STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARC CORRIVEAU (D-NORTHVILLE)

 Every now and again I come across a lawmaker's  record and I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  Marc Corriveau is a perfect example.  

God bless him, he's co-sponsored some really entertaining legislation and he's had moments at the state Capitol that make even casual observers scratch their heads in utter bewilderedment. Sometimes you just can't help but smile.

But as soon as you let your guard down, ka-pow, he punches you right in the forehead with a bill or two that attempt to cripple job makers, schools or families, punctuated by a vote to raise the income tax by nearly $800 million a year.

But the physical aspect of the assault is OK, really, because when you look at some of these votes your first reaction could very well be to pound your head against the wall to try to make the pain go away.

The freshman Representative's record is a litany of job killing decisions punctuated by moments of sheer lunacy.  Sadly, the light moments are drowned by the devastation of the bad.  

After sweeping into office last November with a 910 vote mandate (one of the closest elections in the State) Corriveau went right to work driving jobs out of Michigan.  His first major package of legislation was House Bills 4044 and 4045, the Trial Lawyer Enhancement Act complete with retroactive enforcement. The bills put 540 Michigan companies and 30,000 jobs at risk but hey, it tossed a giant bone to the Democrat special interests.

Probably didn't hurt that Corriveau is a lawyer by trade, either.

Scratching our own backs, are we?

But just as you're recovering from that body blow to the economy, fighting back the tears, you can't help but shed a few when you start laughing at the next portion of his legislative record. While the state struggled through a $1.7 billion budget deficit with tens of thousands of jobs running for the Indiana border and a steadily rising, nation's worst unemployment rate Marc Corriveau co-sponsored each of the following bills:

HB 4304 -- A bill prohibiting drivers from changing lanes while in an intersection.

HB 4534 -- A bill creating "Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day."

HB 5000 -- A bill permitting dogs in outdoor cafes.

HB 5148 -- A bill requiring individual beverage containers to contain bar codes (UPCs).

And that's just to name a few.  He's worried about UPC codes? About dogs in outdoor cafes? About special motorcycle days? What about the budget deficit? What about creating jobs?  What about making some real reforms to government to get us on solid ground for the future?

Puppy dogs?  Hilarious if the mess in this state since Jennifer Granholm took office wasn't so severe.

Sadly, that's the end of the levity when it comes to Marc Corriveau.  

He'd already struck a blow for his pals, the trial lawyers.  Two major Democrat special interests left to protect.  Next on his list was the labor movement.

In late August the Representative attempted to scuttle Michigan's joint Presidential primary. Conventional wisdom held that John Edwards, labor's candidate and favorite son, was best served by a Democrat caucus system controlled by Big Labor.  Consider their backs scratched.

And that just left the teachers union.  In the dead of night on a weekend several weeks ago Corriveau cast several votes that will define his term in the Michigan House of Representatives.  In one fail swoop he voted to steal nearly $800 million from Michigan taxpayers (HB 5194) and to give the MEA $400 million a year for zero return (SB 418), opposing MESSA reform that aimed to send that money back to individual school districts.

Corriveau didn't just vote to defend the status quo, he voted to make you pay for it.  Literally.

Marc Corriveau's website describes him as "Dedicated to Michigan families and Michigan jobs."  His voting record proves that he's dedicated to the Democrat special interest family and saving his own job even if it costs you yours.  With only 910 votes making the difference in a Wayne County seat there's a real opportunity this coming year to make sure he loses it.