STATE REPRESENTATIVE  KATHY ANGERER (D-DUNDEE)

What is it with Michigan Democrats promising to do one thing before they get elected then turning around and doing just the opposite after they've taken the oath of office?  Is it a chronic case of the old bait and switch?  Is something in the water in the House Democrat Caucus chamber?  Or should voters stop taking Democrat candidates at their word?

South-east Michigan Representative Kathy Angerer represents a perfect conundrum for voters, and, I think, presents an opportunity to learn two very important lessons.  Assume nothing and follow the money.

The first lesson can be learned from a look at Angerer's campaign website.  Now, she's let it expire and tried to wipe the last vestiges of her campaign pledges out of the public record but through the wonders of the internet and Google's web cache we're able to see what she doesn't want you to see by clicking HERE.

The second-term Democrat talks about her hopes and plans and dreams for the economy and states:

My plan involves: Offering a tax credit for companies that create jobs in Michigan. - AND - Offering a manufacturing jobs tax cut.

These weren't hidden promises buried somewhere on the page.  They're prominently displayed in bold face right on top.

Surprisingly, a quick check of the Representative's sponsored and co-sponsored legislation comes up a little bit short on the tax-cut end of the scale.  But that's not to say Angerer hasn't established a reputation on the tax issue throughout 2007.  

Democrat Kathy Angerer voted YES on the House plan to raise the sales tax on services by over $600 million a year, crippling small businesses and forcing them to cut jobs.

Democrat Kathy Angerer voted YES on the House plan to spike the income tax by nearly $800 million a year, swiping cash directly from the pockets of working moms and dads struggling to make ends meet amongst Michigan's nation-worst unemployment rate and skyrocketing poverty and foreclosure rates.

Those, of course, were the cornerstone of the Democrat's budget "solution," asking taxpayers to wipe out the projected 2007-08 fiscal year deficit without touching the state's structural budget imbalance.  But they weren't the only taxes Angerer wanted to raise.

In fact, earlier in September Kathy Angerer cosponsored Democrat legislation to raise various other taxes by over $332 million!  House Bills 5252 through 5256 tax everything from periodicals to free meals (yeah, you read that right) to vending machines to tax payments themselves!

Because it's important to tax FREE MEALS but it's not important to prevent the MEA from stealing $400 million a year from taxpayers for providing ZERO in the way of goods or services.  

Probably not what the people of the 55th District thought they were getting when they first granted the Representative a 319 vote victory (one of the closest in the history of the State of Michigan).  

But should we have expected it all along?  You don't win that close an election in that competitive a district without massive amounts of cash flowing into your campaign coffers.  And when I say massive I mean massive.  The sort of cash that comes with strings attached.

According to official reports filed with the Michigan Secretary of State Angerer has accepted over $142,000 from the Michigan House Democrat Fund, over $10,000 from the Granholm Leadership fund and Mark Brewer / MDP and tens of thousands from big labor including the Michigan Education Association.

The House Democrats needed her vote to raise your taxes.  They paid a lot of cash to get her into office and she was all too eager to repay the favor.  And when the MEA and big labor endorse you and fill your war chest with tens of thousands of dollars they expect "results."

Where Kathy Angerer is concerned you get who you pay for.  And Michigan job makers, moms and dads, those who decide to stay, will be paying because of her for years to come.