Tim Skubick breaks down class of incoming Mich. legislators
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By Tim Skubick FOX 2 Political Analyst
LANSING, Mich. (WJBK) -- There is not a butcher, a baker or candlestick maker among the 28 new members of the Michigan House of Representatives, but there appears to be just about everything else.
The term limit folks promised they would bring new blood into the system by casting aside all the old blood.
Well turns out two of the new members are actually old members who are returning old blood and all. Rep. Sarah Roberts (D-St. Clair Shores) and Rep. Terry Brown (D-Pigeon) are back on the job.
The merry-go-round of bringing in local government officials into the legislature continues. Nine former mayors, county commissioners, and civil servants are in the freshman class, so they are not clueless when it comes to governing but they'd be well advised that the learning curve in Lansing is steep.
Eight business persons are moving into the political world including a cable TV executive. Hey how come that monthly bill keeps climbing?
There's an apple farmer, a grain elevator operator, and a car salesman (used no doubt) joining the fun.
The occupation with the greatest representation is teachers; four of them will try to knock some sense into their colleagues brains and you can't have a freshman class without some lawyers; there are three.
If a fire breaks out on the house floor, two former firefighters can lend a hand and if anyone needs any advice, former social worker Rep.-Elect Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) is at the ready..meter running.
A former lobbyist who worked outside the chamber, is now on the inside and the only union official to land a job , Rep.-elect Scott Dianda (D-Calumet) will be there to keep those nasty Republicans from running rough shad over his labor brothers and sisters.
"We are a small class but energetic and pretty intelligent," one of them advised the other day.
Well they aren't that smart. A correspondent assigned to talk to the class about dealing with the media, strongly suggested they share their private cell phone numbers with the reporter. It was good advice…and free.
Eight out of 28 did it.
Draw your own conclusions on how sharp they really are.
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