Title:
Engler’s Favoritism Plan Wrong For Michigan Workers
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
1/24/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
01/24/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375
In his final State of the State address, Governor John Engler has shown his true colors. He and the Republican Party want to sell out the hard working families of this state to the highest bidder.
In his speech to the joint session of the State Legislature, Governor Engler explained how he wants to extend ‘special favors’ to the fuel cell research and development industry. These favors will range from tax breaks, state assistance for worker training, and economic development grants costing the people of this state millions of dollars.
According to the Libertarian Party of Michigan Chairman, Ghazey Aleck, “these favors it will be paid for on the backs of the regular working person and give no regard to business proprietors already employing millions of Michigan’s citizens right now.”
With Michigan unemployment now hovering around 6%, Mr. Engler should be looking at the overall job market in Michigan. Lowering overly burdensome taxes and restrictive laws on businesses should be the focus of our elected leadership.
Mr. Aleck said, “Many businesses and industries have already invested in Michigan by building and employing millions of Michigan’s citizens. They are the ones employing the other 94% of the workforce and they are the ones that should get the consideration. As a state, we should create an environment where all businesses prosper, not just one industry that some politician is trying to lure here.”
Mr. Aleck continued by saying, “It seems John Engler and the Republican party want to create an environment where they can sell out to the highest bidder. This is a dangerous practice. One only needs to look at the current Enron controversy to see how such favoritism can hurt the regular working person.”
It appears that the corporate leadership of Enron bought ‘special favors’ from both the Republican and the Democratic Parties. They gave campaign contributions that ran into the tens of millions of dollars to members of both political parties for ‘special favors’. What happened was nothing more than legalized bribery.
All the while Enron apparently turned their backs on the hardworking families they employed. Many of whom lost their entire life savings in the collapse.
Michigan deserves better. Instead of getting into a bidding war with states like New York and California, we must make a better business environment for all Michigan businesses, not sell out to the highest bidder for so called ‘special favors’. The regular working person deserves to prosper by a more expansive plan for economic development, not one based on favoritism.
