House Republicans now claim reality equates to blackmail

We already know the truth has a decidedly liberal bias, but now it appears so does reality.

The rightwing blogs are squeaking about alleged “blackmail,” and Macomb County GOP House members are also using the same word when told if there is not a tax increase Macomb Community College (MCC), as well as every other educational institution in the state, could see cuts in revenue from Lansing.

This is confusing to me. The Republicans want to fix the $1.8 billon hole in the state budget with spending cuts along after 15 straight years of cutting revenue, but now they are crying foul when faced with reality of those unwise tax cuts. When you tell them the reality of balancing the budget they way the Republic Party wants to with spending cuts alone they claim they are are being threatened or blackmailed. That’s a ridiculous assumption, and an absolutely long jump to an unsubstantiated conclusion.

Isn’t that what the Republic Party wants? Republicans should be ecstatic that MCC could experience cuts because that’s exactly what they want. In a recent article in the Macomb Daily, Rep. Brian Palmer, R- Bruce Township, said any attempt to use MCC funding as leverage for pro-tax votes will fail.
"There have been threats here and there, but nothing with any credibility," Palmer said. "That (an MCC cut) is blackmail, and I'd expose that for what it is."

Is he for real? This is simple math. You can’t continue to cut revenue, advocate balancing the budget with more and more spending cuts alone and not expect your pet projects to be cut. Is Palmer saying cut everywhere and everything else, but don’t cut anything in my district. The answer is obviously yes.

The price of living in a civilized society and in the greatest country in the world is the small investment we make in the form of taxes. Again, Republicans want a free ride, and they not want to pay for anything. When it comes time for them to pay their fair share to help make this country the great nation and state it is their hands are firmly jammed in their pockets, and they refuse to invest a dime in our state and nation. This is just one more example of that, and now they are spinning a dose of reality as a threat.