Buy American?

The recent turn of events in our nation's automotive industry has prompted many citizens to rethink what nameplate they'll purchase the next time they're in-market for a new vehicle. Chrysler and General Motors may soon shed what little brand loyalty remained prior to unprecedented government interference.
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High Tide

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports that Great Lakes water levels are up from this time a year ago. Lakes Michigan and Huron are up 12 inches, Lake Superior two inches and Lake Erie five inches while Lake Ontario is unchanged. Even Lake St. Clair is up nine inches. Erie and Ontario (and St. Clair) are between two and six inches above long-term monthly averages for June. Superior, Michigan and Huron are only 6 to 7 inches below long-term averages for June. While this change in the water levels is pronounced, it is not unusual. The Great Lakes have a history of considerable fluctuation in water levels.
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Right-to-Work Dashboard

This comparison of economic data shows how states with right-to-work laws are outperforming Michigan in several ways.
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Reading List

The media drumbeat of the declining fortunes of the Republican Party stands in contrast to the recent rise of a different sort of party — the citizen-led TEA parties that stand for Taxed Enough Already.
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Keep Private Enterprise Private

Many economists have long criticized government "economic development" programs — including selective business subsidies and tax incentives — as being wasteful and ineffective at "creating" new jobs.
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A First Step

A package of bills for reforming failing schools that was recently introduced by Rep. Timothy Melton, D-West Bloomfield, calls to mind two old sayings, both involving travel and — coincidentally — China. The first is an ancient one attributed to Lao Tzu: "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." The second, of more recent origin, is to the effect that only Nixon can go there.
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The Eternal Struggle

One might expect that a union would be a model employer: progressive in policy, generous in pay and benefits, sharing a commitment to the well-being of working folk and inspiring complete loyalty from employees. In short, one would think that if there was a workplace where workers would not see a need to unionize, it would be at a union.

And one would be wrong.
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Introducing the 2010 Chrysler Backfire

The restructuring of Chrysler is likely to fail because it does not address two of the company's shortcomings. First, Chrysler LLC has a surplus of labor and a shortage of customers. Second, Chrysler will need new investment. The Obama administration's bailout terms are vague as to how the company will develop marketable cars, and border on vicious in the treatment of investors, but bend over backwards to protect the interests of labor — which gets the Chrysler hierarchy of needs in reverse.
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Eight Is Not Enough

On June 8, 2009, Jack McHugh, senior legislative analyst for the Mackinac Center, was a guest on "The Frank Beckmann Show" on WJR AM760. McHugh discussed his newly released study in which he details eight budget reforms on which Center scholars and Gov. Jennifer Granholm agree. While the savings from the reforms would be minimal — about $100 million — McHugh questions why the Legislature has not embraced such "low-hanging fruit," and that if legislators cannot adopt ideas already embraced by the governor and Center, how will they handle much harder budget cuts ahead. The interview is 6 minutes and 57 seconds.
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Which Way Is Up?

About this audio: On May 22, 2009, David L. Littmann, senior economist for the Mackinac Center, was a guest on “The Greg Marshall Show” on WMKT in Traverse City. Littmann discussed his prediction that unemployment in Michigan could reach 20 percent by the end of the year. He also discussed Michigan’s outbound migration, the need for a right-to-work law and why Michigan should have a part-time Legislature. The interview is 21 minutes and 6 seconds.
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Regulatory Revolution

Nothing short of a regulatory revolution is needed if there is any chance of Michigan climbing out of its current economic depression. Leadership from both the private sector and government has been conspicuously absent for the last several years, and with two of the Big Three automakers in bankruptcy and unemployment hovering around 13 percent, our state's economy is in a meltdown. There is still reason to harbor some optimism, however, for Michigan's future.
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MEDC Failure

The Michigan Economic Development Corp. was created in 1999 and charged with "providing services to create and retain good jobs and a high quality of life." The program has been a patent failure and 2009 should be the year that it is eliminated.
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Don't "Fix" State Budget With Graduated Income Tax

Recall 2007? The Michigan Legislature had appropriated more spending than tax revenues could accommodate, and it wanted to do the same in 2008. Legislators dithered all year in denial and in a GM-like failure to undertake transformational reforms. In a sloppy finish, they imposed $1.4 billion in business and personal income tax increases, notwithstanding what was then "just" a one-state recession.
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