Fighting to Protect Our Way of Life

Protecting Our Great Lakes

Lake Erie and our other Great Lakes, our streams and our rivers represent our most important ecological heritage and provide us with our most precious natural resource. They also form the backbone of our tourism industry, which is a pillar of our economy and helps generate many jobs.

We must protect our Great Lakes, rivers and streams. In the Legislature, I supported a new law that regulates large-scale water withdrawals.

I am committed to doing more, including banning water bottling operations from exporting our precious Great Lakes water outside the basin.

Investing in Renewable Energy and Creating Jobs 

Michigan has a looming energy shortage. I created a comprehensive energy blueprint that will turn our state into a model of energy efficiency and will keep electricity affordable to everyone in our state.

My plan requires utilities to establish programs that help residents and businesses use electricity and gas more efficiently. This will have the potential to eliminate the need for up to two power plants.

I also supported a plan that will  increase the amount of electricity that comes from renewable sources in order to bring economic development to Michigan and protect our environment. Michigan can quickly become a leader in this area in order to secure its share of the renewable industry.

Fuels of the Future - Taking on Big Oil Companies

Our state's renewable energy industry is creating new good-paying jobs for Michigan's workers, bringing new investments to our state, and is creating new opportunities for farmers and landowners.

I have worked to attract new high-quality investments to the state which will attract providers of wind energy, biofuels, and waste-to-energy technologies. We can not only attract thousands of new green-collar jobs to Michigan, but also help reduce our dependence on foreign oil by providing energy options for consumers.

While working families are pouring their paychecks into the pump, oil companies are bringing in record profits. Exxon Mobil recently reported the highest quarterly earnings for an American company in history. I am calling for measures to close tax loopholes on gas and oil companies in Michigan and am asking Congress to impose a windfall profits tax on big oil companies. 

Out-Of-State, Canadian Trash

Every year, other states and Canada continue to flood Michigan with millions of tons of their trash. In 2005, Ohio alone sent Monroe County more than 320,000 tons of trash, according to the Department of Environmental Quality. Canada dumped nearly 200,000 tons of trash in Washtenaw and Monroe counties combined.

Trash comes to our community because Michigan is the cheapest dumping ground in the region. We charge only 21 cents a ton to dispose of garbage. We also have way more landfill space than we as a State need, which makes us a magnet for other people's trash. The best way to fight the importation of garbage is to attack the economics of the trash trade. That's why I sponsored a plan to ban new landfills until 2011. I also support a plan to raise our dumping charge to $7.50 a ton.

The status quo protects the powerful garbage industry and keeps the trash trucks rolling in from other states and Canada. Imported garbage threatens our land, water, roads, safety and quality of life. It's time for a change and make the trash lobby pay its fair share.

Keeping Violent Video Games away from Minors

Violent and sexually explicit video games are winding up in the hands of minors too often these days. I'm committed to keeping these reprehensible games away from our children.

In the Legislature I spearheaded efforts to ban violent video games from minors. I also sponsored a resolution calling on Michigan citizens to boycott "25 to Life," a game that encourages players to kill law enforcement officers.

Standing up for Military Families

Our men and women in uniform stand on the front lines of our fight to protect our democracy and our freedom. They're putting their lives on the line in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and across the world in the fight against terrorism and those who threaten our way of life.

In the Legislature, I sponsored two proposals that would help our military families. The plans are: