"She Can Cut What She Wants"

As Mike Bishop screams about the cuts that Granholm made to K-12, maybe it's time to remind the Republicans of their own fiscal policy here. Seems we have an issue about them insisting on cuts to government, but throwing a fit when those cuts actually happen. This also occurred back in May when the governor "cut government" through an Executive Order made to balance the budget; now it's happening again as she tries to balance the unbalanced K-12 budget as passed by the Legislature.

Here's Mike Bishop, Oct 1st, when the issue of line-item vetoes first came up.

In reaction, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) all but dared Granholm to issue vetoes.

"She can cut what she wants," he said. "We'd be willing to talk to her about cuts. That's what our plan was from the very beginning. If she wants to cut more out of government, then God bless her. Let her go ahead and do what she has to do. We'll work with her on that."

He was just afraid that she would make cuts to programs that are "popular with Republicans". Meaning, Republicans shouldn't have to suffer because of the Republican fiscal policy that demands "more cuts" from government. Alrighty then.

Just yesterday, Matt Marsden -

He said Mr. Bishop told Ms. Granholm last week that any funds she vetoes would be "seen as additional cuts by the governor to reduce the size of government."

OK. The Republicans are getting what they wanted here... and now they say this:

For his part, Bishop said the governor "breached her fiduciary responsibility" by vetoing the money for the 39 districts, money that they were promised to avoid spending reductions under Proposal A school finance reforms passed by voters in 1994.

He charged that Granholm's veto amounted to "extortion" and a "full-fledged hatchet job" on these districts.

Someone needs to remind Senator Bishop if he doesn't want "more cuts to government", then lawmakers can override the vetoes. Seriously, all this hypocritical flailing about for the press because Republicans are getting exactly what they asked for is just embarrassing.