Tag: bipartisanship

See, this week the President suggested that good teachers be rewarded with merit pay.  Perform well, produce results above and beyond by-the-book expectations in your classroom and you get a bonus.  And just because he's a nice, fair, equitable guy (allegedly) he won't even cut the salary of teachers who might be better served in another career field.

No downside.  All upside.  Free money for exceptional performers.  

Alas, the Michigan Education Association directly and publicly opposes President Obama, saying they aren't interested unless everyone gets free money.

And I don't know if you've noticed but there really isn't that much extra money floating around these days.  In fact, quite the opposite is true.  

According to the Detroit News, state revenues have plummeted since a series of disastrous tax hikes literally altered consumer behavior here in Michigan.  

Read on...

When the standard legislative work week begins tomorrow morning, some in the Michigan House of Representatives will be observing a solemn milestone.  March 10th will mark the 40th consecutive day without action in the Democratic chamber since an overwhelmingly bi-partisan majority of the Michigan State Senate (one-third of the Democrats joined every Republican) came together to approve a spending-free stimulus plan to return $1.235 billion to local businesses... Michigan companies creating Michigan jobs.

Senate Bill 1 repeals the hated, job-killing MBT surcharge, not only stimulating the economy with a massive infusion of desperately needed capital, but sends an even more desperately needed signal to the business community that Michigan is finally ready to make some tough decisions and to step out of the economic dark ages.

The Democrat controlled House and Speaker Andy Dillon specifically, haven't bothered to even give the bill a hearing on the House floor.

Now in the Bible, 40 days was enough to accomplish a lot.  Moses spent 40 days with God on a mountain after leading the people out of Egypt.  Once he ended his stay he carried down with him the Ten Commandments, the most influential legal "documents" in history.

Goliath taunted the army of Israel for 40 days before David went out and hit him with a rock, beginning the career and public life of ancient Israel's greatest king.

Jesus fasted for 40 days before being tempted by Satan and after those 40 days effectively told the Devil where he could go.

After being crucified and rising from the dead He even appeared on the earth for, you guessed it, 40 more days.  At the end of the 40 days, with everyone watching, He ascended into heaven.

Perhaps most famously, though, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights while Noah and his family waited in their giant boat.  40 days was all it took for one doozy of a celestial rain storm to destroy every other human being on the planet.  

Now we're not talking about the whole of humanity here... we're only talking about a thousand jobs here and another thousand there.  But the House has the opportunity to join their Democratic colleagues in the Senate to make a real, significant and powerful economic change in Michigan.  Thus far they've done nothing but sit by and watch the rain hit the window.

Forty days.   And the question isn't how soon will they give common sense, bipartisan legislation a hearing and a vote... it remains, how long will they continue to ignore the devastating economic reality gripping their own constituents?

The GOP House minority continues to sponsor and introduce legislation, to work behind the scenes and to try to figure out some sort of positive solution to this tax-hike / budget mess.

We rarely hear about that in the MSM.

Being a member of a legislative minority makes it tough to garner headlines. But they're working hard and they're trying to make a difference.

This week I spoke with Oakland County's freshman Representative Tom McMillin.

Interview after the break...

"The Michigan automotive supply sector is struggling because of the failed business policies of the state, and as a result, thousands of Michigan jobs are in danger," said state Republican Representative Kim Meltzer.  "More Michigan workers are employed in the supply industry than direct auto manufacturing, but many suppliers are on the verge of bankruptcy. Times are tough, and if we are to break out of this current economic slump, we have to eliminate such impediments to job expansion."

Meltzer, along with Democrat Rep. Mark Meadows and Republicans John Proos and Sen. Jason Allen, today introduced a bipartisan six-bill package to create accountability for the auto industry by:

• Eliminating permanent recording on tooling: Under the current acts, tool and die companies are required to permanently record on all of the tooling it designs.  

• Reducing the 90-day waiting period to 30 days: Current law requires companies to wait 90 days to issue a lien if payment has not been received.  A full three months is a long time for a tool and mold builder to bear the financing cost for a design, fabrication and manufacture of the tooling while the customer is allowed to continue using the tooling.

• Grant immediate possession and enforcement under general motion practice: The acts grant the lien holder the right to possession of tooling and to enforce their right to possession by any "available judicial procedure."

• Allow for the assessment of interest, damages and attorney fees: Tool and die companies are forced to spend thousands of dollars on attorney fees, court costs, etc. to enforce the lien under the acts.

• Includes language regarding the waiver of a mold builder's rights under the lien act and the application of the law of another state: Prevents any contract language that attempts to waive a mold builder's right under the lien act.

"This is a multi-billion dollar problem across the state," Meltzer said. "But it's also a fairness issue - businesses aren't living up to their contractual obligations and these poor business practices will force Michigan suppliers to close their doors."

On the other side of the Capitol, a big local event was added today to next week's schedule.

Read on...

The GOP House minority continues to sponsor and introduce legislation, to work behind the scenes and to try to figure out some sort of positive solution to this tax-hike / budget mess.

We rarely hear about that in the MSM.

Being a member of a legislative minority makes it tough to garner headlines. But they're working hard and they're trying to make a difference.

This week I spoke with Macomb County's freshman Representative Peter Lund.  I should note, this interview was conducted prior to yesterday's budget announcement.

Interview after the break...