Darren Littell: 14 reasons the GOP will win in 2014

From the Detroit News - The countdown to the ball dropping at midnight is an iconic New Year’s tradition. In the spirit of the New Year, here is a countdown of 14 reasons why Michigan families will vote Republican in 2014:

#14 – Haven’t we all had our glitch itch satisfied? The formerly Democratically-controlled Congress went against public opinion and forced through Obamacare. Sadly, the first three months have only been the beginning to this debacle—do we really want to give them another shot?

#13 – Bringing responsible government back to Lansing – Republicans have turned things around by cutting more than 1,500 unnecessary rules and regulations, leading the way on Detroit’s rebirth, and assuring Michigan’s bond ratings were upgraded.

#12 – Location, location, location – Michigan’s real estate market has rebounded and its’ happening quicker than many other states around the country.

#11 – Doing a service for our service members – Republican leadership has made sure that our bravest, who sacrifice everything to preserve our freedoms, are not forgotten when they return home from service by investing $13.2 million in 2013 for veterans programs.

#10 – Movin’ on up – Republican leaders have worked hard to create a better business environment, resulting in rising rankings for Michigan’s business tax climate and a top five ranking for capital investment projects.

#9 – Michigan’s balancing act – Republican leadership has passed a balanced budget ahead of schedule three years in a row. Thoughtful budgeting has helped our rainy day fund balloon from a miniscule $2 million to a robust $582 million dollars.

#8 – Our future is our children –Republican leadership has increased K-12 school funding each of the last three years, including making sure 16,000 more children will have access to early education programs.

#7 – Slow market for Snake Oil – We are all learning how U.S. Senate candidate and Congressman Gary Peters will do and say anything to make sure he gets to keep his job. Let’s show him that Michigan citizens deserve better than another Washington trickster.

#6 – Silence isn’t always golden –It shouldn’t be a struggle to find out where gubernatorial candidate and ex-Congressman Mark Schauer stands. Michigan’s citizens are learning the only thing harder to find than Mark Schauer is his plan.

#5 – Started on the bottom, now we’re on top – Thanks to Republican leadership, Michigan’s economic climate jumped from an historically low ranking of 49th up to seventh-best in the country.

#4 – Government shouldn’t be your financial manager – Under Republican leadership the Michigan Business Tax was eliminated and the Personal Property Tax was reformed so hardworking people get to keep more of their paychecks, not less.

#3 – From jobs lost to careers created – Under the Granholm-Schauer duo Michigan lost 600,000 jobs, while Republican leadership has helped bring more than 183,800 careers back to Michigan, which has boosted personal income by 3.4 percent.

#2 Two words: Comeback State – a local slogan for Michigan’s recovery has become a national catchphrase. The nation has noticed that conservative, republican policies do work!

#1 – And the number one reason to vote for Republicans in 2014: Michigan can’t afford another Lost Decade like the 2000s, but that’s what Gary Peters and Mark Schauer want to drag us back into.