Who do we like for Governor?

[dbrok]

I understand that everything is spin in a race like this, but I am confused by something that maybe someone here can help me with. I continue to hear Grandholm blame Michigan's woes on free trade agreements and President Bush. This makes no sense to me because it was actually Bill Clinton who signed NAFTA into law and pushed for increased trade with China. So, when she points to our State's economy and says that it is the Republicans and, in particular, President Bush who we should blame, is that not beyond misleading?

Just to clarify, I am not a republican.

Apparently, it's easier to blame Bush than actually find solutions to problems, whether in Michigan or the rest of the world. I'm not saying Bush is perfect by any means, but beating the same horse over and over isn't going to get anyone anywhere. I also thought free trade overall had the effect of creating jobs and bettering the economy rather than adding to financial woes.

[Kayak1]

It sure didn't take Jenny to have her commercial about Google on TV. How much did she really have to do with it anyway? From what I heard, the guy is an UofM grad and likes A2. Was their really any pursuading needed?

I see Dick Devos and another wealthy popitician that cannot relate to the "common man or woman". Where is Jeffrey Feiger?

[gvsusean]

NAFTA is not to blame for our economic woes....... If anything it staved off greater economic decline. Sure SOME manufacturing jobs were lost to Mexico and China, but do you wanna know where the jobs were really lost to???? increased individual productivity and automation, so blame the robots not the policies. FYI:

The US manufactures more now than any other time in its history...... even with the great flight of manufacturing.

[michaelskis]

I am not a fan of Jenny. She claims that she works well with business, but she has not. She says that she is pro education, and cuts funding to all levels of education. Public transportation is a joke, and she has stood in the way of Michigan moving beyond its manufacturing root and improving diversification the economic force. Finally while other former rust belt cities have rebounded, Michigan has continued to loose money, jobs, and recent college graduates.

Needless to say, DeVos will get my vote this November.

[Rizzo]

Am I missing something, will Devos make it even better? Honestly, he will have be a head to a democracy not a state recognized corporate entity. This is where I believe "business sense" really doesn't make much of a difference. A governor can have all the business skills they can possibly have yet they still have to deal with a House where sides of opinion and votes reign.

If a free market can not be controlled by one person, how is Jenny responsible, and then how will Devos be responsible? It's all politics and I'm smarter then that to just believe business experience will turn us around and vote because it's my right.

my .02 cents -- Which I melted down and sold as scrap for a profit.

[Veloise]

...

I see Dick Devos and another wealthy popitician that cannot relate to the "common man or woman". Where is Jeffrey Feiger?

Now **there's** a man of the people!

FWIW, his spread in Bloomfield Hills rivals that of Aretha Franklin. He has a bazillion $$ office building on Ten Mile Road in Southfield (you talk about being out of scale and character with the existing buildings...!). Wealthy wealthy wealthy, earned it on the judicial system and outrageous insurance settlements.

[backstory: in the 80's, he sued a family member for malpractice]

[snoogit]

Where is Jeffrey Feiger?

Running for Attorney General.

[egrguy]

Running for Attorney General.

Goodness gracious, we all know how is past political experiences went. Good luck!

[AlexPKeaton]

Feiger is quite possibly the sleaziest man in the state.

-nb

[Rizzo]

I thought that title was reserved for ML. Wasn't even passed by popular vote?

[Weallneedhistory]

Am I missing something, will Devos make it even better? Honestly, he will have be a head to a democracy not a state recognized corporate entity. This is where I believe "business sense" really doesn't make much of a difference. A governor can have all the business skills they can possibly have yet they still have to deal with a House where sides of opinion and votes reign.

If a free market can not be controlled by one person, how is Jenny responsible, and then how will Devos be responsible? It's all politics and I'm smarter then that to just believe business experience will turn us around and vote because it's my right.

my .02 cents -- Which I melted down and sold as scrap for a profit.

No one knows for sure if the economy would turn around with DeVos at the head, and I also realize that Engler left a mess for Jenny in the first place. But the economy has not turned around under JG, and DeVos' business skills may come in handy in dealing with the house and senate. Votes do reign, and the votes of their consituents are what senators and congressmen worry about the most. I would rather give DeVos, who most assuredly has some type of plan, a chance, then give Granholm another shot just b/c I don't know if DeVos could deal well with Congress. I don't think Jenny has done a bang-up job in her dealings with Congress.

Also, DeVos fits my personal moral choices far better than Granholm. And no matter what people say every two years about voting religiously, morality and religion does play a huge part in the make-up of one's character, i.e. their vote.

[Rizzo]

No one knows for sure if the economy would turn around with DeVos at the head, and I also realize that Engler left a mess for Jenny in the first place. But the economy has not turned around under JG, and DeVos' business skills may come in handy in dealing with the house and senate. Votes do reign, and the votes of their consituents are what senators and congressmen worry about the most. I would rather give DeVos, who most assuredly has some type of plan, a chance, then give Granholm another shot just b/c I don't know if DeVos could deal well with Congress. I don't think Jenny has done a bang-up job in her dealings with Congress.

Also, DeVos fits my personal moral choices far better than Granholm. And no matter what people say every two years about voting religiously, morality and religion does play a huge part in the make-up of one's character, i.e. their vote.

I believe the White House says the economy is strong and robust. There are plenty of jobs, so many jobs infact that their is near full employment (5%.) in Western Michigan. In reality, Devos has no platform for being elected. What I think he is trying to say is, "The rest of Michigan vote for me so I can make more jobs where you don't have to get an education -- because life can be just that easy.) Economy aside, business skills aren't political skills -- don't confuse the two. He can talk about the plan of running the state as a business, but he still will be accountable to the public school system and FIA. Let us see him talk a buisness plan out of that one.

[Lplan]

No one knows for sure if the economy would turn around with DeVos at the head, and I also realize that Engler left a mess for Jenny in the first place. But the economy has not turned around under JG, and DeVos' business skills may come in handy in dealing with the house and senate. Votes do reign, and the votes of their consituents are what senators and congressmen worry about the most. I would rather give DeVos, who most assuredly has some type of plan, a chance, then give Granholm another shot just b/c I don't know if DeVos could deal well with Congress. I don't think Jenny has done a bang-up job in her dealings with Congress.

Also, DeVos fits my personal moral choices far better than Granholm. And no matter what people say every two years about voting religiously, morality and religion does play a huge part in the make-up of one's character, i.e. their vote.

I've been trying to stay out of the debate but I really do want to quickly respond. Jenny from the block's actions as of yet have largely been long term fixes, when she has been able to get them past an unquestionably obstructionist congress. (Ok, I know you'll question that anyway. ) I don't agree with a lot of the things she says or talks about, and I must admit I find some things just fine about DeVos, but JG has always taken a more statesman approach vs. politician one, I believe, opting for the long term, less politically viable fixes over the short term, highly visible, worthless in the long term actions that have become a hallmark of Michigan (American?) politics. It's a method that I think is the right one, regardless of whether it will keep her in office.

[MJLO]

i'd say that's a pretty reasonable assessment

[suydam]

I've been trying to stay out of the debate but I really do want to quickly respond. Jenny from the block's actions as of yet have largely been long term fixes, when she has been able to get them past an unquestionably obstructionist congress. (Ok, I know you'll question that anyway. ) I don't agree with a lot of the things she says or talks about, and I must admit I find some things just fine about DeVos, but JG has always taken a more statesman approach vs. politician one, I believe, opting for the long term, less politically viable fixes over the short term, highly visible, worthless in the long term actions that have become a hallmark of Michigan (American?) politics. It's a method that I think is the right one, regardless of whether it will keep her in office.

I have a generally feeling that you're right, but do you have any specific examples of her long-term fixes?

[snoogit]

I have a generally feeling that you're right, but do you have any specific examples of her long-term fixes?

Cool Cities is a start.

[michaelskis]

Cool Cities is a start.

Cool Cities is like putting $5 down on the purchase of a new Lexus

[GaryP]

Cool Cities is like putting $5 down on the purchase of a new Lexus

[gvsusean]

not sure how it could be harmful...

I think cool cities has been extremely successful at doing exactly what it was designed to do, which was bring attention to cities in Michigan.

how many "cool cities" were discovered by this program, especially out of the state of michigan, I know that GR gets cool cities programs but I cant think of one off the top of my head. The bottom line- it has done little at all towards any real good...... Brownfield credits on the other hand... (hope they are not related )

[Lplan]

how many "cool cities" were discovered by this program, especially out of the state of michigan, I know that GR gets cool cities programs but I cant think of one off the top of my head. The bottom line- it has done little at all towards any real good...... Brownfield credits on the other hand... (hope they are not related )

I agree that cool cities was a good step, although I can't say I was impressed with some of the choices... I personally don't consider, say, Norway MI (pop. 3000) much of a city, no offense to the great citizens of Norway MI. Same with, dare I say it, Portland. Considering the stated goals of the Cool Cities Initiative (see the white paper at http://www.coolcities.com/whatscool/ especially) I would have liked to see the grants be limited to projects in places larger than, oh, 100,000. But I'm biased, probably. And hey, you operate in a political atmosphere, you gotta throw some pork, right?

I think JG has also done quite a bit as far as reforming the state gov. There are fewer state workers /capita than ever before, lowest state spending, more exec directives than i can recall... for instances I can think of a couple of the top of my head...

She directed one of the state agencies (DMB? perhaps) to only build new state offices in cities, not in greenfields. Also, directed MDOT to adopt context-sensitive design regulations, although I don't know how much that will continue with Gloria Jeff gone.

I think my larger point from this post and the earlier one is that it seems that JG has made some very base-level changes that might take a long time to show their benefits, but can over the long term make a serious positive difference, where she could have opted to do the politician thing and get a bunch of highly visible, short term changes pushed through. That choice, i think, may prove to be her undoing in November (all the shortsighters going "But what has she DONE!?!??")

-sigh-

[Lplan]

Oh, by the way, can someone change the poll so the gov's name reads correctly? Or maybe misspell DaVos then, too? just to be fair...

[GRDadof3]

I traditionally vote Republican, but unless something spectacular gets announced by Devos, I'm probably going to vote for Granholm. Devos is not going to get my vote just because his face is contantly on TV. In fact, the more I see him, the more I don't like him. I personally don't think the State's problems have anything to do with Granholm (or Engler as some people laughingly suggest). No Governor has determined what industries would control the biggest chunk of the economy in Michigan (automotive OEM's and their suppliers), so how can the Governor control when that industry goes through drastic life-altering (and long time coming) changes? So in my mind, if the state of the economy is not her fault, than I'm not willing to take a big risk on an Amway guy.

And, drawing businesses and jobs to the State are not going to be quickly fixed by dropping every tax that businesses pay, or paying out gigantic tax breaks. Businesses want to move to places where they have the greatest chance for success. Appealing to the lowest common denominator is not a good long-term growth strategy, like a lot of the Southern and Southwestern States.

And finally, when the economy is back and roaring again in 2 - 3 years, then what is Devos going to do? I haven't heard his stance on anything else (education, transit, returning Michigan's inner-cities to greatness, protecting our Great Lakes and the natural resources that make Michigan a fantastic place, anything). Has anyone else?

[snoogit]

Cool Cities is like putting $5 down on the purchase of a new Lexus

[Veloise]

Saw this in my beloved Sunday Freep a couple weeks back, and finally located it on-line...from a reader's letter.

"I'm sure the money he has spent on TV advertising alone could be better used to alleviate many of the problems this state, this city and quite possibly this country are plagued with."

[walker]

I agree that cool cities was a good step, although I can't say I was impressed with some of the choices... I personally don't consider, say, Norway MI (pop. 3000) much of a city, no offense to the great citizens of Norway MI. Same with, dare I say it, Portland. Considering the stated goals of the Cool Cities Initiative (see the white paper at http://www.coolcities.com/whatscool/ especially) I would have liked to see the grants be limited to projects in places larger than, oh, 100,000. But I'm biased, probably. And hey, you operate in a political atmosphere, you gotta throw some pork, right?

Funny you should mention Portland. Till about a month ago the only time I'd spent in Portland was stopping at the Mcdonald's off I-96 for coffee or stopping for gas on trips between "larger places". But in a quest to find new places to walk I discovered that Portland has got miles of trails that run along the Grand and Looking Glass Rivers and along old railroad right-of-ways. I found an interesting restaurant downtown right next to the river and trail called Duke's Canoe Club. Even took my wife there the next day. Even though Portland is more Mayberry than Detroit, I thought it was a cool little city. From the link I see their Cool Cities grant is to expand the trails more. If I lived there, that would give me something to think about before running off to the bright lights of Chicago.