Well, it's that time. The time to put away the beach bags, the flip-flops, and that industrial-size bottle of SPF 45. Yes, friends, summer vacation is over. As another Michigan August comes to an end and September comes knocking, it's time to say goodbye to lazy summer afternoons and get back to business.
Well, that is, unless you're a state lawmaker. As Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry noted last week, "the Michigan Senate decided... to go on vacation. That’s right. Even though the clock is ticking, and the state budget isn’t anywhere near done." Lessenberry continued, "The state house, which has been on vacation since before the August 3rd primary, came moseying back this week. But then, the Senate, which was supposed to be working, promptly canceled its sessions and took a break until after Labor Day. Don’t you wish you could do that on your job?"
Peter Luke, writing for Mlive.com yesterday, struck a similar tone. Speaking of Governor Granholm's revised budget proposal he writes, "Senate Republicans said they kind of liked it, but then fled Lansing for a two-week Labor Day holiday. Those with jobs in Michigan usually get just the Monday."
So, will a few political commentators complaining about lawmakers' vacations actually get state Senators to come back and get to work? I think you probably know the answer.
