In 1983, Michigan voters recalled two legislators from office. The impetus: a tax increase. Many other lawmakers were targeted, including the governor. A state resident at the time, I remember being asked to sign petitions frequently. This citizens revolt is inspirationally recounted in “Total Recall,” an article in the March/April 2008 Michigan Capitol Connection, published by the Mackinac Center.

“Total Recall” highlights a second people’s revolt brewing in the Great Lake State, the fuse also having  been lit by a tax increase. A tax hike in the neighborhood of $1.385 billion. In a state whose economy is in the compost bin. The article notes,

Anti-tax activists have announced plans to petition for the recall of as many as 10 Michigan lawmakers this spring and summer, and Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, D-Redford Twp., may be one of the top targets. Leon Drolet, head of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and coordinator of several of the recall efforts, believes that recalling the leader of a state legislative chamber would be the first of its kind in the nation. Sizing up the challenge, Drolet announced: "We’re ready to make history.”

Unfortunately, I long ago tossed out the newspapers whose inspirational front page headlines announced the results of the 1983 recall elections. This go round, I will be sure to keep, and frame, any such front pages.