It's been a while since my last entry, but I was motivated to opine on the latest unemployment report released today.

While the the rest of the country is beginning to experience what we have went through for the last seven years, Michigan's economy continues to worsen.

According to Gongwer News, only two of Michigan's 83 counties have unemployment rates less than 10 percent. If that wasn't bad enough, 36 counties had unemployment rates over 15.2 percent with Baraga County at a shocking 26.4 percent.

Northern Michigan's unemployment rates have decreased slightly due to seasonal employment, though the situation is still troubling because too many children grow up watching their parents work only four or five months a year and collect public assistance for the rest of the year. This is unacceptable -- it institutionalizes a mindset that welfare is acceptable and does little to improve the next generation's future.

Lansing has to stop looking at our challenges from a Republican or Democrat mindset. It's time to come together. Our great state deserves better.