Governments at every level are out of control!
The citizens of Michigan elect their representatives to the purpose of providing for a civil and safe society, to protect individual rights and property and to conduct the "legitimate affairs" of state government. The Michigan legislature has unfortunately become a tool by which the state continues to take more power and authority than reasonable citizens would otherwise grant to it.
The citizens of Michigan DO NOT elect their representatives to the purpose of economically raping the citizens and businesses who pay for government salaries and benefits! The citizens of Michigan DO NOT exist to be servants of the state! The citizens of Michigan DO NOT desire for the state to redistribute incomes for social and political purposes!
State government created the current budget crisis and much of the current economic mess by its "tax & spend" practices. The simple truth is that most of those in state government today are not capable of making the tough decisions that were pre-ordained by the wasteful acts of their predecessors.
State government must stop taking money from productive businesses and citizens for redistribution to projects, programs, people and special interests.
The answer to our current circumstances is not more taxes of any kind. THE ANSWER IS FOR STATE GOVERNMENT TO DRAMATICALLY CUT SPENDING AND THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY!
During a previous budget crisis, the governor and the legislature told citizens that all possible cuts had been made. THEY LIED.....AND THEY CONTINUE TO LIE!
The MEDC is a great example. An opportunity to save over $31 Million, the legislature can show Michigan businesses and citizens some respect and responsibility....KILL THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION! The MEDC has been an abject failure, a con and an insult to every taxpayer in this state.
During the last budget crisis, Senator Deb Cherry proposed a $4,000 per student college scholarship that was passed and added millions of dollars to that budget. Legislators are now squealing at the thought of eliminating that so-called "scholarship". No justification whatsoever can be provided for the "taking" of money from Michigan families to continue supporting such a program!
The benefits of individual liberty and personal property are falling beneath the steamroller of out-of-control government at an increasing rate.
There are a growing number of us who are fed-up with poor and self-serving performance by government employees at every level. I would hope, most likely in vain, that our representatives in Lansing will wake up to reality, cast off their notions of altruism, egalitarianism and relativism and return to the concept of limited government....of, by and for the people.
Americans have proven throughout the history of the United States that they, of their own accord, are the most generous people in the world. The continually escalating and forceful "takings" by Lansing and Washington tell us that our legislators believe otherwise….and they continue to systematically destroy the most independent and wealthy society in the history of the world.
I suggest that the entire legislature read the portion of the Declaration of Independence that presented the grievances of the colonies to the king of England. It is instructional to note the number of those issues that apply to our out-of-control state and federal governments today.