by Jonathan Oosting, The Detroit News April 2, 2019 Lansing — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is signaling she will not sign any state budget without additional money for a “real” road funding plan, setting up a potential government shutdown showdown this fall with legislative leaders. “It just doesn’t work, and I’m not going to sign it,” Whitmer said […]
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Republican Party is 165 Years Old and Can Boast Some Successes
HOW THE GOP HAS MADE ITS MARK ON AMERICAN HISTORY By Ariel Scott, Real Clear History March 20, 2019 During a meeting of Whigs in Wisconsin on March 20, 1854, the once prominent party virtually dissolved itself in favor of a new coalition of American political leaders — the GOP. After the Missouri Compromise was […]
BALLENGER AGREES WITH DETROIT NEWS: CLOUD OF FLINT WATER CRISIS STILL HANGS OVER SNYDER
by Beth LeBlanc, The Detroit News March 19, 2019 Michigan Governor Rick Snyder testifies about the lead water in Flint, Michigan, during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, March 17, 2016. (Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images) More than two months have passed since former Gov. Rick Snyder […]
“WHO IS WATCHING THE WATCHERS?” LEAVE IT TO BEAVER!
Are commissions enacted into law by the 99th Michigan Legislature late last year necessary to provide some sort of appeals process or “check” on an overly zealous state bureaucracy trying to enforce state law?Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer didn’t think so, so she eliminated them when reorganizing her state departments related to the environment.But the Michigan […]
BENSON CAN’T EXCUSE PUNY CAMPAIGN FINANCE FINE
Fast-talking Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson did her best to ‘snow’ an “Off the Record” panel of journalists on Michigan Public Television last week-end, but this particular episode (#4,834 on Tim Skubick’s record-setting list) should be entitled “Home of the Whopper.” We won’t say “Liar, liar, pants on fire!” Let’s just say Benson put a […]
WILL MICHIGAN’S NEW REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONERS BE WORTH THEIR SALARIES?
It depends on what they decide to pay themselves — and that can turn out to be a lot. About 10 months from now, applications will go in the mail to Michiganders who want to serve on the new Commission created by voter approval last Nov. 6 of Proposal 2, the Voters Not Politicians (VNP) Constitutional […]
WILL MICHIGAN’S NEW REDISTRICTING SYSTEM BE THE WORST EVER DEVISED?
It may well be, unless certain questions can be answered. Controversy over how to reapportion Michigan’s Congressional and legislative districts every decade has existed for almost as long as Michigan has been a state. Delegates to the 1961-62 state Constitutional Convention thought they had the problem solved. They didn’t come close. Now, the most recent […]
BALLENGER: “THOSE YOOPERS STICK TOGETHER”
‘Those Yoopers stick together,’ as successor hires ex-senator Jonathan Oosting, The Detroit News Feb. 15, 2019 Tom Casperson (Photo: Dale G. Young) Lansing — Former Sen. Tom Casperson didn’t go far for his next job after term limits forced him out of office. The Escanaba Republican is working as a top aide for his successor, Sen. […]
BENSON HELPS GOV. WHITMER GET AWAY WITH ‘CAMPAIGN FINANCE MURDER’
“The Ballenger Report” predicted last year that Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer would escape after commiting ‘campaign finance murder,’ and, sure enough, now she has. A group that ran ads last summer featuring Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer clearly violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act — even newly-elected Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, like Whitmer a Democrat, […]
DOME MAGAZINE: MSU “Game of Thrones” No Surprise
by Chuck Moss former State Representative February 7, 2019 On the banks of the Red Cedar, the various tribes are celebrating the departure of John Engler as Michigan State University President. They regard it as a win and I suppose it is. Former Governor Engler resigned following the capture of the MSU Board of Trustees by […]