote Against “PATRIOT ACT”
Like the true conservative representative of his constituents that he is, Congressman Justin Amash voted against the Patriot Act! Unlike some of the other RINOS from Michigan who voted for it, House Vote On Passage: H.R. 514: PATRIOT ACT can you say Thaddeus McCotter, Frederick Upton, David Camp, and others click the link to see how they all voted.
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/14549

What are the facts on the PATRIOT Act?
Many of the headlines you will read today will say things like “Patriot Act Extension Fails in House,” but the reality is that much of the PATRIOT Act was already permanently enacted. Of the three amendments to FISA at issue in last night’s vote, two were part of the original PATRIOT Act, one was part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and all are set to expire at the end of this month.
http://www.askheritage.org/what-are-the-facts-on-the-patriot-act/?utm_source=AH_Weekly&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=2011-02-10&utm_campaign=2011_Brand

A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government. Thomas Jefferson

The “Bain Report”: Articles that Affect You and Your Family for Monday, February, 14, 2011

The “Bain Report” is a weekly publication for those citizens of Michigan who are concerned with the representation they are receiving from their elected officials. The purpose of this report is to educate and inform the citizens with pertinent articles and legislation that affect the family’s of Michigan. If you or anyone you know wishes to receive the “Bain Report” reply to rabman13@aol.com with add me to the weekly “Bain Report” in the subject line with your name and e-mail address in the body. Your email will be added to the list of those Patriots, Activist, and Concerned Citizens here in Michigan who receive the “Bain Report” published every Monday. For those currently receiving the “Bain Report” and wish to be removed from these mailings please reply to above e-mail address with remove me from your list in the subject line.

Opinion: By R. Al Bain
In last weeks “Bain Report” an article published on the appointment of John Eleniewski to the Legislative Advisory Counsel (LAC) of Representative Chris Nybo (R) Illinois,  it’s interesting to note that the former Monroe resident who was active in the Monroe County Republican Party was discouraged by certain members of it’s executive committee to run for political office in 2008. At a candidate approval meeting by this local party it was suggested to Mr. Eleniewski by the party’s first vice chair Glenda Kennon that he may want to rethink his political views if he wanted the party’s approval as to run for office here in Monroe County.

As a founding member and former Director of the Conservative Caucus of Monroe County it would appear that his conservative values and ideals did not fit well with the Republican Party of Monroe County. Ultimately Mr.Eleniewski left the MCRP and ran for State Representative under the U.S. Taxpayers Party against former Democrat State Representative Kate Ebli. In a debate held at the Monroe County Community College with all the candidates prior to the election Mr.Eleniewski dominated all the candidates hands down and seemed to be the only one fluent in both the Michigan Constitution and the US Constitution.

This begs the question, why is Mr. Elenieswki’s conservative political views and ideals good enough for Republican Representative Chris Nybo in Illinois but not good enough for the executive committee members of the Monroe County Republican Party? Experience tells me that the MCRP does not adhere to the principles and values that the Republican Party was founded upon! At the 2008 county convention over 50 Conservative Republican Precinct Delegates were purged and denied their right to a secret ballot and will not return as long as the same liberal executive committee is in control.

The highest ranking member of the MCRP Senator Randy Richardville stood to be counted in favor of taking away that right to a secret ballot (A Democratic Union Tactic) witnessed by over half of those in attendance. Sitting on that same executive committee was the former president of the Monroe County Sheriffs Democratic Union! Note: first vice chair Glenda Kennon is the mother of State Senator Randy Richardville.  

Governor Chris Christie speaks about Police Salaries, Pensions and Layoffs
Don’t let lawmakers play us for chumps, Christie tells Middletown crowd! The public needs to pressure state legislators to enact health care and pension reform this year, before the state digs itself further into a financial hole, Gov. Chris Christie told more than 200 people who braved Wednesday’s snowstorm to hear him speak. Monroe County and the State of Michigan should follow this example! Excellent article and video.
http://www.app.com/article/20110126/NEWS/110126116/Christie-tells-Middletown-audience-NJ-needs-fiscal-discipline-reform

Political Propaganda: Poll finds support for proposed river crossing (DRIC)
It’s always amazing that polls conducted by those with an interest and agenda in favor of what they are polling come out on top. I wonder how it was worded? What false numbers and statistics were used? What promises were made of the benefits it would bring? The headline is: A new statewide poll conducted for the Detroit Regional Chamber found that nearly nine in 10 Michigan residents favor building the proposed Detroit River International Crossing bridge between Detroit and Windsor. The poll was conducted about a week after Gov. Rick Snyder came out strongly for the DRIC in his State of the State address. The government has no business in the bridge business especially when a private businessman is willing to spend his own money. So this poll states that 9 in 10 Michigan Taxpayers are all for this? I think not.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110204/BUSINESS07/102040376/Ford-recalls-pickups-door-fixes

Michigan income tax rollback: Done deal or bad idea?
Will they renege on their promise? When Michigan lawmakers reluctantly agreed to raise the state income tax in 2007 (The Largest Tax Increase in the States History), they put in a requirement that the tax would start dropping again in 2011 and continue to drop until 2015. House Republicans already have said they support decreasing the tax from 4.35 percent to 4.25 percent, which will lower revenue by around $150 million in the next fiscal year. If the tax continues to decrease as scheduled, it will drop revenue by $329 million in fiscal 2013, $523 million in fiscal 2014 and more than $700 million in fiscal 2015, when the rate would be down to 3.9 percent, where it was in mid-2007. But as new Senate Majority leader Randy Richardville stated in regard to raising taxes nothing is off the table! If this promise is broken by saying technically it’s not a tax increase it will be a bold face lie to the taxpayer’s!
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20110205/FREE/110209927/michigan-income-tax-rollback-done-deal-or-bad-idea#

Democrats after McCotter’s Congressional Seat and so are the Tea Partiers
Congressman McCotter Supports “Bailout” of Union Pensions
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said last week that it has begun running radio ads and making robo-calls criticizing U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter, a Livonia Republican and so are the Tea Partiers! Word throughout the Tea Party groups and it’s members suggest it’s time for McCotter to join the Huckabee Band and hit the road! Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter, R-Livonia, is one of just nine Republicans nationwide to co-sponsor legislation that seeks to bail out union pension funds and put taxpayers “on the hook for $165 billion in unfunded union pension liabilities,” according to Americans for Limited Government. McCotter is also the only Michigan U.S. House member from either party to co-sponsor the bill, H.R. 3936, which was introduced by North Dakota Democrat Earl Pomeroy and has 43 total co-sponsors. McCotter also voted in favor of “Homeland Security” and the “Patriot Act” that infringes on Americans Freedom’s and Liberty’s with a cost to taxpayers to the tune of Billions of dollars! Although some liberal Republicans were missed or received a pass in the 2010 elections and continue to hold office, we as Conservative Republican voters cannot afford to re-elect these type’s in the future because our future depends on it!
http://www.mackinac.org/12868

What’s the Real Unemployment Number?
Fuzzy math strikes again! Last week’s surprisingly sharp decline in the unemployment rate from 9.4% to 9% and equally surprising anemic job growth — 36,000 new jobs — left a lot of investors scratching their heads. How could the unemployment rate plummet so significantly while a such a trivial number of new jobs were created? If we simply extrapolate those numbers, we get some nonsensical results. If adding 36,000 jobs to the 139 million jobs in the U.S. economy lowers the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points, then adding just 720,000 jobs should lower the unemployment rate by 8 points — from 9% to only 1%. Yet the Bureau of Labor Statisticsdata shows that 812,000 jobs were added in the year from January 2010 to January 2011 (138,511,000 vs. 139,323,000). Based on the unemployment rate announced last week, we could expect that those 812,000 additional jobs would have lowered the unemployment rate to near-zero. But of course, we know they didn’t.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/real-unemployment-number/19833935/

State of Michigan Unemployment Tax to Double
States, led by California, Michigan and Pennsylvania, have borrowed $42 billion from the federal government as of Feb. 4 because their unemployment trust funds have run out of money, according to the Labor Department. Under existing law, some states would be required to raise taxes next year because of federal rules covering shortfalls in unemployment-insurance funds.
http://www.moneynews.com/Headline/ObamaUnemploymentInsurance/2011/02/08/id/385306?s=al&promo_code=BA20-1 

Congress is once again considering major Energy Legislation
It’s focused largely on promotion of energy sources that produce few or no greenhouse gases. While proponents argue that wind is free, harnessing it into useful electricity certainly is not. Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) does not come without a significant cost to consumers. There are federal studies of the costs of a RES that conclude that it would add no more than a few percent to electric rates, [8] but these studies do not take the full cost of wind and other renewables into account. This Center for Data Analysis (CDA) Report provides such a comprehensive economic analysis. CDA analysis projects that an RES as outlined below would: Raise electricity prices by 36 percent for households and 60 percent for industry; Cut national income (GDP) by $5.2 trillion between 2012 and 2035;  Cut national income by $2,400 per year for a family of four;  Reduce employment by more than 1,000,000 jobs;  and Add more than $10,000 to a family of four’s share of the national debt by 2035.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/05/A-Renewable-Electricity-Standard-What-It-Will-Really-Cost-Americans

Wasting Money on Windmills
A recent article in Slate by Robert Bryce describes how Texas has more wind generator capacity than any other state — around 9,700 megawatts. But last August, when state electricity demand set a one-day record of 63,494 megawatts, all those windmills contributed just 500 megawatts, or about 5 percent of their rated capacity.
http://www.mackinac.org/14539

Borders: A ‘MEGA’ Bankruptcy for Michigan
One of the first beneficiaries of the Michigan Economic Growth Authority tax credit program was Waldenbooks, a subsidiary of Borders Group. Boarders received a reported $7.7 million tax credit. Michael LaFaive, director of the Mackinac Center’s Morey Fiscal Policy Initiative, pointed out that before the MEGA credit was even approved, the Ann Arbor News reported that the company’s president was buying a home in Michigan. LaFaive’s question: Was it really necessary to hand over the $7.7 million special credit if the company was already showing such strong signs of coming to Michigan anyway? Now, more than a decade later, news that Borders is considering bankruptcybolsters LaFaive’s belief that market forces will win out over government’s targeting of favored businesses for tax relief. . ABC News reported the following:  “Borders has cut jobs, shuttered stores, downsized its smaller Waldenbooks chain and made other moves to try to improve net income, but it still faces losses.”
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/14526

Southgate to move School Offices into City Hall to save Taxpayer Dollars
City and schools officials said they are excited about the move because it shows the separate government entities working together and would save taxpayer money. “Moving to City Hall would be a $100,000 a year savings,” said Dave Peden, the district’s superintendent. City officials estimate the move would save the city about $120,000 a year. The city has a $30-million budget and projects a $750,000 shortfall during the 2011-12 fiscal year.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110206/NEWS02/102060493/Plan-move-Southgate-school-offices-into-City-Hall-nears-completion

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

 

 

 

 

The “Bain Report”: Articles that Affect You and Your Family for Monday, February, 7, 2011

The “Bain Report” is a weekly publication for those citizens of Michigan who are concerned with the representation they are receiving from their elected officials. The purpose of this report is to educate and inform the citizens with pertinent articles and legislation that affect the family’s of Michigan. If you or anyone you know wishes to receive the “Bain Report” reply to rabman13@aol.com with add me to the weekly “Bain Report” in the subject line with your name and e-mail address in the body. Your email will be added to the list of those Patriots, Activist, and Concerned Citizens here in Michigan who receive the “Bain Report” published every Monday. For those currently receiving the “Bain Report” and wish to be removed from these mailings please reply to above e-mail address with remove me from your list in the subject line.

Opinion: By R. Al Bain
The danger to Michigan is not those who have been elected but a citizenry capable of
entrusting them with representing us. It may not be easy to limit and undo the follies of a new Governor and Legislature than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to elect those to represent us. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than those newly or re-elected who is a mere symptom of what ails Michigan. Blaming those we elected should not blind anyone to the vast incompetence of the uneducated voters that elected them to represent us. The State of Michigan may survive those representatives we have elected who are, after all, merely looking to advance their own political careers. It is less likely to survive a multitude of legislative actions that come with their personal advancement.

Former Director of the Conservative Caucus of Monroe County named to Legislative Advisory Council in Illinois
John Eleniewski a founding member and former director of the Conservative Caucus of Monroe County has be appointed to the Legislative Advisory Council (LAC) in Illinois by Republican Representative Chris Nybo. The announcement of his appointment was made Thursday, February 03, 2011 by Laura Fitzpatrick District Office Director for Representative Nybo. We congratulate Mr. Eleniewski and hope that his ideals will help Representative Nybo serve as an effective conservative advocate and voice for his district.
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=yq9wpleab&v=001UGlpv9WiH3WizXCm_JuPTqAnvvoxRuWsD2SWCiyrmOujvsXFT_cwf30ZZu-z0W7XqJ3hRKdmSAW9_y55TPmSzNeEEJ8Rd7Qierm1oTfWlgW-LPXELCOYF03F_29_iVpSad4ONHUtSW-uhomBy9JtEw%3D%3D

Michigan Republicans elect Bobby Schostak State Party Chairman at State Convention amongst clear divisions within the party
Some Tea Party-affiliated groups had questioned Schostak’s Republican credentials despite his role in raising some $30 million for 2010 elections as the party’s finance chairman. Critics complained that and family members in his development business donated to Democrats in the past. The concerns and ideals of the Tea Party groups will continue to fall on deaf ears now that the status quo has retained power and control! Another example is that newly minted House Speaker Jase Bolger repeated his call to make Michigan a right-to-work state where workers cannot be compelled to join labor unions, something Snyder has dismissed as too divisive. This will be hard to implement because the new Senate Majority leader Randy Richardville has publicly stated he is against right to work and as majority leader he decides which Bills go into and out of committee for consideration into becoming law!
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/01/michigan_republicans_elect_bob.html

Should Michigan be a right to work state? Richardville says NO!
Richardville answers questions for AnnArbor.com voter guide in 2010
QUESTION: Should Michigan be a right to work state?
His answer, No, I oppose efforts to make Michigan a Right to Work State. I guess he would with all the Democrat Union support he has received!
QUESTION: Why are you seeking election or re-election?
His answer, I am running for re-election to the Michigan Senate to continue making the necessary reforms that will spur economic growth and bring jobs to our state. Since 1999 all he has done is legislate to the detriment and downfall of Michigan’s economy and job growth with higher taxes and more regulation! He also states that he sponsored legislation to provide tax credits for businesses (Corporate Welfare at Taxpayer Expense). A couple of failed subsidy’s come to mind, the Michigan Film Producers subsidy and Michigan International Speedway and there are many other’s.
http://www.annarbor.com/elections/voter_guide/2/michigan-senate-district-17/randy-richardville/

MEDC plans to place Staff around State
After Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State speech where he stated he was going to reinvent the failed MEDC program instead of eliminating it, now we hear it will be expanded! This is just more big government and an unnecessary cost to Michigan’s taxpayers. He also wants to broaden (Expand) another failed program in the state’s 21st Century Jobs Fund. What’s next more money for the Film Producers?
It’s no wonder the state’s corporate welfare bosses are so defensive, all one has to do is follow the money! http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/14425 Former Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Michael Finney officially becomes CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. after his appointment was approved today in Lansing, the Detroit Free Press is reporting. Gov. Rick Snyder, who co-founded SPARK and personally recruited Finney to become the first CEO of SPARK in 2005, recommended Finney to succeed Greg Main as MEDC CEO. http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/michael-finney-to-be-paid-250000-as-michigan-economic-development-corp-ceo/ Main was paid $200,000 to lead MEDC, a quasi public-private entity that distributes state tax incentives.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20110126/C03/301269999/in-efficiency-move-medc-plans-to-place-staff-around-state

Finally Some Good News in Michigan Government
With the announcement that Gov. Rick Snyder’s flat corporate income tax proposal would eliminate the Michigan Economic Growth Authority tax credits, including the film subsidy, represents a victory for taxpayers and good government. Now, if we can just get the Governor and the Legislature to stop being “short-sighted” on some other failed programs and entities as to continue cleaning house with the elimination of the MEDC, 21st Century Jobs Fund, and subsidizing private industry with the Pure Michigan Advertising Campaign, Michigan’s recovery would be on the fast track!
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/14450

Michigan Gas Utilities Applies for Rate Increase to Customers
The Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation files for yet another rate increase to it’s customers. Research shows that this is a disturbing pattern of rate increases dating back to 2008. On January 13, 2009 they filed with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to self-implement a rate increase of approximately $8,444,435 annually to it’s consumers, Case # U-15990 which was approved October 29, 2009 see link below for verification.
http://www.michigan.gov/dleg/0,1607,7-154-10573_11472-225236–,00.html The utility filed an application with the MPSC seeking an increase in its natural gas base rates of approximately $14 million on May 16, 2008. The claim that the average Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation residential customer will see an increase of approximately $2 on their monthly bill seems to be fuzzy math? While using their numbers my calculations suggest it may be as high as $10.00 per month using my November usage statement from MGU! See link here http://www.michigan.gov/dleg/0,1607,7-154-10573_11472-206727–,00.html  Also see MPSC Approves Settlement Agreement Authorizing Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation to Increase its Natural Gas Rates by $6 Million Case # U-15549  The latest proposal of the MICHIGAN GAS UTILITIES CORPORATION is for authority to implement a gas cost recovery plan and factors for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2012. This recent rate increase proposal Case# U-16481 also see Case # 16481 December 29, 2010 http://efile.mpsc.state.mi.us/efile/viewcase.php?casenum=16481&submit.x=23&submit.y=13 would allow the MGU to self-implement up to $7.0891 per Mcf to compute it’s natural gas customers bills for the 12 month period ending March 31, 2012. Also included in this request is the authority to implement the Contingency Factors Matrix for the period of April 1, 2011 through March 31. 2012 of a Reservation Charge of $0.8014 per Mcf applicable to both it’s GCR and gas customer choice customers for the 12 month period ending March 31, 2012.
http://efile.mpsc.state.mi.us/efile/index.htm

What is REALLY bankrupting the USA? Entitlements for Illegal Aliens
If you think the war’s in Iraq or Afghanistan is costing us too much? How about the Stimulus Packages, the Bailout’s? The link below show’s just how much money we are spending on illegal aliens each year by state governments. The total cost is a whopping $338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. This is just plain outrageous!
http://across.co.nz/BUSA109.html

How to Replace Austerity with Freedom, Independence and Prosperity
The Economic Collapse Blog has this list of examples of how European-style “austerity” is already hitting the U.S., including cities closing schools and fire stations, and states eliminating whole state agencies and raising taxes. That includes the state of Illinois whose legislature has passed a “temporary” 66% personal income tax hike that the Democrat governor will sign. Rest assured, this income tax hike will be as “temporary” as the one in Massachusetts, still in place since 1989. Such austerity measures may lead to the same kind of social unrest Europeans have been experiencing. Wasn’t the Federal income tax temporary for the War effort? Temporarily Permanent!
http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/how-to-replace-austerity-with-freedom-independence-and-prosperity/

Charles Krauthammer discusses the pension problems plaguing country
http://www.thoughtsfromaconservativemom.com/?p=18437

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government.
Thomas Jefferson