foolmenot.com“But Sen. Shirley Johnson, R-Royal Oak, said Granholm's speech was a successful kick off of her re-election bid. I think she did a helluva good job," Johnson said. "Her delivery is phenomenal. You can't deny it."
I don’t know if the lawmaker supports the Governor or not, but her words only say that she delivers a speech well and that she didn’t lose any of her supporters by what she said- interpreting that means to me that she looks good and sounds good. There is absolutely no mention by the lawmaker concerning content.
Shucks, I think most every actor in Hollywood has a phenomenal delivery…
Thursday, January 26, 2006
By Peter Luke
Boot Newspapers
Lansing Bureau
LANSING -- Anticipating 10 months of Republican criticism of her performance, Gov. Jennifer Granholm kicked off her re-election campaign with a State of the State speech that sought to reassure anxious voters that her plans to boost Michigan's lagging economy will work.
Two days after Ford Motor Co. announced the 2007 closing of its Wixom assembly plant and the elimination of some 4,000 white-collar jobs, Granholm Wednesday acknowledged the pain Michigan residents are feeling and their fears about where Michigan is headed.
"We have a detailed and comprehensive plan to grow this economy," Granholm said. "And everything in that plan will secure the opportunity for a good life for you and your family, in Michigan."
Since 2000, payroll employment in Michigan has declined by more than 320,000 jobs -- 82,000 of them lost since Granholm took office in 2003, a period of national economic recovery.
Granholm laid the blame for that job loss, two-thirds of it in manufacturing, on a global economy in which "our auto industry struggles." She also cited inaction in Washington on issues such as pension reform, health care costs and trade.
While her economic forecasters this month projected still more payroll job loss in 2006, Granholm said the policies initiated last year would soon begin to pay dividends.
Among them: $1 billion in state investment in new technology companies over the next 10 years; $3 billion in accelerated, state-funded construction on roads, schools and health care facilities over the next three years; and the placement of 30,000 unemployed workers in unfilled public- and private-sector positions.
As for Michigan's "beloved" domestic auto industry, Granholm said despite the bad news about plant closings and layoffs by Ford and General Motors Corp., the Big Three had invested $9 billion in Michigan in the past three years. German and Japanese auto-related firms had invested another $1.7 billion.
While Ford announced its Wixom plant closing on Monday, the Michigan Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the sale of state land in Washtenaw County that will be the site of a new Toyota Motor Co. research and development facility.
"The (car) industry's changing, but we in Michigan cannot, will not, abandon it," Granholm said.
Her likely GOP opponent, Grand Rapids businessman Dick DeVos, said in a statement that Michigan's economic problems are "just as acute for thousands of farmers and small businesses in our state that are struggling, laying off workers, or simply closing their doors altogether."
"We don't need some slight adjustments, we need to change course," DeVos said.
Republican lawmakers complained that the speech, like past addresses, promised much, but provided little detail on how those promises would be kept.
"I don't think the challenge for this governor has been delivering a good speech," said Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming. "Her challenge has always been matching reality with the rhetoric."
Sikkema said the GOP-controlled Senate would begin hearings next week on Granholm's proposal to leverage up to $600 million in federal funding to craft a new health insurance plan to cover 550,000 low-income residents without health insurance.
Administration officials said the state's cost could be $400 million, but were vague on where the state funding would come from. Sikkema said state aid to universities, community colleges and municipal governments had already been sacrificed in recent years to cover soaring health care bills for the poor.
Republicans also said they would demand more details a Granholm proposal to allow employees in small businesses to participate in the state's existing 401(k) retirement program for state employees. State Treasurer Jay Rising said the administrative costs would be minimal and would allow workers employed by firms without pension plans to begin setting aside pretax income for retirement.
Sikkema did think there would be legislative compromise to boost the Michigan Merit Award from $2,500 to $4,000 for students who complete at least two years of college or obtain a technical training degree. Republicans are also likely to approve a tougher high school curriculum that mandates four years of English, math and science.
But Republicans are unlikely to support Granholm's call to hike Michigan's minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.85. The Michigan Democratic Party has begun collecting petition signatures to put the measure on the November ballot. Nor are Republicans likely to consider a Granholm-Democratic proposal to cut home and auto insurance rates 20 percent.
Democrats cheered the wage and insurance proposals, while Republicans who filled half the packed House chambers sat on their hands. Granholm must please her political base if she's to generate the kind of voter turnout that will be required to win a second term.
Republicans had different views as to how well Granholm scored with equally critical swing voters.
Public opinion polls show that nearly two-thirds of those surveyed believe Michigan is on the wrong track. Those same polls, however, show a majority approving of Granholm's job performance.
The Republican strategy is to convince voters that the governor hasn't been up to the job and that DeVos would steer the state toward renewed prosperity. On the Capitol lawn, the Michigan Republican Party erected a sign detailing three years of job loss in the state.
GOP Party Chair Saul Anuzis called the speech "a lot of fluff" that was at odds with the economic anxiety Michigan residents are feeling this election year.
But Sen. Shirley Johnson, R-Royal Oak, said Granholm's speech was a successful kick off of her re-election bid.
"I think she did a helluva good job," Johnson said. "Her delivery is phenomenal. You can't deny it."
Contact Peter Luke at (517) 487-8888 or e-mail him at pluke@boothnewspapers.com.