The Mackinac Center’s newest study examines the effects of increased cigarette taxes in Michigan and other states, and how they have contributed to increased smuggling and criminal activity.

Check out the bottom of page 90 and you’ll see two SFE students and bloggers listed as contributors to the study - good work!

2008 Students for Freedom Conference

Saturday, November 8 at the University of Michigan.  13 speakers will present on how to best spread freedom in every sphere.  Lots of great info and material, three great meals, plenty of time to mingle with other freedom-loving students from across the Midwest.  There are a few spots left! - Register here

Mackinac Center Banquet Featuring John Stossel

Tuesday, November 11 at Michigan State Universities Kellogg Center The Mackinac Center for Public Policy will be celebrating it’s 20th Anniversary with a banquet featuring keynote speaker John Stossel of ABC’s 20/20.

Ticket prices for this event are normally $100, but since I know students don’t have that kind of cash lying around, SFE has been able to secure a chunk of tickets free of charge. Please RSVP and let me know if you will be attending.  The spots are limited, so first come, first serve! (PS - this is a formal event, so dress nice!)

The Mackinac Center is celebrating it’s 20th Anniversary this November with a banquet featuring keynote speaker John Stossel!

Ticket prices for this event are normally $100, but a big chunk of tickets have become available for SFE students free of charge!  Please RSVP to me at SFE(at)mackinac.org by October 31 and let me know if you will be attending.  The spots are limited, so first come, first serve!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008
5:30 to 7:00 pm - Cocktails
7:00 pm - Dinner
Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
55 South Harrison Road
East Lansing, Michigan

The event is black tie optional.  (So if you don’t want to wear a tux, at least wear a suit or Jacket and tie)

I hope to have a good cohort of SFE luminaries to represent the voice of freedom on Michigan campuses!

Russ Harding, former director of Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality and current director of the Mackinac Center’s Property Rights Network, was invited to Hillsdale College by a group of students who wanted to learn about what’s going in in Michigan with property rights.

After the Kelo decision, Michigan citizens amended the state constitution to strengthen protections for property owners from government use of eminent domain.  But, as Russ shared, government isn’t through taking our property.  They don’t have to use eminent domain to take the value and use of the property, they can simply and often arbitrarily tell property owners that they cannot use their land.  All kinds of crazy (and costly) requirements have been put on citizens for pieces of property deemed “wetlands” that are sometimes no more than a manmade mud puddle.  Check out this site for some stories.

Anyway, as Russ spoke I Twittered some highlights, including, “It cost $160,000 more to develop the same restaurant in Michigan than Indiana based solely on regulations”, and this great line by Russ, “I support green belts; I’m just opposed to stealing them.”

Here’s the event in 73 seconds…