The Nerd vs. The Movie Star (The Michigan View 2.20.11)

Posted by hpayne on February 21, 2011

In a tabloid-worthy clash over Michigan’s budget, the Nerd pushed back at the Movie Star this week.

Oscar-winning, Chelsea theater-owning actor Jeff Daniels answered the Governor of Michigan’s budget with the startling claim that Snyder was a liar for not keeping the state’s 42 percent tax subsidy. “It’s not what he told me privately, so to be honest, I guess he’s a politician after all,” the “Dumb and Dumber” star told the Freep.

When asked to respond, Snyder was blunt. “I didn’t make any commitments. People have a right to say what they want to say, but that’s not accurate at all,” Snyder told The Detroit News editorial board.

He said, he said. But regardless of whose memory is right, the clash obliterated Democrats’ class warfare claim that Snyder is balancing the budget on the backs of the little guy in favor of Big Business.

If so, then how come rich entertainers like Jeff Daniels are crying?

Sure seniors and union pensioners are cross about losing their bennies, but Daniels’ Big Hollywood pals are some of the budget’s biggest losers when the Nerd closed down their sweet 42 percent tax subsidy. Both Daniels and fellow Michigan millionaire celebrity Mitch Albom have been lobbyists for film candy.

Smiled upon by Governor Jenifer Granholm’s statist economic policy, Big Hollywood was one of a number of politically-favored industries Lansing picked to grow in the state. But building a business model on fickle public funds is a losing proposition – as are the subsidies themselves, which further eroded the state’s bottom line while bringing few jobs according to a study by the Mackinac Center.

As Snyder keeps repeating this budget is about fairness not favoritism. It flattens taxes, closes loopholes, and scrubs the code of Big Business tax breaks – including the Left Coast film industry. Balancing the budget on the backs of multi-millionaire celebrities like Albom and Daniels by closing their tax loopholes? Sounds like something Democrats would embrace.

And as for that disagreement between the Nerd and the celebrity. . . . For the record, Snyder’s position on eliminating movie industry goodies has been consistent since he first interviews with The News as a candidate last summer.

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