| Probably many of you have seen this. A full-page ad yesterday in the Wall Street Journal was designed to let the business world know that Michigan has become a friendlier place for investment now that it has become the nation's 24th right-to-work state.
The ad was purchased by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and carried the "Pure Michigan" logo.
The ad promotes the fact that Benevolent Overlord Rick Michigan has made Michigan the 24th Right to Work state. The ad I guess is supposed to have businesses looking to expand beating down the door to the state. Why it would carry the logo of the state's signature tourism campaign is anyone's guess, unless Right to Work is supposed to also make Michigan more tourist friendly. There is another issue here, which is the wisdom of buying the ad in the first place. When the Right to Work law was passed last month, it got huge play in the national press, and on programs like The Daily Show. Does anyone at the MEDC seriously think that business owners don't already know what's happened here? Do they think that business owners don't pay attention to current events and what's happening in state's they're considering relocating to? And, finally, as is pointed out second hand, they're using the metaphor of a perfect storm, which Mark Maynard points out originates from a book in which a sea captain goes all Ahab on swordfish and winds up getting himself and the crew of his fishing boat all killed. But, this must be that "value for dollar" government stuff we hear about all the time. |
