Meathead

Michigan's governor Jennifer Granholm has proclaimed Saturday, March 20th, as "Michigan Meatout Day."  The governor urges us all to eat a "plant-based" diet which would presumably be better for us and supposedly keep us safe from infectious pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, and something called campylobacter.  Sounds pretty icky.  Included in her proclamation is a plug for the "vegan" or vegetarian lifestyle which she promotes as superior to America's meat-based diet, proudly passed down to us from our knuckle-dragging forbearers.  This would all be very PC and harmless if it weren't for the fact that encouraging residents to not eat meat is a direct rebuke to our state's many livestock and dairy farmers.

Michigan's agriculture industry is $71 billion behemoth.  Next to our anemic automobile manufacturing business, Michigan farmers are responsible for generating and maintaining our state's second largest purveyor of profits.  So you better think twice before dissing a large portion of that economic engine of success.  Even more disturbing then the proclamation itself, according to the Michigan Farm Bureau, "is the Governor's nerve to declare Michigan Meatout Day on the same day as National Agriculture Day."  As Republican candidate for Saginaw County commissioner, farmer Ben Ritter said, "This is a nice way for the Democrats to end Michigan Agriculture Week."  As Ben rightly points out, former governor John Engler proclaimed March 20th, 1998 as Farmer Appreciation Day.  Governor Granholm uses the same date in history to boycott one of our biggest products.

In the spirit of good natured ribbing, and in response to green veggie Jenny, Saginaw County's own Ken Horn, who represents the 94th District in Lansing, has proclaimed tomorrow to be "Michigan Meat on the Grill Day."  He urges all Michiganders to "grill, baby, grill."