Issues worth fighting for!

Fix Michigan's Economy Stop Breaking Michigan's Economy

Last year our bipartisan state government - Democrat Governor Granholm,  the Republican-controlled State Senate and the Democrat-controlled State House found common ground.  They scrambled to "fix" Michigan's economy.  Their solution:  higher spending, higher taxes to fund that spending, and more subsidies for favored groups, such as state employees, big corporations and "cool" and "politically correct" industries they want to move to Michigan.

They imposed a new Michigan Business Tax which dramatically cut the tax burden on large corporations, such as the automakers who contribute heavily to their campaigns, but have been exporting thousands of Michigan jobs overseas for years.  They dramatically raised taxes on politically-powerless small businesses, which have been the only net job-creators in Michigan over the past few years.  And then they added an enormous surcharge on top of the new tax.  And (gasp!), they miscalculated, and discovered the new Michigan Business Tax brought in hundreds of millions of dollars more in  taxes than the old Single Business Tax.  So what did they do with the extra money?  They spent it!

And one new tax, increased before it even took effect, wasn't enough.  The Republicans and Democrats also raised our income tax by 12%.  And they spent that too.  On more than $100 million of corporate welfare payments to out-of-state movie-makers to film movies in Michigan.  On hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives to out-of-state solar energy companies, biofuel producers and other "politically correct" industries, unable to turn a profit without taxpayer support.

Did these attempts to "fix" our economy work?  Not at all -- instead, thousands of Michigan citizens are losing their jobs; thousands of Michigan citizens are losing their homes; and thousands of Michigan citizens are leaving the state.  Raising business and income taxes didn't help them; it only hurt them. 

The Republicans and Democrats didn't fix Michigan's economy, they broke it!

As a Libertarian, I believe in less government and more freedom.  Cutting state government.  Cutting spending, and then taxes.  Cutting state regulation.  I believe in your freedom to:

• Spend your hard-earned dollars on your family or business, and NOT on some politician's pet project.
• Build a business, free of State interference.
• Create jobs, free of State regulation and second-guessing.
• Be left alone!

We need major change RIGHT NOW, and you won't get it by voting for the same old parties. We need to stop putting bureaucratic and legal obstacles in front of our entrepreneurs. We need to replace the tax favoritism system in place now, with one equal for all.  Instead of raising taxes, we need to cut spending now. And follow those spending cuts with tax cuts.  And free businesses and the Michiganders who own and run those businesses to use their money to expand, and create jobs.

Easing the Housing Crisis

While there are free market forces at work in the housing downturn, the State has done much to depress our housing and property values. Property owners must have full rights to their property. I will fight eminent domain abuse, high property taxes, and restrictions on use of your property that inflate the costs of owning your home and deflate its value.

Health Care Freedom

Health care can be made more affordable by getting the government out, and the free market in. We should encourage, not discourage, doctors, hospitals and pharmacies from posting prices for transparent comparison.  We should permit health care providers to compete, by eliminating state "certificate of need" regulations that encourage monopoly pricing by discouraging competition.

Better Education for Our Children

As education has gotten more centralized, the results have gotten worse. We need parents and their local school boards making the choices for their children, not bureaucrats in Lansing, Washington, DC, or the teachers' unions.

We can dramatically cut the cost of public education by eliminating non-teaching positions, non-academic programs, and worthless state oversight, while preserving what matters -- the academic programs.

We can encourage parents to home school, use private schools or send their children to charter schools, rather than much more costly taxpayer-funded traditional public schools, by slashing state regulation of home schools, private schools and charter schools.

Lower Transportation Costs

It's easy to blame big oil, but let's not forget about gas taxes, overpriced road construction projects, and our sky-high state-mandate no-fault insurance premiums. Finally passing a no-helmet law would encourage motorcycle use and reduce summer time gas consumption, as many in our state otherwise drive the SUVs they need to cope with our severe winters.

Please join me in fighting for less government and more freedom!

Darryl Schmitz