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Readers react to long snow vacation of Legislature
probo24 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 1:21 PM:
" Do as we dictate you to do, not as we do ourselves.
Not many of us vote our own raises either,
or any number of other things the government gives, or does for itself and not the rest of us.
Why do you think it's so hard for them to come up with a way to fix our healthcare system. Theirs works fine so whats the problem? "
waterfordmike wrote on Feb 3, 2011 1:31 PM:
" another reason for a part time legislature. "
Red wrote on Feb 3, 2011 2:00 PM:
" What is the matter with all of you people ? There are some people out here in the real worldthat do not let a little thing like the weather stop them from going in to work .Even the grocery stores were open as wellas the gas stations throughout the state. It is my opinion that POLITICIANS ARE WAY OVER PAID FOR WHAT THEY DO. "
oakpress1 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 3:00 PM:
" This is a stupid article. All the problems that this state is facing and people are quibbling over 2 lousy snow days. Let's focus on things that really matter. We have a $1.8 deficit. I imagine there will be many long days and nights to resolve that mess. "
davemich3344 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 4:46 PM:
" To oakpress1,
You really miss the main point. Michigan legislators are a HUGE cost to our state.
Do you realize they get lifetime healthcare after ONE term in office? Do you understand the cost of their fat pensions?
Michigan has a very large legislature given the size and problems of our state. It should be smaller, it should have benefits EQUIVALENT to the private sector.
I know several people who have run for office, ONLY becuase of the lifetime healtchare.
This is a gravy train, and contributes to the 1.8B$ deficit! It is big govenment at it worst. No efficiency, no performance culture, only big fat benefits, milk the system, add a couple more snow days, etc etc.
This INDEED is a good article because it highlights the gross excess our the Michigan legislature and cadillac benefits they consume. "
SpeaksDaFacts wrote on Feb 3, 2011 5:03 PM:
" Wow, when your very own trusted elected officials cannot drive in a 6 inch storm THE DAY AFTER IT STORMS, then you need to ponder....
AND WE TRUST THESE FOLKS?
Yipes! "
Jim wrote on Feb 3, 2011 5:06 PM:
" Dave, you're mistaken about the lifetime health care benefits. State legislators receive them after five years of service, not one term. Which means a state senator would have to be in his second term and a state rep would have to be in his third to receive lifetime benefits.
I do agree with you that we need to get rid of the lifetime benefits, though. Nobody ever leaves Michigan's Legislature on food stamps.
The two snow days are more evidence that our lawmakers think they're better than everyone else. Most government services, including non-essential services, were open these past two days. They shouldn't be any different. "
davemich3344 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 5:08 PM:
" Does everyone realize there are 148 legislators. Each has a staff?!
They get 90% of their cadillac healthcare paid by the taxpayers (i.e. Michigan residents) for LIFE.
Where in Private Sector can you find this benefits after a mere 6 years of work?
Nowhere! Can you say GRAVY TRAIN?! "
resident11 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 6:25 PM:
" With the financial condition they have put this state in, they are taking days off with pay! They all need to be replaced!
CAN YOU SAY TERM LIMITS? "
Patriot Games wrote on Feb 3, 2011 6:45 PM:
" The less time the legislature is in session the better! I'll gladly pay them to stay home every day, at least when they're at home they aren't doing it to taxpayers!!! "
aug181947 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 6:47 PM:
" Why would you want these folks, who work many long days, sometimes well into the evenings, and often connect with their constituents on the week-ends, to risk life and limb to drive through a blizzard to Lansing? There are no weeks which are only 40 hours long for our legislators. Give it a break! "
tylerdurden wrote on Feb 3, 2011 10:54 PM:
" its not just the snow days that are the problem.. do u realize they arent in session on mondays and fridays all the time? not to mention they take nearly the whole month of december off for the holidays.. kinda scary these are the "standard bearers" of our once great state. "
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earthly wrote on Feb 4, 2011 8:21 AM:
" If the mushroom workers have to work in Oklahoma, with 20 plus inches of snow, so should the state legislators in Michigan with 5.5 inches of snow. "
Report Abuse
Jason wrote on Feb 4, 2011 8:35 AM:
" The point is that there was no justifiable reason for them not to be in session on Thursday. When hasn't the 'media' hyped up a story? Even if it was the blizzard of the century they shouldn't have closed the offices on Tuesday. That call should have been made late on Wednesday. You will also notice that they aren't looking to make up the sessions on an upcoming Monday or Friday... To me it shows the overall lack of committment to the residents of this state. It is well past the time when our elected officials look internally to make cuts to balance budgets. This is supposed to be a sovereign nation yet the people no longer rule. Time to take back some of the control from the state and nation capitals. "
shahall wrote on Feb 4, 2011 9:31 AM:
" Does it really matter what the taxpayers think? They will do what they want anyway. Most politicians are nothing more than legalized crooks. "
aw geez wrote on Feb 4, 2011 9:33 AM:
" To Aug181947,
I would not be objecting to their 2 snow days if there would have been a state of emergency called for the state. But since the state doesn't care enough about me or anybody else I know who also had to go out and work those 2 days they too should have gone to work. I work many 12-14 hour days without a lunch break because this state doesn't have any laws pertaining to the working adult. I have no health care because I cannot afford it and I've had bi-lateral THR. So should they have worked "You Bet ya" "
Anonymus11 wrote on Feb 4, 2011 1:14 PM:
" No I do not think they should get 2 snow days. I work in the healthcare field and We DO NOT EVER get snow days. So what make them so different? Just my opinion. "
" Do as we dictate you to do, not as we do ourselves.
Not many of us vote our own raises either,
or any number of other things the government gives, or does for itself and not the rest of us.
Why do you think it's so hard for them to come up with a way to fix our healthcare system. Theirs works fine so whats the problem? "
waterfordmike wrote on Feb 3, 2011 1:31 PM:
" another reason for a part time legislature. "
Red wrote on Feb 3, 2011 2:00 PM:
" What is the matter with all of you people ? There are some people out here in the real worldthat do not let a little thing like the weather stop them from going in to work .Even the grocery stores were open as wellas the gas stations throughout the state. It is my opinion that POLITICIANS ARE WAY OVER PAID FOR WHAT THEY DO. "
oakpress1 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 3:00 PM:
" This is a stupid article. All the problems that this state is facing and people are quibbling over 2 lousy snow days. Let's focus on things that really matter. We have a $1.8 deficit. I imagine there will be many long days and nights to resolve that mess. "
davemich3344 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 4:46 PM:
" To oakpress1,
You really miss the main point. Michigan legislators are a HUGE cost to our state.
Do you realize they get lifetime healthcare after ONE term in office? Do you understand the cost of their fat pensions?
Michigan has a very large legislature given the size and problems of our state. It should be smaller, it should have benefits EQUIVALENT to the private sector.
I know several people who have run for office, ONLY becuase of the lifetime healtchare.
This is a gravy train, and contributes to the 1.8B$ deficit! It is big govenment at it worst. No efficiency, no performance culture, only big fat benefits, milk the system, add a couple more snow days, etc etc.
This INDEED is a good article because it highlights the gross excess our the Michigan legislature and cadillac benefits they consume. "
SpeaksDaFacts wrote on Feb 3, 2011 5:03 PM:
" Wow, when your very own trusted elected officials cannot drive in a 6 inch storm THE DAY AFTER IT STORMS, then you need to ponder....
AND WE TRUST THESE FOLKS?
Yipes! "
Jim wrote on Feb 3, 2011 5:06 PM:
" Dave, you're mistaken about the lifetime health care benefits. State legislators receive them after five years of service, not one term. Which means a state senator would have to be in his second term and a state rep would have to be in his third to receive lifetime benefits.
I do agree with you that we need to get rid of the lifetime benefits, though. Nobody ever leaves Michigan's Legislature on food stamps.
The two snow days are more evidence that our lawmakers think they're better than everyone else. Most government services, including non-essential services, were open these past two days. They shouldn't be any different. "
davemich3344 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 5:08 PM:
" Does everyone realize there are 148 legislators. Each has a staff?!
They get 90% of their cadillac healthcare paid by the taxpayers (i.e. Michigan residents) for LIFE.
Where in Private Sector can you find this benefits after a mere 6 years of work?
Nowhere! Can you say GRAVY TRAIN?! "
resident11 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 6:25 PM:
" With the financial condition they have put this state in, they are taking days off with pay! They all need to be replaced!
CAN YOU SAY TERM LIMITS? "
Patriot Games wrote on Feb 3, 2011 6:45 PM:
" The less time the legislature is in session the better! I'll gladly pay them to stay home every day, at least when they're at home they aren't doing it to taxpayers!!! "
aug181947 wrote on Feb 3, 2011 6:47 PM:
" Why would you want these folks, who work many long days, sometimes well into the evenings, and often connect with their constituents on the week-ends, to risk life and limb to drive through a blizzard to Lansing? There are no weeks which are only 40 hours long for our legislators. Give it a break! "
tylerdurden wrote on Feb 3, 2011 10:54 PM:
" its not just the snow days that are the problem.. do u realize they arent in session on mondays and fridays all the time? not to mention they take nearly the whole month of december off for the holidays.. kinda scary these are the "standard bearers" of our once great state. "
Report Abuse
earthly wrote on Feb 4, 2011 8:21 AM:
" If the mushroom workers have to work in Oklahoma, with 20 plus inches of snow, so should the state legislators in Michigan with 5.5 inches of snow. "
Report Abuse
Jason wrote on Feb 4, 2011 8:35 AM:
" The point is that there was no justifiable reason for them not to be in session on Thursday. When hasn't the 'media' hyped up a story? Even if it was the blizzard of the century they shouldn't have closed the offices on Tuesday. That call should have been made late on Wednesday. You will also notice that they aren't looking to make up the sessions on an upcoming Monday or Friday... To me it shows the overall lack of committment to the residents of this state. It is well past the time when our elected officials look internally to make cuts to balance budgets. This is supposed to be a sovereign nation yet the people no longer rule. Time to take back some of the control from the state and nation capitals. "
shahall wrote on Feb 4, 2011 9:31 AM:
" Does it really matter what the taxpayers think? They will do what they want anyway. Most politicians are nothing more than legalized crooks. "
aw geez wrote on Feb 4, 2011 9:33 AM:
" To Aug181947,
I would not be objecting to their 2 snow days if there would have been a state of emergency called for the state. But since the state doesn't care enough about me or anybody else I know who also had to go out and work those 2 days they too should have gone to work. I work many 12-14 hour days without a lunch break because this state doesn't have any laws pertaining to the working adult. I have no health care because I cannot afford it and I've had bi-lateral THR. So should they have worked "You Bet ya" "
Anonymus11 wrote on Feb 4, 2011 1:14 PM:
" No I do not think they should get 2 snow days. I work in the healthcare field and We DO NOT EVER get snow days. So what make them so different? Just my opinion. "
posted by Roger Wingelaar at
11:46 AM
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