Normally, commentary is placed in the blog, but this Battle Creek Enquirer article shows why unions are so important to Michigan. "'We believe the state needs a new, larger budget,' Mark Gaffney, president of the [Michigan AFL-CIO], said today at a pre-holiday weekend press conference. 'We believe there is going to have to be tax revenue enhancements. We are talking to legislators about reforms and reorganizations, but we do not believe for a minute that reforms and reorganization alone will fix an over $1 billion hole. We are concerned that as months go by the hole gets bigger.'"

GOP extremists are already starting recall drives, and the AFL-CIO promised to help state legislators who vote for the necessary revenue enhancements.

This is a courageous stance and far sighted stance by Michigan's AFL-CIO, and every Michigander owes Mark Gaffney and the union membership a debt of gratitude.