MICHIGAN has become the sick man of the United States, with unemployment 50% higher than the national average, and dying industries that are begging the federal government for aid. The state's Democrats, who have controlled more and more of state government since the 2002 elections, have presided over some of the worst of it. They're now considering plans to place initiatives on the ballot in November 2010 with the aim of rescuing... well, it's not clear what they think they're rescuing. The plans, from the Detroit Free Press:
• Hiking the minimum wage to $10 an hour for all workers.
• Imposing a blanket moratorium on home foreclosures for 12 months.
• Cutting utility bills by 20% across the board.
• Requiring all employers to provide health care to employees and their dependents.
• Hiking by $100 a week—and extending for six months—unemployment benefits, while expanding eligibility.
Because California's ballot measures were so successful in turning things around. The genius pushing these ideas is Michigan Democratic party chairmen Mark Brewer:
All are intended to give voters the chance to circumvent uncooperative politicians in Lansing, Brewer said, and demonstrate that Democrats are "on the side of the people."One of those politicians, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, issued a statement Wednesday that was generally supportive of the idea.Granholm is "committed to job creation and protecting people during these challenging times -- and is pleased that the Democratic Party is considering proposals that do the same," the statement said.
Business leaders, however, said Brewer's ideas won't help job creation prospects. Piling new costs on employers while telling others, such as utilities and mortgage bankers, how much they can charge would be "the death knell for Michigan," said Michigan Chamber of Commerce Vice President Robert Labrant.
Utter Madness.
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