I want this stuff on record before it disappears into the netherworld of archived MLive and/or Detroit Free Press articles and I have to go search library records to find it. Like last year, it's probably best to have a handy dandy reference to the things Mike has said so we can remind him of it if he wanders off the path, right?
Bishop has been running around to the media proclaiming that things will be better in Lansing this year. Today the Freep chimes in on a moment in Michigan history that I really wish I could have seen- Granholm, Dillon and Bishop sitting down together over dinner and chatting about the year that was and the year to come.
There was no formal theme, but the principals agreed between courses that 2007 had been a tough, unfortunate and even embarrassing year for state government, and none of them wanted a repeat in 2008.
Bishop acknowledges the problem...
"There were times when the Legislature just looked very bad. It was chaos ... reminded me of a fraternity house," Bishop said during a meeting last week with the Free Press editorial board. "I remember walking through the Capitol during one of those sessions at 5 a.m., thinking, this is just not the way it's supposed to be."
... and apparently has been in talks with Dillon about finding some common ground right off the bat.
Democrat Dillon of Redford Township and Republican Bishop of Rochester agreed in the separate conversations that it makes sense for the leadership to find a significant issue with bipartisan support and get it taken care of early this year, to set the tone.
With the House up for election in the fall, Dillon acknowledged that "you can identify some people who would say that the worse we look, the better it will be for them in November." But Dillon said most of the Legislature appeared chastened by the reaction to their 2007 exploits and his caucus, at least, is ready to put bad blood behind and dig into its responsibilities.
Most? Care to name names of those who weren't? Probably not, but given some of the statements so far this year * coughDeRochecough * we can guess as to who the malcontents are.
Moving on, we've established that the Democrats are ready to go and get some work done. Bishop says he is too. From the Kalamazoo Gazette-
In regard to lawmakers' image, Bishop said, "There was agreement among all of us that we have to do a lot of rehabilitation with the public. The way to do that is to work together, and that is our commitment.
"Of course, the proof is in the pudding, and it is an election year."
And there was this-
"We know the public was not pleased by what they saw," Bishop said, speaking of 2007. "We want to be more communicative and less combative this year."
We will see if Bishop is serious about that. So far, we have seen that they are choosing to work on divisive legisaltion, planning on ignoring fiscal facts, and insisting on being irresponsible with the budget. Not off to a good start.
He said the Republicans' priority this year is "jobs, jobs, jobs," but could offer no specifics on how they intend to recruit more businesses to Michigan.
The more things change, the more things stay the same. Off we go into 2008...