Get The Facts From A State Worker

This is an excellent comment on the DetNews forum, by someone calling him/herself “state worker“:

After reading the comments here, I have been compelled to respond. There are certain facts that can not be denied and these facts have appeared in this very newspaper and others across our state, but many people seem to not be taking them into account.

Fact: When Granholm took office, the unemployment rate in MI was 6.7% which was at the National Average. Today it is 7.1%. 0.4% is not a dramatic increase. Over 160,000 jobs were lost while Engler was still in office.

Fact: The state’s economy was starting to take a downward turn during the end of Engler’s administration. In fact, the state had a $300 million surplus and Engler and the Republican legislature thought it would be an excellent idea to drain it before he left office and they did.

Fact: Democratic governor + Republican legislature = Not much getting done. The partisanship that is going on in the Capitol is ridiculous. Not since G. Mennen Williams’ time as governor has there been more disdain from the legislature for the governor. She can’t get much done, when they won’t move the legislation out of committee. Bills have to be passed by the legislature so that the governor can sign them into law. That’s Government 101. She can’t legislate via Executive Order.

Fact: DeVos did contribute alot of money to the city of Grand Rapids and things are thriving there. He can’t contribute to the state out of his own pockets and Michigan has a balanced budget amendment. By law, our state budget must be balanced.

Fact: DeVos said if you want access to healthcare, get a job. There are tens of thousands of people who are working, but have no insurance.

Fact: No one could have predicted that the auto industry was going to tank the way that they did. Michigan has relied on GM/Ford/Chrysler for over 100 years. Families encouraged their children to skip college so that they could work in the plants instead and live middle class lives. Michigan has chosen to live and die by the auto industry.

Fact: A governor alone can’t stimulate an economy. Again, bi-partisan legislation has to be passed, so that the appropriate tax breaks/incentives and revenue generating resources can be obtained.

A businessman can run a company, but how does that translate into state government? 500 police officers on the streets by the end of 2007 he says. How will he pay for them? Michigan can’t spend money it doens’t have. What will be cut? His wife said that Michigan’s economic woes are because Michigan workers are overpaid. Will state services be slashed to match this line of thinking and to pay for his grand ideas? How many of you think you’re overpaid? He says that he won’t take the governor’s salary which is $172,000. If I were a billionaire, I wouldn’t need the extra $172,000 either. If someone is willing to work for free, you have to ask how good of a job will they do and what price will we pay?

State Worker, Lansing, MI