State Sen. Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, who sits on both committees, said they worked Wednesday night on a deal and again on Thursday.
He said a conference committee vote could happen Tuesday, and then the bills would move to the House and Senate for a straight up or down vote.
"By the end of next week we will have something ready for the governor to sign," Richardville said.
If that is true, no one told Mike Bishop. While it would be grand fun to see the Senate Republicans do an end-run around their own leadership, anyone who has watched how these guys operate will know that, in the end, obstruction must be served at all costs. For that very same day, Bishop contradicted Richardville, and told MIRS there is no deal.
Apparently the governor was following Richardville's lead Friday, telling the press the very same thing that Randy did, so of course by the end of the day Bishop had to step up and play the obstinate child again. It's an all too familiar pattern that we have seen repeated time and time again in the past couple of years.
Gov. Jennifer GRANHOLM is "assuming" the legislature has a deal on the pending energy package that has bounced around the Capitol for more than a year.
The man who would have to sign off on such a "deal," Senate Majority Leader Mike BISHOP (R-Rochester) said "not so fast."
Anxious to boast of the renewable energy portfolio standards to Japanese business officials next week, Granholm told reporters today that "the framework of the understanding" on the long-awaited energy package is complete.
Allegedly, an all-night session of key negotiators put a deal at the point where lawmakers only need "dot the Is and cross the Ts," the Governor said.
If that's the case, Bishop said he didn't know about it.
"It's not at that point where we can say all we need to do is cross the Ts and dot the Is," Bishop told reporters today.
So, is Mike Bishop trying to tell us that his own committee member was misleading the press? Or, is this an indication that Bishop really doesn't know what is going on within his own caucus when it comes to this legislation? Or, could it be that that Mike is simply telling us that once again the Senate Republicans will obstruct this legislation under his direction?
Which is it, Senator Bishop? Inquiring minds want to know if you are lying, clueless, or just a petty little man that has a desperate need to make it appear to everyone that you are in control, so much so that you undermine your own people and party.
"There is one man standing in the way of job creation... His name is Mike Bishop" - Granholm to MIRS 8/22
In light of the way this all played out last Friday, that statement should probably be chiseled on the steps of the Capitol.
The governor is off to Japan this week to recruit jobs and investment for Michigan. It's too bad that Bishop has no intention of bringing new jobs to Michigan - guess we will have to do it without his help.