We start the show by listening to President Barack Obama’s energy plan. Then the Spokesperson for Mike Cox joins The Back Story to talk about the Michigan Attorney General’s reaction to those comments.

As new information surfaces in the Synagro scandal, We hear from a person at the Ethics Resource Center that says when the economy goes down, government corruption goes up.

Listener Comments

What do people do to deserve 10,00$ if people dont finish school and have terriable habbits why not 20.00$?

Monday, January 26, 2009 by Roy

Should living wage support a family, or just an individual. In Ann Arbor, $10/hr might do for one, but not even come close to supporting a family.

Monday, January 26, 2009 by chaad ( ann arbor )

It is absurd to think that a person could "live on $10.00 per hour when you ad up all the living expenses that a person has to pay each month such as housing, transportation, food, clothing, fuel, car ins., etc..,as well as health care costs, a retirement plan. And why should they have to? The greed that has infected our society the past eight years has brainwashed some people to think we should all do without the basic needs of a decent way of life. this is the problem. prosperity for all is a better solution than poverty for all to this economic problem. the phrase "The working poor" needs to be seen as an oxy-moron, working should not make you poor, how ridiculous. David Schnur

Monday, January 26, 2009 by David (Mount Clemens)

It is absurd to think that a person could "live on $10.00 per hour when you ad up all the living expenses that a person has to pay each month such as housing, transportation, food, clothing, fuel, car ins., etc..,as well as health care costs, a retirement plan. And why should they have to? The greed that has infected our society the past eight years has brainwashed some people to think we should all do without the basic needs of a decent way of life. this is the problem. prosperity for all is a better solution than poverty for all to this economic problem. the phrase "The working poor" needs to be seen as an oxy-moron, working should not make you poor, how ridiculous. David Schnur

Monday, January 26, 2009 by David (Mount Clemens)

President Obama's Energy Plan - I have severe reservations on allowing states to drive our energy policy. California for years has held the Automotive companies feet to the fire demanding ever higher emmision standards and better gas milage. If they want to have this unfunded mandate for car companies, let them pay for the research up front. I want to win the lottery, but that's not happening either. If they want this patchwork of state regulations it's not unreasonable for them to pay for it.
While on the subject of alternative energy policy, this last weeks love in for unproven battery technology made me want to rip out my hair. Has anyone noticed what the energy companies are using? DTE, Consumers Energy, SEMIG are all using compressed natural gas (CNG). It's cheap, it's plumbed into all businesses to heat them, and it gives off nearly 0 emmisions. All we need is a pump and accumilator, to compress the gas to liquid, and a pump added to the gas station island.

Monday, January 26, 2009 by Gary

The numbers in the discussion for a living wage are so unrealistic it shows how out of touch the decision makers are. A family of 4 needs more than $38000 a year minimally, and that is to live in the poorest nighborhoods, drive used cars and skimp on groceries. It covers only insurance required by law, and presumes these people do not get sick, don't deserve any entertainment, and will never establish a rainy day fund. This form of economic oppression is what is fueling our 'recession' directly into depression. Who has a plan for a strong economy that doesn't include good paying jobs? We will not have any economy if we do not have a buying public. What is it that makes that so hard to understand?

Monday, January 26, 2009 by George D

Allowing the potential to have 50 different sets of regulations for auto emission is rediculous. Who would we have pay for that, or is it assumed the industry would just meet the strictest one they can and let it go at that? What that does is let any state pick any number that would drive the rest of the country, or maybe some states just won't be able to buy cars period. Our foreign competition doesn't have any more magic up its sleeves than the domestics do, but I guess we'll have to learn this the hard way too.

Monday, January 26, 2009 by George D

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