Do As I Say, Not As I Do

Opposing a bill to eliminate the MBT surcharge, Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) accused Republicans of lacking the courage to cut spending and said:

Yes, we want to move forward, absolutely, but with mature reflection and a dedication to ensure that these things we hold dear are not blindly sacrificed in the process.

So, Sen. Whitmer wants to do things with "mature reflection" and "dedication to . . . these things we hold dear[.]"

Oh, really?

Consider Senate Bill No. 953, introduced by Whitmer on December 5, 2007, nearly seven years after she arrived in the legislature. This bill relates to that thing which Whitmer apparently holds dear -- shampoo. More specifically, the bill addresses who can perform "shampoo services" in a "cosmetology establishment."

Under current Michigan law, no one can render cosmetology services to someone (other than an immediate family member) without a cosmetology license. Whitmer's bill would allow "senior cosmetology students" to perform "shampoo services" in a "cosmetology establishment" if the student has completed "350 hours of instruction." The student has to produce proof of meeting the academic requirements in those 350 hours, the cosmetology establishment has to keep the records on file for at least three years, and the Department of Commerce must be allowed access to the records.

No, I'm not kidding. One wonders about the "mature reflection" that produced this piece of . . . legislation.

Perhaps there is rampant shampoo malpractice occurring all over Michigan. Are there swarms of unlicensed hairwashers occupying our salons? Are consumers being injured in conditioning accidents?

At least now we can anticipate Whitmer's slogan when she runs for attorney general -- "Gretchen Whitmer: Head and Shoulders above the competition."