One constant reader of this blog complained that I hadn't said anything about Granholm's trip yet- so here you go. What he doesn't realize is that I was waiting for Repub reaction so I could shove it back down their throat when it proved to be false. There is a method to my madness here. Sometimes. :-)
The Detroit News focuses on a Toyota engine plant rumor- while that would be a sweet deal, there are many other companies that she and the MEDC team will be visiting.
ROMULUS -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm left Sunday on a trade trip to Japan, where she will meet with Toyota Motor Corp. executives to lobby the automaker to build its first factory in Michigan.
"They know we are interested and we know that Michigan is high on the list," Granholm said Sunday at Detroit Metropolitan Airport just before she left on her three-day trade visit to Japan. Granholm declined to say which Toyota executives she would be meeting with or when.
It is Granholm's second visit to Japan in 10 months. Her first helped Michigan become a serious contender for a planned Toyota engine plant. And in the past few months, Toyota executives have reportedly scouted several sites in Michigan and other states for the facility.
-snip-
The governor and her economic development team plan to meet with 11 companies in Tokyo on Tuesday, then travel to Nagoya, where they will meet with eight companies on Wednesday.
In addition to automotive companies, she plans to meet with company executives from the chemical production, banking and electronics sectors in hopes of luring skilled, high-paying jobs.
The governor is traveling with several Michigan Economic Development Corp. officials, including CEO and President James Epolito. After the governor returns from Japan, Epolito will spend another week and a half in South Korea and China visiting about 50 more companies.
Question is: Why does the MI GOP hate bringing jobs to Michigan?
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis criticized Granholm's trip, saying the "taxpayer-funded trip is nothing more than a publicity stunt."
Well Saul, last time she went she brought back a boatload of jobs and money. Did you call that a "publicity stunt", too?
Granholm's last trade visit to Japan resulted in 10 Japanese companies expanding their presence in Michigan, creating 630 new jobs and $160 million in investment.
Don't forget Germany.
The Democratic governor's trade trip to Germany in 2004 resulted in eight companies announcing they would invest about $30 million and create about 150 new jobs.
Granholm- bringing jobs and investment to Michigan. That's a "publicity stunt" we can live with.