Spare Us the Platitudes, Snyder

Rick Snyder, who skated through a primary and general election campaign without ever having to say anything specific, is still spouting generalities and getting away with it.

Last week, he told business interests that the $1.8 billion tax cut he is giving them, paid for by senior citizens and poor people, is not about politics. "It's about doing the right thing," he said.

Spare us the platitudes, buddy. You are not the sole determiner of right and wrong for the entire state. Something isn't automatically "right" just because it's your policy.

Is it "right" to unilaterally break contracts between working people and local governments entered into freely by both sides, just because you want to? Why isn't the "right thing to do" to show working people some respect and renegotiate those contracts?

Is it "right" to rob $500 million from the school aid fund in order to force hundreds of school districts into such dire budgetary crises that they need to be taken over by someone you appoint?

Is it "right" to take away Michigan citizens' right to vote for local elected officials, virtually on a whim, so that you can rip up contracts you don't like?

Is it "right" to deny the unemployed in Michigan the same 26 weeks of unemployment benefits that other states give, when those extra six weeks contribute nothing to the state's budget problems yet pump millions into our state economy, helping keep families -- and local businesses -- afloat?

Is it "right" to tell teachers who were encouraged to take early retirement last year in order to save local districts money that, oh, yeah, now we're going to tax that pension we pushed you into taking early?

Is it "right" that most businesses in Michigan will pay no taxes on their profits -- ever -- no matter how many services they demand from our state government in the form of educated workers, public safety, and transportation?

Is it "right" to kill a new industry -- the film industry -- that is providing millions in new investment and thousands of new jobs, just because your predecessor started it?

None of these things is "right" just because you proposed them. But since you can't find any statistics to justify your policies, you played the platitude card. Better go back to the drawing board because the people aren't buying it.