Tag: Polls

I like to read the view, and enjoy the commentary, even in those times with minor disagreements. Henry Payne and crew are a pretty good pulse check of what is alive in Michigan.  In fact, because it is a collaborative affair like RightMichigan.com and doesn't seem to have any crazy lefties on board, I would say the accuracy confidence is high.

But once in a while ..

As I was singing along with Dan Calabrese's column (new app for windows - involves show-tune melodies and a bouncy ball)  I kept getting a frog stuck sideways when I hit this part:

"It's entirely possible that whatever good Snyder's policies do (assuming you believe they are doing good) could be wiped out by the nation's deepening debt and economic stagnation.

It doesn't make sense to heap a bunch of disapproval on Snyder for that, since none of it was his doing. But then again, it doesn't make a lot of sense to take polls like this all the time or to report on them like they're actual news."

There must be an accurate assessment of who is responsible for failures AND successes.

At first glance, one might think Allegan county newspaper readers have no interest in Freedom to Work (Right To Work) as the Allegan county news poll shows a decided 76% against tally.  An editorial appears the same day with editor Ryan Lewis speaking of one of the commissioners, District 9's Bill Sage:

"Now, I know Mr. Sage to be a proud patriot and I'm glad he's a man of his convictions, but I think he demeans the meaning of freedom and patriotism when he uses it in this context.

This isn't a new tactic; political rhetoric has always had this character. But let's not use capital-F Freedom to in the trenches of the ongoing power struggle between businesses and their employees."

The editorial writer unlike those in my neck of the woods, at least uses his real name.  But he is mistaken when he assumes it is not a freedom issue, and "demean" in this context, is as meaningless as its descriptive.

The real news however, is the poll which appears subsequent to that editorial, might be used to persuade Allegan county commissioners that the county citizens do not want them to support a resolution of support.  

It's the oldest trick in the book.  You campaign as a populist, you tell the people its all about them and then as soon as they aren't looking you start funneling as many perks, favors and giant paydays as possible to your cronies, no matter how many Michigan jobs it'll kill.

This time last cycle it was House Bill 4044 among others, this year it's a package of bills, HB 4316-4318.  The numbers have changed but the legislation is the same.  

Democrat Representatives Dian Slavens, Deb Kennedy and Lisa Brown have each sponsored a portion and re-introduced the Michigan Trial Lawyer Enhancement Act.

By way of background...