He said when the state raised income and business taxes in October 2007, it was sold as a means to deal with an economic crisis. And yet, he noted, the state ended the last two fiscal years with surpluses, including $712 million for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

"That $712 million surplus means Michigan created the most notorious business tax in the nation, gouged workers and job creators and badly damaged our reputation with companies looking to expand or relocate, all for no reason," Cox wrote.

In an interview Wednesday, the attorney general said state policymakers will never make the tough choices to deal with the state's longstanding structural budget problems as long as surplus money is available.

"I think tax rebates and cuts are effective ways to stimulate the economy,"

Amen and here here.  Someone shake that man's hand for me.  

The idea that more money in the pockets of blue collar workers, moms and dads stimulates the economy isn't new.  John Kennedy used it in the 60s and kicked a recession in the butt.  Ronald Reagan used it in the 1980s and kicked a recession in the teeth and George W. Bush used it less than a decade ago and brought the economy back from the brink after the most devastating terrorist attacks in our nation's history.  Then there was that John Engler guy, too.  Remember when Michigan used to LEAD the nation in job creation?

The Attorney General seems to be a student of history.  I commend him.  Of course, if the Democrats would rather we could fix our budget problems by cutting corrections spending, firing sheriffs and police officers and letting dangerous criminals out of jail early.  I know the choice between tax cuts for working families and more criminals on the street is a tough one.

To that end, while the conservative still looks on from afar, wishing he could help, the Democrats in Lansing maintain their icy control of local government and find new and creative ways to waste cash and endanger the population.

The Associated Press reports that today the Governor will unveil sweeping new prison spending cuts while Wayne County Executive and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate (allegedly) Bob Ficano was just slapped on the hand by local courts for inappropriately slashing over 50 local sheriffs deputies positions last year.

The announcement came as a Wayne County judge ruled Wednesday that Ficano did not have the legal authority to lay off or reassign deputies and administrative staff in the Sheriff's Office in a cost-cutting action.

The legal wrangling is far from over and so far has cost the county about $300,000 as of last week since it began in October, county spokeswoman Vanessa Denha-Garmo said.