The governor gave already jittery state workers the other day a thirty-day notice that will add to their jitters.  She notified them the government could shutdown by the end of the month.

    Never mind that the governor, according to the contract, had to do it. And never mind that the  front office tries to diminish the impact by reassuring everyone that this budget thing will get worked out on time.

    It was still a scary notification.

   "I don't think it is necessary to come to that," intones Rich Studley who runs the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

    What if it's a choice between boosting taxes and closing government, what would you favor?

    "I don't think that will be the choice," his Pollyanna analysis continues.

     While others have taken swipes at the legislative Big Three, Speaker Andy Dillon, Senate GOP leader Mike Bishop and her Honor the governor, Studley says, "We have confidence in our leaders" but he references Bishop and Dillon only.

     Interestingly two week earlier on statewide Public TV, Studley was bemoaning the "lack of leadership" in Lansing which prompts one to ask, which is it?

     As for a possible shutdown of government as some are beginning to hint at, Studley says, "I think we all lose.  It reflects poorly on the governor and lt. governor.  It reflects poorly on both parties and it will reflect poorly on the state."

     But dollars to donuts there are some of you out there in newspaper land who would not object if government went away. Go ahead and raise your hands.