Yesterday was Michigan's birthday.

Our state has undergone a great deal of change over the last 175 years, and today can serve well as a history lesson for the country and itself.   Especially given the recent discussion with regard to government owned bridges, light rail, and other stimulus & economic development efforts funded with tax dollars, we should certainly note that some things never change.

By golly, standing up for something like Right-To-Work when there is an opportunity like no other is a pretty clear message with whom he might side.  Contrast that to the moderate occupying the executive branch in our state, and we find that Michigan is indeed dark to the light in a state southern to us.  Contrast it to the pandering to the left of some congressmen who represent Michigan, to others who understand the limitations placed on government, as their The edges are defined, and it appears there is no question if conservatives have a friend in Lansing, or Washington, or not.

Add to this, Mr Daniels was selected as the standard for rebuttal of the President's SOTU speech the other night, and even with a dry presentation it cut some clear lines of delineation between those of us on the right, and the left so often emulated by moderates. When Daniels answered Obama:"

"In word and deed, the President and his allies tell us that we just cannot handle ourselves in this complex, perilous world without their benevolent protection. Left to ourselves, we might pick the wrong health insurance, the wrong mortgage, the wrong school for our kids; why, unless they stop us, we might pick the wrong light bulb!

A second view, which I admit some Republicans also seem to hold, is that we Americans are no longer up to the job of self-government. We can't do the simple math that proves the unaffordability of today's safety net programs, or all the government we now have. We will fall for the con job that says we can just plow ahead and someone else will pick up the tab. We will allow ourselves to be pitted one against the other, blaming our neighbor for troubles worldwide trends or our own government has caused."

In fact, looking at the health care exchange, and light bulbs, we can see that the second view has been alive and well in Michigan and those charged to represent us.

I hope the Republican establishment view that capitulating to the left's desires brings us together somehow, can be replaced by the solid philosophical grounding that conservatism brings.  Sometimes one has to be strong.  Rather than emulate even the most modest of progressive ideals which are nearly always counter productive, perhaps our Republican leaders in Michigan can learn a little from this perceived establishment governor, from a state with people so much like our own.  Conservative messages well delivered will win. Solutions are at hand. We just need to use them.

In Indiana, the passage of Right-To-Work is a message sent.  In Michigan, its passage would show it to be a message well received.

Choice is good.  Imagine the possibilities.  Better control of your child's education, maximizing their potential by matching them with whatever works best.

SB619 will open the door to more possibilities to those on waiting lists.

Thanks to Sens. David Robertson, James Marleau, David Hildenbrand, Howard Walker, Patrick Colbeck, Michael Kowall, Michael Green, Rick Jones, Joseph Hune, Tory Rocca, Tupac Hunter for cosponsoring.

The prevaricator in chief's SOTU pandering last night marked 1000 days since Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin helped the US Senate pass a budget.  1000 days since considerations for the limited resources that government is supposed to operate under have been made. Debbie Stabenow, and Carl Levin, fully 5% or one twentieth of the problem that is Democrats controlling the US senate, have made no attempts to demonstrate the leadership necessary for good government.

I'll give Michigan's two US senators some credit.  They certainly cannot be blind to the fact that failure to pass a 'limiting' budget means escalating debt and loss of control with federal spending.  They could not be THAT inane. However, even Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow know the government under a bureaucracy growing president like Obama cannot operate within a budget. Its why they don't bother.

Several questions were asked, but one that stood out as an interesting contrast point, was the question on the 17th amendment.  Most readers understand the 17th amendment was the point which state's rights were severely hobbled.  I have supported the repeal of the 17th amendment since learning the reasons for which the founders had purposefully avoided it.  Of course I was never exposed to such radical ideas in public school, so it was full blown adulthood, and fighting off the years of indoctrination which provided a sense of truth how this country was meant to be.

The Mi4CS (Michigan 4 Conservative Senate) vetting questionnaire asked:

"Do you believe the Framers were in error in providing for the election of Senators by the State Legislatures and if so do you believe the 17th Amendment, (ratified during the Wilson administration), is the proper solution. Would you introduce/support a repeal of the 17th Amendment?"

The 5 participating candidates had an interesting array of answers. While I would vote for ANY of these distinguished gentlemen over the meat puppet Debbie Stabenow, I was not enthusiastic about a couple of views.  I WAS intrigued by the thought process which went into each however.  Well done.