Sweet, sweet harmony in Lansing

Our readers may notice that we often make a bit of fun when it comes to our Lansing legislators. Their ongoing inability to come up with a comprehensive plan to fix the state's degrading roads puts us in the mind of an old joke: "Why don't Lansing's lawmakers look out the window in the morning? Because then they'd have nothing to do all afternoon."

Yeah, we're still sore about that referendum they hastily cooked up and kicked to the public, and which the public rightly deep-sixed. Roads are the economic life blood of the state. What on earth are they doing if not focusing like a laser beam on fixing them?

Clearly, to state legislators, roads just aren't a big deal. What, we need all sorts of money to overhaul the roads? They find it hard to believe. Certainly state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (Republican, of "Smiling" Lowell) has scoffed at the price tag. Almost two years ago, he said, “There are some roads that need work, but I haven’t been able to swallow this need for $1.2 billion per year more when we’re already spending $3 billion a year. I haven’t been able to grasp that.”

Well, what can Sen. Hildenbrand understand then? 

How about the sweet, sweet harmonizing of barbershop quartets? 

That topic caused the normally doubtful solon to speedily introduce a resolution declaring a Barbershop Harmony Day. Clearly, some things don't matter much, like all this money that's supposed to be raised for the state's infrastructure, but other things, like music with consonant four-part chords for every melody note, demand quick and decisive action. Aren't' we fortunate to have resolute men like Hildenbrand there to answer the call?