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Mackinac Center for Public Policy

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Coordinates: 43°36′49″N 84°14′46″W / 43.6137°N 84.2460°W / 43.6137; -84.2460
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Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Established1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Type501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
38-2701547
HeadquartersMidland, Michigan, U.S.
President
Joseph G. Lehman
Chairman
Rodney M. Lockwood Jr.[1]
BudgetRevenue: ~$11,500,000
Expenses: ~$11,500,000
(FYE December 2022)[2]
Websitemackinac.org

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy (/ˈmækɪnɔː/) is a free market think tank headquartered in Midland, Michigan.[3][4][5][6] Through policy research and educational programs, the Mackinac Center advocates for free market policies such as lower taxes, reduced regulatory authority for state agencies, right-to-work laws, school choice, and enhanced protection of individual property rights.[7][8][6] They generally avoid socially conservative issues such as reproductive or marriage rights.[9][6]

Joseph Overton (1960–2003), a senior vice president of the Mackinac Center, stated the political strategy that later became known as the Overton window. Overton said that politically unpopular, unacceptable policies must be changed into politically acceptable policies before they can be enacted into law.[10][11]

The Mackinac Center is said to be the largest state-based free market think tank.[12][9][13][14][15] It was ranked among the top 5 percent of think tanks in the United States by the 2018 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report.[16][17] The Center sponsors MichiganVotes.org, an online legislative voting record database which provides a non-partisan summary of every bill and vote in the Michigan legislature.[18]

History

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Mackinac Center building in Midland, Michigan

The organization was founded in 1987.[16] In a 2011 interview, founder Joe Olson said that the Center was first conceived in a Lansing, Michigan bar at a meeting between Olson, fellow insurance company executive Tom Hoeg, Richard McLellan and then-Senator John Engler. Olson said the founders wanted an organization that would focus on research, writing, speaking, issuing press releases and looking at public policy from a free market point of view.[19]

The Center began operations with no office or full-time staff. It formally opened offices in Midland in 1988 with its first president, Lawrence W. Reed, an economist, writer, and speaker who had chaired the economics department at Northwood University. The Lansing-based Cornerstone Foundation provided early direction and some funding.[20] The Center's first annual budget under Reed was $80,000. In 1999, the Mackinac Center moved from rented offices to its current headquarters after having raised $2.4 million to renovate a former Woolworth's department store on Midland's Main Street.[21]

Reed served as president from the Center's founding until September 2008, when he assumed the title President Emeritus and also became the president of the Foundation for Economic Education. Former Chief Operating Officer Joseph G. Lehman was named the Mackinac Center's president on September 1, 2008.[22]

The Mackinac Center is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.[23] The Mackinac Center is a member of the State Policy Network,[24] an umbrella organization of free market and libertarian think tanks operating at the state level. In November 2006 The New York Times published a two-part series about state-based free market think tanks that described how the Mackinac Center trained think-tank executives from 42 countries and nearly every US state. The New York Times also reported that, "When the Mackinac Center was founded in 1987, there were just three other free market state-level policy institutes. Now there are 48, in 42 states."[25]

The Mackinac Center published a 20-point plan for state fiscal reform, with Governor John Engler fully or partially implementing 16 of those recommendations during his first term in office. In 1994, Governor Engler acknowledged the influence of the Mackinac Center by stating, "When the Mackinac Center speaks, we listen."[26][27]

When asked by Detroit's Metro Times in 1996, the Center's President Lawrence Reed said: "Our funding sources are primarily foundations ... with the rest coming from corporations and individuals," but that "... revealing our contributors would be a tremendous diversion..."[20]

In 2001, Mackinac Center was described as "the leading advocate for a universal education tax credit" by a Wall Street Journal editorial.[28]

In 2002, the Michigan Education Association (MEA) sued the Mackinac Center over the Center's use of a supportive quote by the MEA's President in fundraising material. In 2004, the Michigan Court of Appeals threw out the lawsuit.[29]

In 2014, the organization released a mobile app, VoteSpotter.[30][31][32] The app allows users to track votes by elected officials in the United States. It was originally an extension of the organization's MichiganVotes.org website but has since expanded to include other states.[31]

The Mackinac Center in 2018 led several conservative groups urging teachers to leave unions with a national campaign called "My Pay, My Say".[33]

In 2019, a satellite office was opened in Lansing, Michigan.[16]

The Mackinac Center has criticized "sin taxes" like tobacco excise taxes, vaping regulations and a variety of alcohol rules.[34][35][36] It received donations from Altria in the 2010s, according to a 2019 investigation by The Guardian about connections between the tobacco industry and free-market groups.[34]

The Mackinac Center fought in court against the Biden administration's efforts to cancel some student loan payments and extend pandemic-related pauses on loans.[37]

The Mackinac Center's director of energy and environmental policy was a contributor to the Project 2025 plan anticipating Donald Trump's second term as president of the United States. The Mackinac Center was removed from the Project 2025 credits after a request by the center. A Mackinac Center spokesperson said that it had "offered ideas on labor and energy policy" to the Heritage Foundation, which created Project 2025, but that "we do not endorse" some other ideas in the plan.[3]

Coining of the term "Overton Window"

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The concept of the "Overton window" was introduced in the 1990s by Joseph Overton, former senior vice president of the Mackinac Center. After his death in a plane crash in 2003, his colleague Joseph Lehman named the idea in a presentation about the power of consistent and persistent advocacy.[38] The "Overton window" refers to the range of ideas which are considered culturally and politically fringe to mainstream, and when a subject matter moves along this spectrum it is considered to have changed its status along the "Overton window".[11] The Mackinac Center defines the Overton Window as:

...a model for understanding how ideas in society change over time and influence politics. The core concept is that politicians are limited in what policy ideas they can support — they generally only pursue policies that are widely accepted throughout society as legitimate policy options. These policies lie inside the Overton Window. Other policy ideas exist, but politicians risk losing popular support if they champion these ideas. These policies lie outside the Overton Window.[39]

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The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation is a non-profit, pro-bono organization associated with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy focusing on advancing liberty and free markets.[40][41]

Their key areas of focus include:

  1. Labor law
  2. Property law
  3. Constitutional law
  4. Laws pertaining to healthcare in America[42]

In 2020, the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation initiated a lawsuit against Governor Gretchen Whitmer, which ultimately led to the Michigan Supreme Court issuing a unanimous decision. The court declared that Governor Whitmer's attempts to extend a state of emergency beyond April 30, 2020, without legislative approval was illegal. Additionally, in a 4-3 decision, the Court ruled that the Emergency Powers of Governor Act of 1945, which Governor Whitmer had cited as the basis for maintaining unilateral control for an indefinite period, is unconstitutional. Consequently, all executive orders issued after April 30 are currently considered null and void.[43][44][45][46]

Lawsuits involving Michigan Education Association (MEA)

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Michigan Education Association v. Mackinac Center for Public Policy

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In 2002 the Michigan Education Center sued Mackinac Center for quoting Michigan Education Association President Luigi Battaglieri in a fundraising letter.[47]

On September 27, 2001, Luigi Battaglieri, President of the Michigan Education Association, expressed admiration for the Mackinac Center, stating, "...quite frankly, I admire what they [the Mackinac Center] have done over the last couple of years entering into the field as they have and being pretty much the sole provider of research to the community, to the public, to our members, to legislators..." The Mackinac Center cited this quote in a letter addressed to its supporters and potential backers, highlighting the acknowledgment of its effectiveness, even from individuals who typically hold opposing views to the Center.[48][49]

The MEA argued that commercial speech case law required the Mackinac Center to obtain permission for using the quotation. However, the Court concluded that the quotation in the fundraising letter "falls squarely within the protection of the First Amendment for discourse on matters of public interest."[48][50]

[edit]

In January 2022, the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Education Association (MEA) and its insurance affiliate, the Michigan Education Special Services Association (MESSA). The lawsuit was filed under the federal False Claims Act, maintaining that these labor unions improperly sought and received $12.5 million in COVID-19 relief money through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).[51]

The Paycheck Protection Program, which was intended to provide relief to small businesses, was not designed for 501(c)(5) nonprofits like the MEA or 501(c)(9) nonprofits like MESSA. Despite this, both organizations applied for and received funding through the PPP in April 2020, with the MEA receiving $6.4 million and MESSA receiving $6.1 million. In December 2020, the MEA and MESSA reportedly returned the funds.[52]

The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed the lawsuit on the grounds that the actions of the MEA and MESSA deprived other businesses of relief funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fourteen months after the lawsuit was filed, the case was settled in favor of the Mackinac Center. As part of the settlement, the MEA and MESSA agreed to pay $200,000 in reimbursements and fines. Additionally, the two union organizations agreed to pay the Mackinac Center $77,000 in attorneys fees, and the federal government paid the Mackinac Center $23,000 for discovering the improper loans.[53][51]

Principles and positions

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The Mackinac Center prefers the term "free market" over "conservative",[25] because it does not address social issues such as abortion, censorship, and gambling. The Center writes that its ideology is most accurately characterized as flowing from the "classical liberal tradition" of Milton Friedman and others: "socially tolerant, economically sophisticated, desiring little government intervention in either their personal or economic affairs."[54] Though the organization is sometimes referred to as a "fiscally conservative" free market think tank in Michigan's local media.[55][56][57][58]

The Mackinac Center was involved in the effort to pass a right-to-work law in Michigan and has supported efforts in other states to expand right to work laws and workers' rights to not pay dues to a union they do not support. The Center also launched the website MyPayMySay.com to alert union members to their rights.[59][16][33][60][61][62][63]

Funding

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In 2022, the foundation's total revenue was $11.5 million, and its expenditures were $11.5 million, according to ProPublica.[64]

Between 2008 and 2013, the Mackinac Center received $2.4 million from DonorsTrust, a donor-advised fund for "liberty-minded, conservative and faith-driven philanthropists." Donor-advised funds allow individuals, foundations and charities to give money anonymously. DonorsTrust has been used by members of the Koch family and distributes funds from conservative individuals and foundations, according to a liberal group called the Bridge Project. The funding was funding for statehouse reporting and attendance at meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).[65]

Publications

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In addition to policy studies, the Center publishes a number of periodicals including Michigan Education Report, Michigan Privatization Report, Michigan Science, Michigan Capitol Confidential, Impact, Michigan Education Digest and Michigan Context and Performance Report Card.[66][67][68]

Michigan Capitol Confidential

[edit]

Michigan Capitol Confidential is a nonprofit news service published by the Mackinac Center. It provides news and analysis of Michigan-specific issues, including state and local government policies, education, and economics.[69][70]

MichiganVotes

[edit]

MichiganVotes is a project whose primary objective is to facilitate access to information regarding historical and ongoing legislative actions. Its users have the capability to search for bills by their respective numbers, categories, or keywords. This platform is designed by Mackinac Center with the aim to enable individuals to stay informed about various legislations and to ensure that their elected officials are held responsible for their actions.[71]

Personnel

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Policy staff members

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Adjunct scholars

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Board of directors

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Current members of the Mackinac Center's board of directors include:[72]

  • Rodney M. Lockwood Jr., Chairman of the Board; Chairman/CEO of the Lockwood Companies
  • Joseph G. Lehman, President; Vice chairman of the National Taxpayers Union and a director of the Fairness Center
  • Richard D. McLellan, Secretary; McLellan Law Offices; formerly Dykema Gossett Law Firm
  • Clifford W. Taylor, Member; Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 2005 through 2009
  • Richard Haworth, Member; Chairman of Haworth, an office furniture and architectural interior company based in Holland, Michigan
  • Jim Barrett, Member; President & CEO of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce
  • Daniel Graf, Member; Financial analyst at Amerisure Mutual Holdings
  • J.C. Huizenga, Member; Chairman of and founder of Huizenga Group, Member of the Acton Institute board of trustees
  • Edward C. Levy Jr., Member; President of Edw. C. Levy Co.
  • Joseph P. Maguire, Treasurer; President of Wolverine Development Corporation
  • Jennifer Panning, Member; President and founder of Artisan Tile Inc.

Former members of the organization's board include:

References

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  1. ^ "Lockwood Named New Chairman of Mackinac Center Board of Directors". Mackinac Center.
  2. ^ Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon (May 9, 2013). "Mackinac Center - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b King, Jon (July 18, 2024). "Mackinac Center asks for name to be pulled from Project 2025 • Michigan Advance". Michigan Advance. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  4. ^ "Mackinac Center for Public Policy". State Policy Network. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  5. ^ "Think Tanks". Northwood University McNair Center for the Advancement of Free-Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Is the Mackinac Center for Public Policy Liberal? Libertarian? Conservative?". Mackinac Center. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ^ Gardner, Greg (September 1, 2013). "After Firestorm, Michigan Right-to-Work Law Has Had Little Spark". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  8. ^ "After firestorm, Michigan right-to-work law has had little spark". Detroit Free Press. September 1, 2013. Archived from the original on March 9, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Right-of-Center Guru Goes Wide With the Gospel of Small Government". The New York Times. November 17, 2006.
  10. ^ "A Brief Explanation of the Overton Window". The Overton Window. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  11. ^ a b Astor, Maggie (February 26, 2019). "How the Politically Unthinkable Can Become Mainstream". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  12. ^ Heinlein, Gary; Livengood, Chad (March 4, 2015). "Worker Says Ending Film Incentives Will Cost Mich. Jobs". The Detroit News. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  13. ^ https://www.lightrailnow.org/facts/fa_00023.htm
  14. ^ https://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/2011/09/mackinac_center_for_public_pol.html
  15. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20080724090045/http://metrotimes.com/johnengler/002.html
  16. ^ a b c d Beacom, Ron (March 26, 2019). "Mackinac Center for Public Policy continues to prosper in Midland". Midland Daily News. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  17. ^ McGann, James (January 1, 2019). "2018 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report". TTCSP Global Go to Think Tank Index Reports (16).
  18. ^ STAFF, HP. "Legislative Roll Call". The Herald Palladium. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  19. ^ Totten, Jim (October 19, 2011). "Genoa Resident One of the Founders of Mackinac Center". Daily Press & Argus. Archived from the original on October 20, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2015 – via Livingston Daily.
  20. ^ a b Guyette, Curt (1996). "The Big Mac Attack". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on October 1, 2000. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
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  24. ^ "Directory SPN Members". State Policy Network. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
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  26. ^ "Our Accomplishments". Mackinac Center. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  27. ^ Akers, Joshua (November 2013). Decline Industry: The Market Production of Detroit. utoronto.ca (Thesis). Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  28. ^ "Extra Credit". The Wall Street Journal. September 5, 2001. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  29. ^ Martin, Tim (March 22, 2004). "Court Rejects Suit about Endorsing a Rival". Detroit Free Press. Associated Press.
  30. ^ 10x25MM (May 8, 2015). "Mackinac Center's 'VoteSpotter' Application for Smartphones". Right Michigan. Retrieved September 6, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ a b Smith, John C. "Mackinac Center Hopes iPhone Users Add VoteSpotter App". Star 105.7. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  32. ^ Davis, Justin (December 15, 2014). "Spot the Most Important Vote with Votespotter". West Bloomfield Local Stew. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  33. ^ a b Schwartz, Sarah (October 18, 2018). "Conservative Group Expands Push to Get Teachers to Leave Their Unions". Education Week.
  34. ^ a b Glenza, Jessica; Adolphe, Juweek (January 23, 2019). "Free-market groups and the tobacco industry – full database". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  35. ^ LaFaive, Michael D. "Alcohol Control in Michigan". Mackinac Center. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  36. ^ LaFaive, Michael D. "Vaping Ban is Bad for Health, Good for Smugglers". Mackinac Center. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  37. ^ Douglas-Gabriel, Danielle (April 5, 2023). "Biden's student loan forgiveness plan faces new lawsuit to block program". The Washington Post.
  38. ^ Robertson, Derek (February 25, 2018). "How an Obscure Conservative Theory Became the Trump Era's Go-to Nerd Phrase". politico.com. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
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  40. ^ "The Detroit News Subscription Offers, Specials, and Discounts". subscribe.detroitnews.com. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  41. ^ Dodge, Samuel (March 16, 2022). "Parent sues Michigan school district for ethnic, gender studies course material". mlive. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  42. ^ "Our Issues". Mackinac Center. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  43. ^ "Gov. Whitmer's unilateral extension of COVID-19 state of emergency deemed illegal and unconstitutional by Michigan Supreme Court". Mackinac Center. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  44. ^ "Executive Order 2020-17: Temporary restrictions on non-essential medical and dental procedures - RESCINDED". michigan.gov. March 20, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  45. ^ "Court Declares Gov. Whitmer's COVID Emergency Powers Unconstitutional". Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  46. ^ Mulka, Angela (June 22, 2022). "Whitmer's lost case sends $200,000 in attorneys fees to Mackinac Center". Midland Daily News. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  47. ^ "LUIGI BATTAGLIERI V MACKINAC CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY". Justia Law. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  48. ^ a b "Victory for Free Speech: Michigan Appeals Court Sides With Think Tank, Rejects Teachers Union's Lawsuit". mackinac.org. March 18, 2004. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  49. ^ "Battaglieri v. Mackinac Center, 261 Mich. App. 296 | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  50. ^ Kramer, John (May 21, 2002). "Keeping the "Free" In Free Speech". ij.org. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  51. ^ a b "Office of Public Affairs | Michigan Nonprofit Organizations Agree to Pay $225,887 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program Loans | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. March 13, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  52. ^ Chambers, Jennifer. "MEA agrees to pay $115,000 in processing fees for pandemic aid". The Detroit News. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  53. ^ Chambers, Jennifer (March 6, 2023). "MEA agrees to pay $115,000 in processing fees for pandemic aid". The Detroit News. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  54. ^ "Is the Mackinac Center for Public Policy Liberal? Libertarian? Conservative?". Mackinac Center. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  55. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20080724090045/http://metrotimes.com/johnengler/002.html
  56. ^ joosting@mlive.com, Jonathan Oosting | (April 13, 2015). "Working poor may see modest tax break under Michigan roads Proposal 1". mlive. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  57. ^ Karlin, Rick. "N.Y. cigarette taxes rise to $5.35, the nation's highest". www.timesunion.com. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  58. ^ Svoboda, Sandra. "Re-Detroit". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  59. ^ "Briefs filed backing 'right to work' law". weirtondailytimes.com. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  60. ^ Iofolla, Robert. "Mass Exodus of Public Union Fee Payers After High Court Ruling". Bloomberg. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  61. ^ "Obama's Right to Work". Wall Street Journal. February 12, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  62. ^ Resnikoff, Ned (December 12, 2012). "Right-wingers Koch, ALEC, pushed Michigan 'right-to-work' laws". MSNBC. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  63. ^ Hodgson, Sam (July 14, 2018). "Teachers Unions Scramble to Save Themselves after Supreme Court's Blow". New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  64. ^ https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/382701547
  65. ^ Abowd, Paul (February 14, 2013). "Koch-funded charity passes money to free-market think tanks in states". Center for Public Integrity and NBC News. Retrieved December 11, 2024 – via NBC News.
  66. ^ "Publications". www.mackinac.org. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  67. ^ "Mackinac Center for Public Policy". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  68. ^ "Report Ranks Elementary, Middle Schools". News/Talk 94.9 WSJM. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  69. ^ Clark, Anna. "Michigan's 'free-market' media machine". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  70. ^ Majeed, Azhar (November 26, 2012). "'Michigan Capitol Confidential': State of Michigan Has Too Many Speech Codes | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression". www.thefire.org. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  71. ^ "About". MichiganVotes. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  72. ^ "Board of Directors". Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  73. ^ Kroll, Andy (March 23, 2011). "Behind Michigan's 'Financial Martial Law': Corporations and Right-Wing Billionaires". Mother Jones. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  74. ^ "R.I.P. Paul Gadola". Mackinac Center. December 26, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
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43°36′49″N 84°14′46″W / 43.6137°N 84.2460°W / 43.6137; -84.2460

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