Michigan Madness

That's the title of Michael Barone's piece on the political antics in his home state:

Things are pretty bad in my native state of Michigan, which has the nation’s highest unemployment rate and is the headquarters of government- and union-owned General Motors and Chrysler. Conditions are so bad that they seen to have sent some Michiganians (we used to say Michiganders when I was growing up) over the bend.

Case in point: Democratic State Chairman Mark Brewer. Ordinarily a pretty savvy political operator, Brewer is now suggesting five ballot propositions for the 2010 ballot. Their aim apparently is to improve the lot of Michigan citizens. But the result, as anyone with an iota of sense can see, would be to inflict horrifying damage on an already staggering state economy. They include:

● Mandating all employers to provide affordable health care for all their employees and dependents or pay a penalty.

● Raising the minimum wage from $7.40 per hour to $10 per hour and covering all workers with no exceptions.

● Increasing unemployment benefits by $100 a week, making all workers eligible and adding six months to the time one can receive benefits.

●Cutting utility rates by 20%.

● Imposing a one-year moratorium on home foreclosures.

Some of these, I suppose, are arguable, depending on the dollar amounts—the employer health insurance mandate and increasing unemployment benefits. But overall this is a program to pillage the private sector and drive it out of Michigan. The spokesman of Governor Jennifer Granholm, a term-limited Democrat, issued a statement saying the governor “is committed to job creation . . . and is pleased that the Michigan Democratic party is considering proposals to do the same.”

The state’s motto is “If you seek a beautiful peninsula, look about you.” Mackinac Center analyst Ken Braun said if Brewer’s proposals were adopted the motto would have to be changed to “If you seek a beautiful peninsula, drive to Florida.”

When I drove to the airport in Detroit during a Monday morning rush hour a couple of weeks ago I was shocked at how little traffic there was. If these initiatives are passed, they'll be able to close the freeways completely. Nobody will need to use them.