State Legislature values money more than public safety

Safety first? Not in the Michigan State Legislature.

Our incompetent lawmakers in Lansing are at it again, placing a higher value on the almighty dollar than the welfare of citizens. This time it’s the effort to raise the speed limit on rural highways to 75 miles per hour.

I have long believed that the purpose of government in a republic or democracy is to solve problems and serve as a fair referee. But the Leggies we send to Lansing at $80,000 salaries each per year, somehow believe it’s more important for government to create a healthy business climate.

Like saving money in Flint by switching its water supply.

I suppose Mary Whiteford, Ken Yonker and the rest of the crew that marches in lockstep to the tunes played by Gov. Rick Snyder, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy have their ready-made excuses for proposing we drive faster on our highways.

I suppose they’ll say there really isn’t any proof that “speed kills.” I suppose they’ll assert that just about everybody’s already driving 75 on our expressways anyway. I suppose they’ll point out other states have 75 mph speed limits on highways and we have to keep up with the Joneses in the competition for more precious money.

But their excuses are about as lame and anti-public safety as were their arguments for our obnoxious fireworks law and lifting requirements for motorcyclists to use helmets.

I can already hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth in response that people should be granted freedom to do stupid things that can have deadly results. Some will contend that we don’t need “nanny government” to tell us what we can or can’t do.

It was more than 25 years ago that former State Rep. Paul Hillegonds, perhaps the last legislator from Allegan County guilty of critical thinking skills, and I spoke out loudly against restoring the 70-per-hour limit. We both argued that if oil is a finite resource on the planet, it shouldn’t be wasted just because we want to go faster. And Hillegonds and I both rejected the “everybody’s already going 70 anyway” argument by noting everybody then will go 75 or 80. We told you so.

I cannot believe that increasing the speed limit harms no one. Someone barreling down the highway and approaching my creeping Prius and going 80 miles an hour only needs to make one tiny mistake to put me and him in serious jeopardy, not to mention any passengers.

To be sure, motor vehicles these days are better built, so they can better withstand crashes. But with the explosion of distracting technology devices usage and the deteriorating condition of our roads, it seems the more prudent response is to pass laws against texting and cell phone use while driving and find a way to repair and improve the already awful roads we have now.

That’s probably about as likely as getting the Lansing bunch to repeal the fireworks law and the helmetless motorcycle rule, which has caused a 23% increase in motorcycle highway deaths in Michigan in 2015.

I am surprised the insurance lobby hasn’t been all over this. Increased speeds should mean increase in deaths and severity of crashes, which is more costly to their industry.

And when are we, the public voters, going to wake up and smell the coffee by throwing out these perennial rascals who ignore the public will and welfare without penalty because we’ve always voted Republican.