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.

Granholm's state address optimistic without the details

Maybe we should nickname our illustrious governor "Jenny Blue Skies." It seems to her that if Michigan residents can be as optimistic as she is about our state's future that everything will fall into place and make Michigan's economy rebound. Yeah, and if ifs and buts were candies and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas.

She threw out a lot of dollar figures when talking about ambitious new programs. She didn't say how a struggling (projected budget deficit in 2008 of $3 billion, yeah that's billion) Michigan economy was going to provide the revenue necessary to run these fun sounding programs.

What I liked about her speech:

• A commitment to quit plugging holes in the budget by cutting school funding.
• Requiring cities and townships to consolidate purchasing/services with other local municipalities to receive increased revenue sharing payments from the state

Wow. I thought there would be more points that I liked, but after reading through the text that was all I could honestly come up with. There was a lot of talk and optimism, but not much at all in the way of facts to back up her accusations and financial solutions.

Her proposed state budget makes its debut tomorrow. It will be interesting to see her "tax boosts" and what will be cut in order to balance the budget.

I guess I just expected more in the way of hard numbers. Optimism is great, but optimism without facts to back up your reason for being optimistic is like skipping dinner and eating a sugary sweet dessert instead. Sure it tasted good, but it usually leaves you feeling sick and empty when you're finished.

See for yourself. You can read the text of her speech at the Lansing State Journal.

The 2006 elections are finally over

Ahh, hear that? You don't? Me either. My phones are blissfully silent except for people I actually want to talk to.

My radio is filled with talk, music, and commercials for the local auto mechanic.

My television is still filled with a lot of garbage, but at least the politicians have vacated it.

The 2006 elections are FINALLY over. Thank goodness for that.

I really don't want to recap the Michigan elections so I will provide links for those of you still interested in reading about politics. Here you go:

Granholm win is evidently a vote of hope by Michigan residents.

Granholm wins election and wins again as Democrats take control of the state House and made gains in the Senate.

Results of the various ballot proposals

Michigan political news heats up as election draws near

One of the hottest topics here at the All Things Michigan blog was a post I wrote after a friend of mine moved to Colorado for better job prospects. There was a lot of good discussion and points made in the comments section of the post. The bottom line about this year's election for the next governor of Michigan is that whomever wins needs to get the Michigan Representatives and Senate to put partisan politics aside and do what is right for Michigan.

If you missed the post, you can find it here.

If anyone else has a story to share about friends or family they have seen leave Michigan because of our economy feel free to post it in the comments section below.

Another positive about the elections taking place next Tuesday - only eight more days of political ads on radio and television. That sure makes me smile :).

Thoughts on the third Granholm vs. DeVos debate

It is hard to adequately state my displeasure with these three debates fights that took place between Governor Granholm and her challenger, Dick DeVos. What a waste of time for the great people of the state of Michigan. Neither candidate did anything to solidify their positions on the economy, taxes, or education. While DeVos has done essentially nothing (in my eyes) as far as presenting a fact-based solid plan for Michigan's recovery you have to ask yourself a simple question in regard to Jennifer Granholm. Are you better off than you were four years ago?

You see, this is why voter apathy is so high these days. The negative campaigning and the mud-slinging debates make voters decide to not cast a vote at all rather than vote for one of the two major party candidates.

Granholm has the 8-9 point lead in the polls but is it because she has done such a good job or is it because DeVos has not done anything to garner our votes?

Read what the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press are saying about the debate.