Last night, just before the close of a fine band concert, the band director told us all to write petitions to tell “Governor Snyder to stop stealing from our schools.” Besides being entirely inappropriate–is that how our school leaders teach their students to respect authority?–it was yet another example of adults in Michigan behaving like children.
I am sure that we can all find things to disagree with in the new governor’s budget proposal, but the fact is that we have to cut spending and/or raise taxes somewhere. Previous governors and legislators ignored the problem, spending money we didn’t have, and now that we finally have a leader who tells us that we must live within our means, all anyone can do is whine.
Besides the schools, seniors are refusing to pay any state income tax on their pensions. They don’t care that a single parent juggling three jobs must pay income tax; they say that if we make them pay one dime they’ll just move to Florida. The paper interviewed one whiny senior from a casino. They were sitting in a casino as they complained about how they just didn’t know how they would get by if they had to pay any tax at all. So the governor compromised, and now they won’t have to. Fine. Just don’t tell us how much you love your children and grandchildren. Remember that soon enough your health will be in their hands. This is not exactly the group you want to tick off.
Yesterday a group announced a petition drive to recall the governor. I guess it’s true that we get the government we deserve. It’s just a shame that when we finally find leaders who treat us like grown-ups, many people insist on behaving like children.
Mike Wittmer 
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