Top five words Governor Granholm used in her State of the State Speech

The Detroit Free Press had an interesting article on the number of times certain words were used in Governor Granholm's State of the State speech. Here is the breakdown:

1. Jobs - 54 times
2. Alternative or renewable energy - 25 times
3. Schools - 18 times
4. Taxes - 12 times
5. Anger or angry - 8 times

And the two words most Michigan residents wanted to hear her say . . . I quit ;).

Read the full text of last night's speech.

Republic-Michigamme pink-slips entire teaching staff

All 14 teachers in the Republic-Michigamme school system were given pink slips on Wednesday. The school will be back in session this fall according to school superintendent, Vicki Holsworth. The move was made in light of the rumblings in Lansing of possible cuts to school funding. There are 150 students in the entire K-12 at Republic-Michigamme making it one of the smaller districts in the state. Evidently the move gives the district flexibility in terms of having to adjust positions to half-time or eliminating some positions.

The article struck me as I had not heard of a district giving its entire (albeit small) staff pink slips.

Read my previous post about the possible cuts to the school systems in Michigan as proposed by Governor Granholm just a couple of weeks after telling schools to "fight" a similar (although less drastic in terms of dollars) cut to school funding by state Republicans.

The duplicity of our governor is too disturbing to even be funny.

The state of Michigan should learn from the Detroit Tigers

Daniel Howes' article on how the Detroit Tigers have a lesson for all of us has inspired me to show what Michigan and its' leaders could learn from the Tigers. The Tigers suffered through 12 straight losing seasons. In 2003 they even tied the record for most losses ever in a single season with 119. The players were known throughout baseball to have horrible attitudes and a work ethic to match.

Just three years after their 119 loss season the Detroit Tigers won 95 games in the regular season and made it to the World Series.

How did they rise from the depths of despair and what lesson(s) can Michigan learn from them?

1. Leadership - Owner Mike Ilitch, GM Dave Dombrowski, Manager Jim Leyland, and the players themselves all exhibited excellent leadership skills.
2. Management - Jim Leyland's no nonsense, grind it out day-to-day, forget yesterday and focus on today management attitude was a large part of their renaissance.
3. Performance - Jim Leyland and the Detroit Tigers players performed well above anyone's wildest expectations.
4. Jim Leyland's Mantra - There are NO short cuts - you have to work at it.
5. From the Detroit News (regarding Jim Leyland and his leadership) - "when things go right it's not all about him and when they don't, he doesn't look for the five closest people to throw under the proverbial bus. Sound like any leaders you know -- or not?"

Lets compare the 5 winning examples from the Detroit Tigers to Michigan. The part of Jim Leyland will be played by our governor, Jennifer Granholm. The players will be played by our elected legislature.

1. Leadership - Our bipartisan legislature (the players) does their own thing. Our Governor says one thing and then does another. No one wants to put politics aside and create a winning plan for the residents (the fans - sticking with the baseball analogy here). Is it any wonder why the fans (Michigan residents) are leaving the ballpark (Michigan)?
2. Management - Jennifer Granholm could take a lesson from Jim Leyland (whom Tiger fans wanted to vote in for governor last year) and develop a no nonsense "buck stops here" attitude. No more passing the buck and blaming our state's failures on the Engler administration. You are in your 5th year as Governor of Michigan. Show us something.
3. Performance - We are facing a multi-billion dollar budget deficit in the coming years. Businesses continue to leave and layoff. Here we are at the end of April and the Democrats and Republicans just don't seem to have a sense of urgency about stopping the bleeding and creating a workable plan that won't have the burden (tax increases) placed on Michigan residents.
4. No Short Cuts - Rather than really trying to find areas to cut, state lawmakers are proposing tax increases to plug the holes in the budget deficit.
5. "When things go right it's not all about him and when they don't, he doesn't look for the five closest people to throw under the proverbial bus. Sound like any leaders you know -- or not?" - No Comment.

Granholm faces angry audience at Southfield town hall meeting

In case you didn't know, Jennifer Granholm is touring the state this week holding town hall meetings so she can find out what Michigan residents are saying and thinking about our state's economy. Just as she is kicking off the town hall meeting week Comerica announces that they are moving their headquarters out of Michigan and down to Texas. Ouch. Talk about unlucky timing.

Well, it is no surprise that Granholm faced some angry (and justifiably so) folks in Southfield. She can expect plenty more of those at all of her other stops across the state.

Here are some of the comments dealt to her (via the Detroit Free Press):

"Why don't you use your emergency powers to declare a state of economic disaster?" asked Jerry Goldberg, 56, a Detroiter who belongs to an activist group that wants the state to step in to stop foreclosures, utility shutoffs and other bad news for residents.

Leticia Hall, a 30-year-old mother of two from Detroit who said she has been out of work for six months, said she wants a job or at least some help when her unemployment checks end next month.

It is also no surprise that most people are not happy about Governor Granholm's proposal of fixing Michigan's budget crisis - raising taxes. Who wants more taken out of their pocket when they are already feeling pinched?

Don't forget that you can vent your frustrations and place your vote on Jennifer Granholm's job performance as Governor of Michigan at www.squidoo.com/bestofmichigan/. So far a few votes have been cast and the overwhelming majority is "Throw her out before things get worse."

Place your vote on Governor Jennifer Granholm's job performance

I have added a new poll to my Squidoo Lens - Best of Michigan that asks a simple question. Has Jennifer Granholm done a good job running our state? You have two choices - either yes or no. None of that "undecided" garbage that a typical poll contains.

Vote today at www.squidoo.com/bestofmichigan.

Rotten news for Michigan on a Monday morning

Boy, I don't know which is worse. The fact that Michigan gas prices are up to a $2.21 average when just a few weeks ago we were under $2, our state budget crisis, or the fact that in a Detroit Free Press/Local 4 poll 46% of those polled would vote for Hillary Clinton. What a crummy start to the week.

We need another Clinton in the White House like we needed another Bush in the White House. When will America learn that one family member in the White House is enough?

On a lighter note, our state is in some serious fiscal shape (catch that wonderful sarcasm?). We are up the proverbial creek without the use of a paddle. Have no fear, though, my fellow Michiganians.

Our illustrious governor will be letting us all in on her great plan during her 5th State of the State address on Tuesday night. Remember last year's address? That was when she made fodder for Dick DeVos' television campaign with the infamous line - "and in Five years, you're going to be blown away!"

I hope she wasn't off by a decade or two in her prediction of when Michigan's economy will rebound.

Woohoo! For those of you wondering what wonderful sound bites she will have this year - stay tuned. I will have my thoughts on the address posted sometime on Wednesday.