Thursday, January 26, 2006

Granholm: State on road to recovery
Here's a link to Chris Christoff's story in the Free Press. Quickly becoming my favorite reporter. I usually don't pay attention to names on reporters, but I think I need to start-

LANSING -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm declared Wednesday that Michigan is on the brink of an economic rebound, as she sought to counter Republican critics who blame her for job losses and uplift Democrats with proposals to improve health care, education and even retirement for working families.

In her fourth State of the State address, Granholm's assessment focused on her efforts to diversify the state's economy while caring for workers and families who are suffering financially because of an unemployment rate that is among the nation's worst.

One surprise was her proposal for a state-run 401(k) savings plan aimed at employees of small businesses without retirement programs. The plan would be funded by employee payroll deductions, with no matching state money.

This idea caused a stir here, leading Channel 8's noon news and drawing a reporter to try to get the details. "I have to work it out with the IRS", (paraphrasing)says Granholm.

One interesting point that Channel 8 mentioned- most of these proposals can be done without the state legislature.

Good deal. Maybe we can get something done.

With little new revenue to launch expensive programs, Granholm combined some old ideas -- one is to revise and broaden the Merit Award Scholarship program for students -- with new, populist-sounding proposals that drew cheers from Democrats and near-silence from Republicans.

Republican leaders in the Legislature said Granholm's proposals would receive "fair and timely consideration." But their immediate response to her speech ranged from tepid to hostile.

Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming, said Granholm's plan to expand health care programs for the working poor was ambitious but possibly unrealistic. Other states that have tried to expand health care coverage in recent years have "crashed and burned," he said.

So, we do nothing, Ken? Don't even try? Let 'em all die? Defeatist attitude from the majority leader. Again. Surprise. By the way Ken, apparently we don't need you guys on this one. So there.
Granholm said the state has created 327,000 jobs since she became governor in 2003 -- a figure her critics disputed. State Republicans planted an electronic sign on the Capitol lawn that shows the number of state job losses since she took office at more than 164,000. The GOP plans to follow Granholm, a Democrat, with the sign on the campaign trail.

We can plant campaign signs on the Capitol lawn? Cool. Get on that, Lansing Democrats. Here's a few ideas- number of uninsured Michigan citizens, number of jobs created by DeVos in China... I'm sure there are more. Get clever and get on offense, dammit.