The Associated Press reports 240 new laws were enacted by the Michigan Legislature in 2009 .

Yet, one has to ask what exactly was accomplished this year.

Michigan continues to have the worst economy in the country with one family moving outside the state every 12 minutes. Businesses are struggling, schools are broke, roads are crumbling and police agencies are finding it difficult to keep the streets safe from criminals.

While the politicos in Lansing will recite bill after bill that was passed, it’s notable that not a single one of Michigan's 240 new laws made the National Conference of State Legislatures annual list of new laws.

Notable new laws include New Mexico passing a tuition waiver for medical students who practice in underserved areas and reforms to New York’s retirement system for state employees.

Think about it for a second, what has Lansing accomplished this year that addresses Michigan’s twenty-first century challenges?

Still thinking? So am I.

Cheboygan County Drain Commissioner Dennis Lennox, Republican candidate for the 105th District seat in the State House, recently sat down for an interview with the MIWatchdog.com website.

The interview touched on reforming, restructuring and consolidating government and education, the economy, the challenges facing Detroit and other cities in Michigan and the importance of keeping the next generation in the state.

You can listen to the interview by clicking here.

The website run by former Drudge Report editor Andrew Breitbart has published a profile of Cheboygan County Drain Commissioner Dennis Lennox, Republican candidate for the 105th District seat in the State House.

You can read the story, which was published Sunday, at BigGovernment.com.

In case you missed this news report:

Former Speaker Craig DeRoche and Saul Anuzis, who was until recently chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, have endorsed Cheboygan County Drain Commissioner Dennis Lennox for the open 105th District seat in the House of Representatives.

"It is an honor to have the support of two prominent Republican leaders," said Lennox, R-Topinabee. "They realize that our great state needs new leaders willing to address our twenty-first century challenges with twenty-first century solutions."

The 105th District spans Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Otsego counties.

The seat is currently held by term-limited House Republican Leader Kevin Elsenheimer.

Pending legislation that would ban smoking in most public establishments should include an exemption for veteran halls.

Under the current legislation, which passed the Senate earlier today, Michigan would become the 38th state to ban or heavily restrict smoking. The Senate ban includes exemptions for cigar bars, tobacco shops and casinos, but leaves out veteran halls.

"The men and women who served our country and defended our freedoms deserve the right to smoke a cigar or cigarette at the local veteran hall," said Cheboygan County Drain Commissioner Dennis Lennox, Republican candidate for term-limited Minority Leader Kevin Elsenheimer's seat in the House of Representatives. "I don't want any of my constituents, who sacrificed so much, to be criminals if they take a smoke at the American Legion."

Lennox will introduce an amendment to the bill upon his election should the Legislature decide to criminalize veterans for smoking at veteran halls.

The 105th District seat spans Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Otsego counties.

Ask anyone on the main streets across our great state and they will tell you Lansing is broken and needs fixing.

It's clear that government needs to be reformed to reflect the realities of the twenty-first century. However, one of those reforms shouldn't include sidelining the people's voice by implementing a so-called part-time Legislature.

Weakening the people's voice while greatly empowering the governor, unelected bureaucrats and the vested special interest groups won't create a single job or bring a single business to Michigan

Better reforms would consolidate and streamline all levels of government.

Lansing needs structural reform.

For a state that has lost nearly a million residents in the last 10 years, we have too many layers of government.

Government in Michigan must reflect the twenty-first century realities of our great state.