Our governor

[Lorax]

Yeah, as a matter of fact, this is about right vs. left. I don't care what anyone says about Granholm, she's been a far superior governor to Engler, or any other Rethuglican for that matter.

The problem with having a Rethuglican governor, is the Rehthuglican part. No one sane wants fascism in our state government. Granholm has been trying to preserve the quality of life and income levels of unionized employees statewide.

Just because the entrenched corporate interests are willing to sell out our state's resources, workers and environment for the sake of a few jobs that will be offered at slave wages doesn't make any sense. No one's buying it.

You had all better thank god Michigan missed the "prosperity" of the Tush years, since the rest of America is collapsing under the weight of staggering real estate losses, job losses, as here in Florida, with little hope of recovery.

Just hope that Cox character doesn't end up governor- talk about polarization and Detroit bashing- you ain't seen nothing yet. When a Rethuglican governor gets his out state buddies to turn the firing squad on Detroit, as Engler did, then you will have another 20 years of infighting and racist polarization by Lansing.

[Rideron]

[quote=Lorax;77891]Yeah, as a matter of fact, this is about right vs. left. I don't care what anyone says about Granholm, she's been a far superior governor to Engler, or any other Rethuglican for that matter.

The above attitude is the majority view in Michigan, its also why Michigan is in the condition it is, and why nothing is likely to change.

[Lorax]

[quote=Rideron;78230]

Yeah, as a matter of fact, this is about right vs. left. I don't care what anyone says about Granholm, she's been a far superior governor to Engler, or any other Rethuglican for that matter.

The above attitude is the majority view in Michigan, its also why Michigan is in the condition it is, and why nothing is likely to change.

Perhaps things won't change in the direction you would like, but putting another divisive out-state Rethuglican in office won't change things for the better, only the worse.

Right wing politics in Michigan is a failure for the majority, who are liberal, and have been for decades. If the right wingers want to make a difference, they can get out of the way and move to Utah.

[turkeycall]

gnome,

Your post [#8] got me to thinking. There is a very good reason that John Engler could get things done. He knew how to work the system. How did he know how to work the system so well? His entire career - from college graduation on - was spent in Michigan state elective offices; years in the state legislature and then governor. He was a career politician.

Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t like John Engler and wouldn’t have voted for him if he were the only candidate on the ballot, but this says a lot about term limits in Michigan. My personal opinion [[read: unsolicited) is that limiting the service of elective offices is a not-so-great idea. By the time a state representative or senator gets really comfortable with the way the mechanics of the system works, it’s time for him to bag it out of office. Then someone else gets elected and has to learn the ropes. Inefficiency and ineffectiveness are symptoms of term limits.

Being a career politician isn’t something that is intrinsically evil. However, like any other established system of operation, ways can always be found to “screw your neighbor.� When it becomes apparent that a career politician is “screwing the citizens,� the voters can term limit him or her on election day.

Perhaps the State can save a whole lot of money by changing the Constitution - or by referendum [[whatever it takes) - to remove term limits but make serving in the State Legislature a part-time position. Per diem is paid while the legislature is in session and mileage is reimbursed at a set rate. The per diem rate would amount to nothing near what the salaries are now. For that matter, who needs two houses of legislature? Why not change to a unicameral instead of a bicameral legislature?

Sorry for highjacking this thread. My mind starts to wander when I look at the big picture. I’ll try not to let it happen again.