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LeBlanc:  I mentioned that we're going to be talking specifically about the "Hire Michigan" package.  This was Fred's package, so-to-speak, and Fred, start us off.  Talk about the "Hire Michigan" bills. 

Miller:  As you know, Richard, every single thing that we do in Lansing right now is view through the prism of job creation. 

LeBlanc:  Indeed it is.

Miller: What can we do to create more jobs? What can we do to tackle the problem of unemployment? What can we do to jumpstart the economy?  And the "Hire Michigan First" package is kind of a means to those ends.  Basically, there are several parts to it, but I think that the most important part is that when companies are being considered for state construction contracts, or economic development policies in the form of tax breaks or tax abatements, that the companies that hire Michigan workers first, or hire more Michigan workers, are rewarded.  So that is kind of the gist of "Hire Michigan First". 

Consider this: we give away about one quarter of a billion dollars every year -

LeBlanc: - billion with a "B."

Miller: with a "B".  One quarter of a billion dollars.  Now Michigan is not a stranger to this, other states do it and it's kind of what we have to do to be competitive in the 21st Century Economy, but often times we're finding that the jobs that are created because of those incentives are filled by folks not from Michigan, but from other states and, sometimes, even other countries.  And so "Hire Michigan First" is about bringing a laser-like focus to our economic development policy, and making sure that when jobs are created, with tax breaks or tax incentives, that it's Michigan workers and Michigan residents that get first crack at those jobs. 

LeBlanc:  I would agree. You know, we have our own, as Shorty mentioned, our own skilled people, right here ready to work.  They're capable, they're, I would imagine, journeymen status or a comparable level of skill and education and the fact that there are some things that have occurred, that are documenting as having occurred, that would prevent those folks from getting those jobs, it's just not good for our economy, it's not good for our neighbors.