Reform wars: Has anyone seen Yoda?

Not so long ago, in a Statehouse building not so far away……

Reform wars have begun.

This week, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, unveiled his reform plan, wielding a light saber to slash salaries of all public employees by 5 percent and carve through collective bargaining rights.

And now, House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township , said he and fellow House Democrats are studying their own reform proposals and planning soon to issue their own reform plan to address a $1.8 billion shortfall next budget year.

A third reform proposal should emerge in early February, when Gov. Jennifer Granholm unveils her plan.

With all those light sabers clashing, it should make quite a spectacle. Already, Bishop’s plan has provoked an angry response this week from labor leaders, who balk at giving up their collective bargaining rights.

With new reform proposals and slashed programs, more groups likely will fall into the “outraged” column.

In all this dueling, hopefully no one will lose a limb.