Councilman Cushingberry Supports The Affordable Care Act Tax Credit that lowers monthly rates by as much as %800

Health Care in Detroit 

By Richard C. Clement

Did you know the tax credit is still available under the Affordable Care Act?  If your income falls below the limit based on family size, you may qualify for a significant tax credit for health insurance. This credit may have the ability to lower your monthly payment to under $1.00 per month. 

You still have time to sign up for the plan because having health insurance is now the law.  A lot of insurance companies are offering their own version of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to compete with other insurance companies.  Organizations like Blue Cross, Humana and others offer similar plans because they all will have to comply with the law and, competition is a part of  being in business. 

The Following table is from Health Care Marketplace literature.

Household Size	Income Limit	Alaska
1	$45,960	$57,400
2	$62,040	$77,520
3	$78,120	$97,640
4	$94,200	$117,760
5	$110,000	$137,880
6	$126,360	$158,000

Unfortunately, Michigan Attorney General, Bill Schuette has decided to fight this benefit by joining in on a law suit to eliminate it altogether (Detroit Free Press Article – Click Here). If they are successful, your ACA monthly insurance rate will increase over %800 percent.  For a household of one person, your Bronze Insurance plan will go from $0.38 cents to $312 per month. You can still register for ACA coverage by logging onto www.healthcare.gov and sign up.

Finally, if you support this benefit, you must Vote in August and November for a change in U.S. Congress, State Legislature and, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.

Clarifying the confusion of State Attorney General Bill Schuette regarding the Michigan Medical Marijuana Law.

By Richard C. Clement


Happy holidays from the Medical Marijuana community to you reading this article. The end of the year is a joyous time for some families and for others a time to reflect.  Over the years activists, military personnel, and elected officials are constantly reminded of the fact that freedom is not free. People from many backgrounds have sacrificed so much to allow people the right to vote that it is a right that constantly needs to be guarded and protected.  This is forcing us to focus on the current state of affairs with the current executive director of the Office of Attorney General for the State of Michigan and the voter supported Michigan Medical Marijuana program.

Recall Bill Schuette

Recently Attorney General Bill Schuette sponsored 4 seminars on “Clearing the Air: Implementing and Enforcing Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Law” in 4 different Michigan cities. The seminar was a fast paced demonstration of  ‘experts’ who gave law enforcement and elected officials instructions on how to sabotage and ignore many parts of the law.  From the lead off presenter Celeste Clarkston, this seminar had more fraudulent statements than the best con artist incarcerated with the Michigan Department of Corrections.  Starting with the god-awful 3 and 4 month turnaround time for processing patient applications, this program is being horribly mis-managed.

According to Ms. Clarkston this programs receives 400 to 800 applications per day. On some days up to 2000 applications a day are received in the MMJ office.  All processing is done in house by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Medical Marijuana Staff with just a day shift of employees.  The excuse of a broken printer is un-acceptable and needs to be addressed with a maintenance contract to a vendor with possibly TWO printers running 24/7 5 days a week. To correct this problem the Department must operate an afternoon and evening shift to have all applications processed and cards in hand within the 20 day timeframe as required by law.  The Department of Treasury processes 10 times more applications in the form of tax returns and has a much superior turnaround.  Maybe Treasury Director Andy Dillon needs to consider taking over the processing of applications with his department staff.

The next presenter, Ken Steckler Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor for the Prosecuting Attorneys Association for Michigan, complained loudly about the law being a hornets’ nest where county prosecutors are getting stung like a hornet. His proudest accomplishment is to say that the Court of Appeals has overturned every case regarding Medical Marijuana which is not true.  Many patients have had their cases dismissed as they were following the law and, law enforcement was clearly in the wrong as found by District Court judges throughout the state. Currently Ken works for Attorney General’s office as a consultant for Bill Schuette along with Alan Cropsey an avid marijuana hater to invalidate the people’s law.  Having Alan Cropsey to re-write the Michigan Medical Marijuana law is similar to having the Ku Klux Klan design and re-write Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity legislation.  When Mr. Cropsey is finished with his work, the law will be basically null and void, pending approval by the Michigan House and Senate.

Schuette the Job Killer:

Just Budz on Michigan Ave. Lansing MI

Within the presentation package was a fill in the blank Public & Common Nuisance Complaint for local officials to shut down compassion centers within their jurisdictions.  Some cities have used this document to shut down businesses like Big Daddy’s Compassion Club in Clarkston and other places based on this seminar.  In Lansing Michigan the attorney general used a ruling to shut down places of business so well that Michigan Avenue is looking like a ghost town again.  Mr. Schuette would like to see more storefront churches and other non-revenue generating business on the avenue.  Medical Marijuana businesses on Michigan Avenue generated property taxes, and utility use in the form of paying electric bills and employing people who would be otherwise unemployed. It was evident from this presentation that Bill Schuette is on a personal agenda to eliminate a $12 million dollar program for selfish reasons.   

The Witch Doctor Bill Morrone  (ClIck Here for the Bill Schuette Slide Show Presentation)

For those who decided to stay until the end, the presentation of Dr. Bill Morrone was a 2011 version of Refer Madness without the overt racism.  Dr. Morrone  supplied an impressive presentation of  how Marijuana used with drugs like Oxycodone, Codeine, Morphine, Xanax, Concerta, Valium are a fatal combination.  He continued his propaganda by citing of all people Fidel Castro and what he did to Marijuana users in his country.  Besides his derogatory comments about Michal Moore and President Barack Obama, he cites a study from Columbia University stating that Marijuana users are significantly more likely to be involved in crashes than drivers who do not.  Dr. Morrone’s defining statement to observers is that “Smoking Marijuana and being on  more that 100mg of opioids per day will put you at a higher risk of DEATH from overdosing than NO marijuana and less that 100mg of opiods”.  

Uplifting our Youth and Taxes.

Rev. Jesse Jackson & Free The Weed

The underlying theme of this dog and pony show was to protect the children. If they call this protecting the kids then they would be better off with a pedophile.  We parents have constantly instilled in our children the right to vote and democracy.  This presentation and Attorney General Schuette are using our children as pawns to promote his personal 4F agenda (Find em, Feed em, Fool em, and Forget em).  I don’t blame any shop owner or citizen who does not pay their taxes to the State of Michigan because to give someone your money so that you can get slapped in the face is ludicrous. If we are really concerned about the children, we should quit lying to them regarding cannabis.  I would encourage the community to support any recall effort (Bill Schuette 3.0), ballot initiatives and, constitutional amendments to end prohibition of cannabis in Michigan and America.  The people were not confused when they voted to allow the medical use of Marijuana. In 2008, the Governor, State Senate, and House of Representatives all sat on their confused and sorry behinds while the people got up and voted by a %63 margin to allow for the use of Medical Marijuana.  The presentation is a slap in the face to the voters and a desperate effort by a few selfish politicians who want to promote their biased evangelical agenda to undermine the law for their own self interests. 

Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Law under attack from the insurance industry and pharmaceuticals with assistance from Sen. Jones and AG Schuette.

By Richard C. Clement

“In memory of Sal Agro”

Old  Mumford High School

On the legislative front, a series of new bills has been introduced to eliminate Michigan Medical Marijuana law.  If any of these bills become law, the result would be an increase in the number of Michigan citizens subject to arrest by law enforcement and asset forfeiture.  The rationale behind these bills is to benefit the insurance companies and pharmaceutical industry.  One of the most outrageous bills, (Senate Bill 418 of 2011) would effectively invalidate the law by adding one complete paragraph to make the entire law null and void.   The next bill (House Bill 4850) would result in a misdemeanor and a 93 day stretch in jail for passing any amount of medicine to another lawful medical marijuana patient.

Senate Bill 0321 would benefit the insurance industry by allowing a insurance company to deny claims if you test positive for Marijuana.   Senate Bill 506 would increase the amount of paperwork that doctors are required to keep for processing a medical marijuana application.  This bill would increase the cost to participants in the program because, a person would be required to get various second opinions from additional doctors.




The companion pair of bills (Senate Bill 17 and House Bill 4397) is a violation of the US Constitution because they effectively ban the formation, organization, and management of organizations based on marijuana.  Compassion clubs, bars, social gatherings like Hash Bash, Hemp Fest, expos, and conventions that support Marijuana would be deemed an illegal gathering by the State of Michigan.  Participants would be charged with misdemeanors and face up to 93 days in jail and cost of court

New Detroit Compassion
Club

 The Department of Corrections and County Sheriffs would immensely benefit from House Bills 4363 and Senate Bill 505.  These bills will allow Judges and prosecutors to place tethers on citizens and monitor their every move based on the use of Marijuana.  And speaking of drugs in school, House bill 4661 and Senate Bill 0504 are job killing bills that would make owners move their place of business 1000 feet away from a school,  church, or day care center.   The reality of the situation is that school districts are the biggest bunch of drug pushers when it comes to children.  Due to poor upbringing by their parents and legitimate learning disabilities, kids are given drugs at a words notice and agreement with the Childs parents.   Many unnamed teachers and counselors would recommend that some of those children eat an edible brownie as opposed to take some of the big pharmacy drugs they receive now.  Attorney General Schuette says he is protecting the kids. This is laughable when you ask the teacher in the classroom and the social workers how many of their kids take anti-psychotic drugs before they come to class. 

Senate Bill 377 can be amended to reduce the 120 day backlog to less than 20 days as required by law by redirecting resources to improve the information flow, including online registration.  While hating on California, their Medical Marijuana program processes applications in 7 days and, has online verification of their cards(click here).  Michigan currently has excuses like the lack of talent to do the job or some other reason to allow the 880+ applications per day to just pile up.

               The driving force behind all of  these bills are Attorney General Bill Schuette, a host of Republicans,  one Democrat (Mark Meadows – East Lansing), and Senator Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge).   The ultimate goal is to have the State of Michigan and big business grow ALL the marijuana and finance it with asset forfeitures and increased incarceration rates.  The get the Government off the backs of the people crowd now want to have State Employees or Wal-Mart authorized to grow, cultivate, and sell Marijuana.  Incidents in the counties of Midland, Oakland, and Eaton are an example of how the new world would look if they are successful. For “marijuana crimes” convicted criminals will be required to take AA classes, pay for drug testing at $25.00 a pop, attend substance abuse counseling, pay outrageous fines, and lose property in a police auction.

A person with a felony would be banned for life for being a caregiver and forever have another barrier put upon them if they are truly trying to turn it around.  In Oakland County, a 70 year old woman must submit weekly pee drops after being convicted of cultivating marijuana in a private establishment. In the process of this raid where Oakland County deputies used false documents to gain entry, the woman’s 70+ year old husband died.

Mumford High School Class of 1975

At a gathering of Mumford High School alumni members, the recall Rick Snyder petition was being appropriately signed and became a hot item.  I ran into the school health center facilitator at the gathering passing out literature that is normally kept in the office.  It was from the National Resource Center regarding the dangers of marijuana. Protecting the kids is quit feeding them B.S. and to make sure that they are making their assignments are completed on time. If they are not on time then we have to look at correcting the problem to help the young person be a better person. Looking at the progress on the rebuilding on the new Mumford High School the community will not allow a racist Senator hick from the sticks destroy and disrespect our vote.  After having a brief history lesson with a young alumnus, he related the struggles of Medgar Evers and compared it to having the freedom to possess a plant created from the earth. Another young Mumford graduate said that he will call, tweet, and email Senator Rick Jones to tell him quit messing with our law. 

Given the popularity of the program and the exponential revenue that Marijuana has generated, contact your Senator (click here) and House of Representative(click here) member and tell them to vote NO on all of these bills.  If your Senator or Representative is up for recall, then let them know to straighten up or GO! 

As far as Attorney General Schuette this song is for you:

(Chorus)

It’s time for Recall,
Down at the City Hall,
To let him know,
Straighten up or Go!

(Solo)

Make it your duty,
To recall Bill Schuette,
cause we all agreed,
to free the weed.

(repeat chours)

On August 1^st at 10:00am, a clarity hearing will be conducted to review the language on the petition for the recall of Attorney General Schuette. 806,522 valid signatures needed in 90 days within a 180 day window. A total grass roots effort is in full effect.

Are you ready for your recall?