Republican legislators spend weekend campaigning during budget crisis

With the state budget hanging in the balance, several Republican legislators escaped Lansing for a popularity contest this weekend.

The budget crisis has severe implications for the health of Michigan's environment. On the table are drastic cuts to the state's environmental protection agencies and the return of Michigan's wetland program to the federal government. If the shortfall isn't addressed by Thursday, Michigan faces a complete government shutdown.

So of course, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) and several other Republican lawmakers took the weekend off to head up to Mackinac Island for some politicking and a rally. The legislators, who also included Sens. Tom George (Kalamazoo), Bruce Patterson (Canton), Michelle McManus (Leelanau), and Cameron Brown (Sturgis), participated in the biennial Republican Leadership Conference.

The event featured a straw poll of Republican candidates for governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder finished first in the gubernatorial poll, followed by Attorney General Mike Cox.

Minnesota governor and presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty also made an appearance at the conference.

Help us remind our Senators to get back to work. Tell your elected officials that protecting Michigan’s natural resources is a top priority, and that we cannot afford more disproportionate cuts to the agencies that protect these resources. Neither the public health of our citizens nor the economy of Michigan can handle the risks and burdens of unprotected natural resources.