RTW4L - Who Does Your Legislator Represent?

This post has been brewing for a couple of days.  It's kind of a tale of woe and one that makes me think - I need to put my legislators office tele number on speed dial for the upcoming session (he's an ALEC wannabe).

First, I heard the amazing Tony Trupiano from MI on a repeat of the Ed Show this week and he was talking about what happened in MI earlier this month.  During that interview which was done while Trupiano was at the MI capitol with the protestors – Trupiano mentioned some statistics from MI that I found intriguing, noting that the statistics came from a very reputable firm..

Company - About Us

Our Company

EPIC·MRA is a highly-regarded and experienced survey research firm located in Lansing, Michigan. Although the firm has been conducting business in Michigan since 1985, the principal officers of EPIC·MRA have been active in governmental, political, marketing, business and health issues at the state and national levels for over 30 years.

EPIC·MRA, the most quoted polling firm in Michigan, is regularly cited by national news and media outlets and has been featured on CNN, ABC World News Tonight, ABC's Nightline, and National Public Radio.

And one piece of their research included this:

12/04/2012       

Frequency Report

EPIC▪MRA STATEWIDE POLL OF ACTIVE GENERAL ELECTION VOTERS

[FREQUENCY REPORT OF SURVEY RESPONSES – 600 SAMPLE – ERROR ±4.0%]

Polling Dates: November 27ththrough November 29th, 2012

Thinking about the lame-duck session of the outgoing Michigan Legislature that will be held in the next few weeks in December, which of the following actions do you think should be the top priority for the Michigan Legislature during the lame-duck session? [ROTATE 1 TO 5]

50%	Pass laws that would create jobs
21%	Pass only necessary bills, with nothing controversial, since many lawmakers are leaving
15%	Pass laws that would improve education
6%	Pass laws to make Michigan a “right-to-work” state
5%	Pass laws that would dramatically change how public education is funded
3%	Pass laws that would eliminate or reduce taxes paid by businesses
---	Undecided/Refused

How familiar are you with what is referred to as Right to Work Laws – very familiar, somewhat familiar, only a little familiar, or not familiar at all?

Dec ’12		Jun ‘07
25%	Very familiar	15%
43%	Somewhat familiar	37%
68%	TOTAL FAMILIAR	52%
17%	Only a little familiar	17%
15%	Not familiar at all	27%
32%	TOTAL NOT FAMILIAR	44%

Michiganders wanted this

50%	Pass laws that would create jobs

And this

15%	Pass laws that would improve education

And they got this

6%	Pass laws to make Michigan a “right-to-work” state

The ALEC Connection (gotta be one if I'm writing this, right?)

Some snips from an article in the Oct 2007 edition of  Inside ALEC – (written by Michael Hough – who is a Maryland State Legislator AND works for ALEC)

A Tale of Two States:

Iowa vs. Michigan

In Michigan, many lawmakers and business leaders are beginning to see that forced unionism laws have made the state less competitive in today’s global economy and hurt businesses in their state.

Lawmakers in Iowa should look to Michigan to see that when unions gain monopoly bargaining power they begin to serve as an albatross around the neck of a state’s economy.

In Michigan and Iowa, political leaders who respect the rights of workers to join or not join a labor union and who care about the vitality of their states’ economies should reject forced unionism laws and make sure their state has a right-to-work law.

ALEC wanted this

“make sure their state has a right-to-work law”

And on DECEMBER 11

Michiganders got this

    Gov. Snyder Signs Both Michigan 'Right to Work' for Less Bills

I can’t repeat enough times

Who does your legislator REALLY represent?

Have you programmed your speed dial yet? - You may need it this year.