It may be shortly before Christmas, but it's not too early to start thinking about 2009. As is common when looking to the future, people create resolutions- New Year's Resolutions, to pick one or a couple of things that they want to improve. These resolutions are much maligned in popular culture as being promises that are never fully implemented (who can forget the famous 'loose weight' line?). But sometimes, when the right people set the right goals with the right amount of determination, a New Year's Resolution can be a true impetus for change.
Our leaders in Lansing are already on vacation. I wonder how many of them are thinking on 2009 and their New Year's Resolutions as they sit down to Christmas dinner. What form will these resolutions take? Will we see our leaders resolve to work together to address the pressing issues we have in Michigan, such as smoking regulation, individual market health insurance reform, auto insurance reform (lest we forget the Kreiner Report), expanding public transit, tourism, and high-tech green industries and research, et all? Or will they look back on 2008 and be proud of their 'accomplishments': delaying the passage of a RPS, failing to incentivize economic development, and removing Michigan's national political influence through a botched primary- and resolve to 'keep up the good work'?
With the crisis our state and nation faces going into 2009, one would hope the need for change would be apparent. Let's hope that legislators resolve to change more than their girth come January 1st.
