Episode 86 of Seinfeld is titled The Opposite. To summarize the episode, first aired in May 1994, slow-witted George Constanza decides to do the opposite of all his instincts in an effort to turn his dismal life around. Instead of lying all the time, he decides to tell the truth. Instead of doing nothing, he decides to do something.
Elected leaders in Michigan should catch a rerun, because a majority of their actions intended toward good judgement these days seem to be exactly the opposite of what the Great Lakes State needs to do.
The most recent case in point comes courtesy of the state Senate. A growing number of civic leaders argue that MI must ramp up attention to schools, health care, and basic infrastructure like roads and rapid transit to boost competitiveness in the global economy.
So what did the Senate do last week? Propose another round of deep cuts to education, health services, and transportation. That's just the latest example of the state's backward tendencies that are increasingly out of synch with common sense.
The state bets big on biotech as a new economy industry yet bans cutting edge stem cell research. Political dialogue is intensely partisan and divisive instead of cooperative and bipartisan. Widening roads and highways in central cities instead of calming traffic and adding new public transit options. Cutting taxes instead of boosting public investment in people and places. Fearing China as an economic enemy rather than embracing one of the world's largest emerging markets as a lucrative business opportunity and partner. The list goes on and on.
Opposite George suddenly landed a girlfriend, moved out of his parents house, and secured a glitzy job with the New York Yankees.
What can Opposite Michigan achieve?
