Sign of the Apocalypse?

by: kelster

Mon Sep 29, 2008 at 09:05:44 AM EDT

Many readers hear the words "Livingston County" and picture a place redder than Ann Coulter's lipstick, a sea of GOP plankton providing no nutrition for progressive life forms, a vast wasteland devoid of trees to shade liberal thought -- OK, OK, you get the picture.

I'm happy to report some news that may make you reconsider the reputation of my adopted home.  LivCo Dems Chair Judy Daubenmier has been standing up for what's right, and getting some support from unexpected quarters.

To recap, Genoa Township received a land donation from a local lawyer a few years ago for use as a fire station.  The land is located along the south side of Route 96 between Howell and Brighton.  Among the restrictions placed on the land gift was a requirement that the donor retain possession of, and be allowed unfettered access to, a billboard between the road and the fire station.  Normally, the billboard displays an American flag (I seem to recall that it's also shown a yellow ribbon in support of US troops).

The problem arose when the lawyer did his biennial billboard switch, changing the flag image to a [Mike] Rogers for Congress sign.

Plenty of local Dems have been annoyed by this, but Ms. Daubenmier acted on it. She filed two complaints with the state, alleging that the billboard violates a law prohibiting the use of public property in a political campaign. 

Hold on to your sides. McCotter tapped to head GOP Ethics Task Force

by: bfealk

Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 08:47:36 AM EDT

Thursday, April 24, 2008 Boehner Announces Plans to Form GOP Fiscal Integrity Task Force for Comprehensive Attack on Government Waste House GOP Policy Committee Chairman McCotter Tapped to Head Task Force; Members to Be Appointed in Coming Days WASHINGTON, DC – House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today announced plans to form a special GOP task force to identify and fight for spending reforms “that will get government off Americans’ backs and out of their wallets.” The Leader’s Fiscal Integrity Task Force (“FIT Force”) will be headed by Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee. “Americans are tired of Washington wasting their hard-earned money while they’re getting squeezed by the rising cost of living,” Boehner said. “Republicans are the party of fiscal integrity, and we’re going to prove it to Americans by fighting as a team for reforms that will get government off their backs and out of their wallets.” “We need to attack the problem of wasteful spending in its entirety, from earmarks to entitlement spending, and everything in between,” Boehner added. “I appreciate Thad’s willingness to lead this task force, and I look forward to appointing a broad cross-section of members from throughout our Conference to serve on it.” The goal for the task force, Boehner said, will be to put fiscal integrity into government budgeting, taxing, and spending, and to demand that Congress run the federal government like a family budget. Boehner noted the task force will not be starting from scratch, but rather will be able to draw from work already done by the Policy Committee, House Republicans’ internal “Reasons to Believe” working groups, Republican committee members, and others, in addition to incorporating new solutions. Posted by Representative Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11) at 4/24/2008

Fact or Fiction? Doesn't matter if you're Frank Beckmann

by: LiberalLucy

Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 17:43:10 PM EDT

This morning Beckmann of taped an interview with Gov. Granholm that was to be played later in the day. Beckmann, thanks to his minions at the ultra-conservative blog RightMichigan (RM) was already prepped for a partisan slam on nothing but taxes.

Barely bothering to get his facts right in his questions about the recent budget negotiations, Beckmann accused the Governor of lying to the citizens of this state when it came to tax hikes.

To do this, he played the YouTube clip that RM put together of a debate that took place at TV station in Detroit during the '06 Campaign. The interesting part is, RM couldn't be bothered to put up her answer in entirety, but rather just the part that fit their devious desires.

If he had ethics, Beckmann could have just as easily gotten the clip from WXYZ, who actually hosted the debate. Problem is, it wouldn't have suited his dirty tactics. Even Saul Anuzis, Chairman of the MI Republican Party bothered to post the full clip. Wow. It's a sad day when Saul's own people make him look like the good guy.

So why didn't Beckmann play the real, entire clip? Simple, because if he did, he knew the Governor would have known it was a question about replacing revenues from the Single Business Tax (SBT), and not just a blanket "No New Taxes" pledge, and she would have talked about the SBT/Michigan Business Tax (MBT).

Detroit Free Press: Partisan Rag?

by: LiberalLucy

Thu Sep 27, 2007 at 18:12:03 PM EDT

In the article titled "Poll shows state sides with GOP on holding taxes, leader says", this is how it starts out -

Michigan Republican lawmakers were being asked by a top party official to hold firm against Gov. Jennifer Granholm's request today to raise taxes, based on a poll commissioned by the party that GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis said shows the public is on their side.
-snip-
Anuzis' memo claims that a survey of 521 Michiganders shows the public sides with Republicans.

If you go through and read the article, there's not a single mention of the polling firm or where or how the survey was conducted.

• How many of the 521 Michiganders agree with the no-tax option?
• Was the survey conducted by phone, in person, over the internet?
• Was it located on DeVos' blog RightMichigan or on Saul's pathetic excuse of a blog?
• Did Saul call his party members himself and poll them after they got done making a donation?

Oh yes, there's more, lots more...