Want to "fix" Michigan - don't look to Lansing.
I read the story about Republican legislators visiting Lowell last week with ideas on how to fix Michigan with some interest. I could not attend because I had to work.
Might I suggest that the answer is not going to come from Lansing? These gentlemen are members of the same Republican party that voted themselves the biggest pay raise in history when they were in control of the government in our state. Our legislators are the second or third highest paid in the country while our state economy has been in the bottom 5 for the last 5-10 years. When our economy officially tanked at the end of 2008, these same legislators (both parties) took the "impressive" action of a pay cut - to take effect in 2011. What joke. How nice to have a guaranteed salary while the state economy goes down the toilet.
Before any democrats reading this get too smug, let me remind you that your lady has been running our state since 2003. Enough said?
My point is this - I am not looking for answers from men and women who vote themselves raises with our tax money and enjoy one of the best health care plans available. Just think - if they stick it out for 6 years, then they can enjoy said health care for the rest of their lives.
What can we do to rescue Michigan? How about looking to places like BuyMichiganNow.com? If everyone directed just $10 a week of their grocery budget to food produced in Michigan, it keeps $37 million dollars in the state. Buy cereal from Kellogg's; buy dressings from Litehouse; buy milk, beer, and wine that is produced in our state. Eat potatoes from Michigan. Purchase bread made locally. If we all do that to the tune of a $10 bill we keep MILLIONS in our state every week. More and more of the products in the stores are clearly labeled.
I am not suggesting that loading up on Michigan made products will solve all our problems, but it is a way all of us can make a huge difference. Supporting local, regional, and Michigan based businesses just requires common sense - something rare in Lansing.
Might I suggest that the answer is not going to come from Lansing? These gentlemen are members of the same Republican party that voted themselves the biggest pay raise in history when they were in control of the government in our state. Our legislators are the second or third highest paid in the country while our state economy has been in the bottom 5 for the last 5-10 years. When our economy officially tanked at the end of 2008, these same legislators (both parties) took the "impressive" action of a pay cut - to take effect in 2011. What joke. How nice to have a guaranteed salary while the state economy goes down the toilet.
Before any democrats reading this get too smug, let me remind you that your lady has been running our state since 2003. Enough said?
My point is this - I am not looking for answers from men and women who vote themselves raises with our tax money and enjoy one of the best health care plans available. Just think - if they stick it out for 6 years, then they can enjoy said health care for the rest of their lives.
What can we do to rescue Michigan? How about looking to places like BuyMichiganNow.com? If everyone directed just $10 a week of their grocery budget to food produced in Michigan, it keeps $37 million dollars in the state. Buy cereal from Kellogg's; buy dressings from Litehouse; buy milk, beer, and wine that is produced in our state. Eat potatoes from Michigan. Purchase bread made locally. If we all do that to the tune of a $10 bill we keep MILLIONS in our state every week. More and more of the products in the stores are clearly labeled.
I am not suggesting that loading up on Michigan made products will solve all our problems, but it is a way all of us can make a huge difference. Supporting local, regional, and Michigan based businesses just requires common sense - something rare in Lansing.
Comments