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After seven years in office, Gov. Granholm’s last chance to define her legacy comes down to three big speeches, two of which she already delivered, the last she will deliver later this week when she presents her 2011 executive budget recommendation to the Legislature.
The two speeches the governor has given so far could not be more different. A few days before Granholm’s final State of the State address, she outlined 29 specific proposals aimed at reforming government.
In this major policy speech, the governor embraced reforms Republican lawmakers have been calling for years, such as creating a Medicaid inspector general to eliminate fraud, requiring state employees to contribute more to their retirement and bringing government employee health care benefits in-line with the private sector.
The speech was notable because the governor finally acknowledged what must be done in order for the state to meet the challenges ahead.
Then there was Granholm’s State of the State, a speech notable only because it completely defied reality.
Rather than talk honestly about the jobs situation, the governor talked about how many jobs she has created, when in reality, Michigan lost a net total of 573,000 jobs under Granholm. Under Granholm, Michigan has had the highest unemployment rate in the nation for 46 months in a row – just two months shy of four years.
The governor should have used this opportunity to make her case to the public why we need to make tough reforms. She should have explained how bloated government is crushing small businesses and killing our ability to create jobs. She should have used the opportunity to give details of the policy proposals she laid out only a few days before.
Later this week Gov. Granholm will present her executive budget recommendation, in which she is widely expected to propose new and higher taxes.
I hope she doesn’t. I hope she sticks with her reform proposals. Let’s get the reforms done before we even talk about raising taxes.
I look forward to hearing your comments on these important issues. Please feel free to contact me by calling (888) 373-0078 or e-mailing sharontyler@house.mi. gov.
The bone-headed stubbornness of the auto manufacturers to realize what kind of car the other half of the country wanted is the reason for so many auto worker layoffs NOT Governor Granholm. Does she, or any governor have control over what the auto manufacturers decide? NO. Don’t blame her for what the “private sector manufacturing companies” did. Only now are they finally coming out with fuel efficient cars that many buyers wanted, but they refused to make because they made more money on SUVs. It always boils down to greed. It was too difficult to retool, they said. It would take them years and years to retool. Funny how quickly they retooled when they finally realized that some folk out there actually DID want fuel efficient cars. Seems like they had fuel efficient autos out and for sale in about ten months. Hummmmmm. Also, the Republicans I am convinced, intentionally work it so that if a Democrat is elected after them, they leave them with a pile of S— to work with. Engler was really good at S—.