There was a story which a friend of mine passed along to me several years ago regarding early American History, specifically relating to government spending, which I immediately enjoyed and still remember to this day.

It focused on a conversation between one Davy Crockett and a constituent by the name of Horatio Bunce, regarding an appropriations bill in the US House of Representatives. Mr. Bunce took issue with not only the speed the appropriation was made, but why it was even made in the first place. During their conversation, he also drove that point solidly home by reminding the then campaigning Rep. Crockett:

“The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution.”

Let’s just say that Rep. Crockett had an interesting response to that situation to say the least (along with how it guided his future decisions).
So, what does a discussion nearly two centuries ago have to do with Michigan Politics today?

{Press that button below to find out.}

About two weeks ago, the Michigan Senate passed an appropriations bill, SB-151, which was to have primarily dealt with Huwan Virus response measures.

It was also crammed to the gills with plenty of Grade A government pork to buy votes help ensure its passage (Go to Page 11, under Section 559).

Someone in the Michigan Legislature felt that items like Pure Michigan, The Detroit Auto Show (North American Auto Show), the replacement of an existing elevator at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Sterling Heights Greenspace Initiative, Chaldean Community Foundation, Detroit PBS (WTVS), The Detroit Zoo and Oakland County Better with Breakfast were authorized state government expenditures.

And, get those all-important votes it did…all too well. Only six Republicans in the Michigan House and two Republicans in the Michigan Senate had the integrity to vote “No” on this. To paraphrase from Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky from last week, the rest of the Caucus in both chambers just mashed that spend button (hard).

Just in case anyone is interested those two Senators were Sen. Jon Bumstead & Sen. Aric Nesbitt. The Representatives were Rep. Thomas Albert, Rep. James Lower, Rep. Aaron Miller, Rep. Brad Paquette, Rep. John Reilly & Rep. Steven Johnson.

By now you’re probably asking, “Okay, KG, this is all ancient history (politically speaking). What does this have to do with today.”

Well, here it is.

Monday afternoon, that bill went onto Gov. Whitmer’s desk for her signature. She subsequently took out her line item veto pen and slashed around $80-million from a $150-million appropriations bill. INCLUDING ALL OF THE PORK!

The details can be read here.

And more here.

Did the Governor have a last-minute philosophical conversion and became more of a fiscal hawk than the majority of the Michigan GOP?

Wishful thinking…but no.

My sources are telling me that the early numbers from shutting down Michigan’s Economy are bad.

Really, really, really bad!

They’re bad from a revenue end, because they cannot even begin to give a good starting point for how much money Michigan will lose this year. Will the Michigan Legislature extend the governor’s “emergency powers”, or will they try to right Michigan’s economy after the 28-days are up. That along with other variables could push the final cost potentially into the billions.

Yes, that’s right, billions with an “s” at the end!

Don’t even begin to ask about the FY ’20 – ‘21 numbers yet.

On the expenditure end, well, that’s still a huge question mark.

UI, will take a sizeable chunk out of the state budget. Pray that the computers don’t screw up again and start charging more people with fraud. Katie, bar the door when that happens..because when all of those people who are unemployed due to an executive order signed by Gov. Whitmer start getting legal notices…watch out!

Then you have medical supplies/other costs related to addressing the Huwan situation. Not counting the ones that Dr. Khaldun “lost”. You’ve got a lot of red ink on that spreadsheet.

In the end, it may have not have been for the right reasons, but it was still the right thing to do. Not only was there no authority to be found in the Michigan Constitution, but those are all items that should’ve been paid for via the local units of government.

With Michigan’s economy about to go tango uniform, don’t be too surprised when you see a lot more cutbacks coming down the pike.

“Fixing the Damned Roads” won’t be on the radar, nor will a number of programs the democrats hold near and dear in the coming months.

Everyone, it won’t be pretty.

Stay tuned…