People are driving less during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the state government’s fuel tax revenue is falling. The state uses this money to pay for road repairs, and road funding was the biggest dispute in Lansing last year.
This means fewer road repairs in the short term but there are obviously bigger concerns now than a temporary reduction. The bigger factor affecting the long-term condition of roads is the length of the pandemic, as it is with many things.
The Mackinac Center’s hometown of Midland, Michigan is being ravaged by a devastating flood that made international news when two dams failed in a domino effect. Friends from around the world are asking about our safety. Thank you for that concern. Mackinac is doing fine – no damage – and steaming at nearly full speed ahead. But a few of our teammates were forced to evacuate their homes and are still assessing extensive property damage. All are accounted for and no one is hurt.
On March 20, Gov. Whitmer issued executive order 2020-17 that prohibited hospitals, medical clinics and dentists from providing “non-essential procedures,” defined as those “not necessary to address a medical emergency or to preserve the health and safety of a patient.” Specifically identified as nonessential were joint replacements, bariatric surgery and cosmetic procedures.
By Ben DeGrow
Two of Michigan’s long-established public charter schools are seeking to set effective examples of how to adapt and provide education in this trying time while campuses are closed down. These schools are showing how the charter structure has enabled flexible and effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Michigan Legislature is considering a bill that would expand licensing requirements for funeral home directors. The debate in the legislative committee typifies how regulations come into being, regardless of whether these regulations are wanted, needed or beneficial to the public.
By Jack McHugh
Karl Manke, a barber in Owosso, openly defied Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders by reopening his shop and continuing to serve customers. In response, he’s been threatened with penalties by the state attorney general and had his state license suspended.
By Jason Hayes
When government and special interests partner to promote politically favored products, they distort markets by restricting access to those products in some sectors while mandating oversupply in others. The Renewable Fuels Standard, or RFS, perfectly demonstrates this reality.
Michigan’s Legislature sued Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, arguing that the governor has overstepped her authority by issuing executive orders after it allowed her emergency powers to expire. This conflict shows that our elected representatives disagree about the appropriate response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But even as they fight in court, they still need to work together to keep the state government operating. There is no guarantee that this will happen, but with all of the current uncertainty, Michigan residents would be better off if lawmakers could at least provide certainty about state spending.
By Ben DeGrow
Caniff Liberty Academy and Hanley International Academy, separated by little more than a mile of old urban neighborhoods and shops, share a common drive to improve the outlook for low-income children, and recent results indicate their success. Today, their dedicated teachers and leaders work to compensate for the severe challenges created by physical separation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer finally released more detailed information about the approach her administration is taking to combating the novel coronavirus, including a rubric to guide decision-making. The MI Safe Start plan defines six phases the governor will use to methodically reopen Michigan society. While this sheds some new light on the governor’s strategy, it lacks necessary detail and leaves the public still largely in the dark.
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy last Friday announced it had spearheaded a letter to congressional leaders and the White House in opposition to calls for state and local bailouts that predate the COVID-19 pandemic.
This letter — signed by 24 institutions in the State Policy Network — was inspired in part by the brazen request of Illinois politicians for a $40 billion-plus bailout. This would be in addition to federal resources already approved for states and their citizens. A portion of the requested bailout included $10 billion just to subsidize government pensions in the Land of Lincoln. Those pensions were underfunded by more than $100 billion well before any economic impact from the pandemic.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in The Detroit News on May 6, 2020.
It seems like ages ago — before the 2020 elections and coronavirus flooded our screens — when Michigan legislators and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer agreed to significantly change Michigan’s auto insurance laws. If you’re like me, you’d prefer to give just enough thought to auto insurance to avoid being completely irresponsible. If that’s true, I have some bad news: You’re going to have to make new decisions about your auto insurance. But I also have good news: You can save money based on what you choose.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has issued more than 70 executive orders in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus. These orders, impacting the lives of millions of Michiganders, have drawn a significant amount of attention. But emergency executive orders are nothing new. Gov. Whitmer made wide use of her power to declare official state emergencies before the coronavirus landed on these shores.
By Ben DeGrow
Imagine the organized chaos of an online gathering of 20 children, all 5 or 6 years old. A friendly, authoritative voice pierces through chatter — mostly, the eager answers to her questions —with words of encouragement, guidance and praise.
Seated at her dining room table and aided by her daughter, who is in the same room, veteran Richland Elementary teacher Pam Gernaat holds the attention of nearly all her kindergarten students. For 25 minutes, she leads them through flashcards, writing practice and show-and-tell. Children energetically demonstrate their recognition of key letter sounds and give brief accounts of a favorite stuffed animal, piece of homemade jewelry or family pet.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is making unprecedented use of executive power to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. She says this is necessary to protect public health, but the case she makes in public to justify these actions is confusing and lacks detail. Although claiming to use “the best science,” Gov. Whitmer has provided virtually no details over the last eight weeks as to what that means.
In the Mackinac Center’s research and education programs, we consider all people, all institutions, all disciplines and all times. I emphasize the word all because it is a word that too many of our elected leaders are presently failing to consider, and candidly, too many of our neighbors have yet to fully absorb.
By Holly Wetzel
We’re continuing our coverage of what businesses and individuals across the state are doing to help during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. It was announced earlier today that Pfizer and BioNTech selected Michigan as a manufacturing site for possible COVID-19 vaccine production. This means several thousand Michiganders will potentially be manufacturing vaccines, hopefully in the near future.
The 50th anniversary of Earth Day has come and gone. But doom and gloom predictions from green groups — about pollution, climate, overpopulation, and overconsumption — linger on even though science and statistics demonstrate there is a great deal for people to be optimistic about.
Many people predict doom for the state budget as the pandemic threatens to lower state tax revenues. This happens, in part, because lawmakers are deliberately shutting down large portions of the economy to slow the spread of the virus. But the state government can be resilient, and lawmakers have the tools to prepare for any fiscal harms the pandemic may inflict.
Editor's Note: This article first appeared in The Detroit News on April 30, 2020.
The most important thing during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect the health and welfare of Michigan citizens in the short-term is staying home and away from other people, as much as possible. For most households, having reliable, high-speed internet and data access makes that a lot easier.
By Jack McHugh
Senate Bill 858: Accelerate lifting of epidemic lockdowns: Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate
To amend a 1976 “Emergency Management Act,” one of two state laws that grant extraordinary emergency powers to a governor. This law limits these powers to 28 days unless extended by the legislature, which on the same day as this vote the legislature declined to do. This make makes Gov. Whitmer’s exercise of emergency powers more reliant on a 1945 “Emergency Powers of Governor” law, which does not limit how long a governor may retain these powers and does not require legislative approval.
The bill does two things. It essentially “writes into” this law (“incorporates by reference”) the current coronavirus epidemic executive orders that have been imposed under its authority, but with different termination dates for many than in the governor’s order. In general, orders that are more restrictive of business reopening get earlier end-dates, and ones easing state regulations (including those on medical care providers and facilities) are extended for a longer time. Bars and restaurants could reopen with social distancing protocols on May 16 under the bill.
Second, it adds to this law “social distancing” protocols for businesses and public accommodations that are somewhat more general and flexible than those in the current orders.
Editor's Note: This article first appeared in The Hill on April 7, 2020.
We will get through this. The COVID-19 public health emergency will end, and eventually the economy will come back. As a nation, we will come out stronger — as we do after every crisis.
“Planet of the Humans,” a new documentary by the progressive filmmaking duo of Jeff Gibbs and Michael Moore, stands and falls on two key themes. On the one hand, the director and narrator, Gibbs handily debunks the misguided notion that renewable energy is a morally and environmentally superior, low-cost and reliable means of greening our electricity supply. On the other hand, Gibbs undercuts that service by miring his narrative in an anti-human muddle that claims only a “major die-off” or having “our ability to consume reined in” will keep humans from destroying the planet.
