Editor:

Michigan has lost a lot of federal services this year. The National Weather Service is understaffed. The Department of Education is severely weakened. Health and Human Services has been disrupted by massive restructuring. And plenty of people are out of jobs.

At the same time, there are warning signs in the national economy: tariffs, unfunded tax cuts, record corporate debt, and a struggling housing market. We’ve seen this pattern before, before the Great Depression and the 2008 economic crash.

Michigan is not struggling — yet. But I’m running for State Senate because I see trouble on the horizon. I want to head off these factors before they become a problem.

Both Republicans and Democrats understand that the economy won’t always be strong. I want to implement state-level programs that will protect us when it’s not. To support Michiganders and keep them spending during tough times, we could institute a basic income program. If we want to be healthy and reduce the cost of insurance paid by businesses, my public health proposal could save taxpayers around $8000 a year. And a stronger base economy will ensure our government is funded without the need to raise tax rates. I want to build state-level replacements for the services we’ve lost, providing financial support for students, libraries and–vital to the UP–weather forecasting.

America will occasionally struggle, but there are things we can do to mitigate that.

Support Jake La Jeunesse for state senate and help insulate the peninsulas.

Jake La Jeunesse

Toivola