Comments on: Main & Washington

By: bear

bear — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:41:30 +0000

It is a trick. It is also funded by the Koch Brothers. It didn’t take them long to try their shenanigans here in Michigan on the heels of what they have been doing in Wisconsin and in funding/indoctrinating the Tea Party.

They are sneaky and wish to spread their shadow wherever they think they might find profit & power.

I believe this to be a spinoff of Americans for Prosperity, a Koch Brothers propaganda mill.

By: Merricat

Merricat — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:28:21 +0000

According to Jack Lessenberry of Michigan Public Radio, the Michigan Alliance for Prosperity is rumored to be linked to the Koch brothers. I was approached by a petitioner today. He said he was being paid to get signatures. It sounded suspicious to me, so I didn’t sign it. Democrats usually don’t pay people to gather signatures. It looks to me to be a GOP trick.

By: bear

bear — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:34:50 +0000

and the group is brand new, and doesn’t have any info about themselves. Sorry Rod, had to do a doubletake on that one. I wonder how many people signed that with good intentions without actually realizing what it’s about.

Certainly the people getting the signatures appeared not to know.

Oh, and they had a slew of petitions to sign; didn’t catch what the others were about.

At waterhill music festival though, I signed one to put collective bargaining into the state constitution. I highly recommend that one on principle.

By: Robin Hood

Robin Hood — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:38:38 +0000

They are paying up to 2.00 per signature.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:41:28 +0000

Agree with both of you, this is a really bad idea. Michigan already has lots of safeguards against unreasonable taxation. The Citizens' Research Council has a good nonpartisan objective summary of the Michigan tax system. [link]

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:41:09 +0000

(Yes Bear, I was being sarcastic, in case it wasn't clear.) Here's a Free Press story on them, though it's not very helpful in clearing up the mystery of who they are, I'm afraid.

By: bear

bear — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:31:08 +0000

I’m not that well versed in the mechanics of government, but I don’t think that the revenue of the state should be tied to a supermajority. That could bankrupt us as a state. The headlee amendment has been in place for 34 years. If it hasn’t been working, why doesn’t our government or our citizens have it revoked or reworked to function better? I’ve read the headlee and I have a hard time making heads or tails of it.

perhaps someone could explain it to me in simpler terms.

But yeah, you don’t seem to be too thrilled with this petition either. Does anyone know who miprosperity.com is? i’m curious to know. Thank you for your comments.

By: bear

bear — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:19:32 +0000

I don’t know if tying our hands using a different knot will do much better. Many atates that have passed such supermajority laws have found themselves cashstrapped and had their bond rating lowered. What do you suggest?

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Sun, 13 May 2012 23:28:33 +0000

miprosperity,com is their website.

Yeah, tying our hands via the Headlee Amendment has worked out great for us. Let’s do it again. Future generations of undereducated, unhealthy Michigan citizens will surely thank us.

By: Bear

Bear — Sun, 13 May 2012 23:15:59 +0000

Correction, it is organized by a new group, Michigan Alliance for Prosperity. Sounds suspiciously like Americansforprosperity.org