[michmoldman]

Rick has taken over the lead last I seen.

[danielj72]

Right now Im leaning toward Hoekstra. However the lineup of republicans looks good to me and I could vote for any one of the major contenders in the main election next fall. No more socialism, no more programs,time to straighten out the state goverment and the budget. Its also time to get rid of some of the taxes and regulation that keep business out of the state.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by danielj72

Right now Im leaning toward Hoekstra. However the lineup of republicans looks good to me and I could vote for any one of the major contenders in the main election next fall. No more socialism, no more programs,time to straighten out the state goverment and the budget. Its also time to get rid of some of the taxes and regulation that keep business out of the state.

Right Wing talking points , you are preaching to the quire on this thread I am sure. Good luck with your false choice.

[us66]

I don't give a rats patootie who's there, as long as the roads get plowed and de-iced in the wintertime, the prison gates aren't emptied, and my taxes don't go up. I'm going to take a silver dollar to the voting booth and flip it when I'm there. I was going to vote for Bernero as a weak Democrat but my state senate race is very interesting on the Republican side (Brandenburg vs. Drolet vs. Meltzer)...vicious and very dirty fighting on all three sides, from what I see.

[Bhaalspawn]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

I hope whoever it is will make a stand for American industry. God knows this country needs it.

None of these candidates can really do much in those regards; it's almost exclusively a federal government issue. All a governor can really try to do is to make Michigan a relatively better place than the other states. (The ones that are doing well seem to have a booming energy resources industry and no one can wave a magic wand and make oil appear under the ground.)

It seems like the best we can hope for is that one of them will make the state more attractive for businesses without dramatically decreasing the number and types of services the state offers citizens and without raising taxes.

I wonder if one approach might be to try to completely re-brand the state so that people outside of Michigan don't see it as a state containing decrepit cities (Flint, Detroit) with derelict manufacturing facilities, but rather a beautiful state with abundant lakeshore and water resources, something like:

Michigan: A beautiful place to live, a good place to locate a business.

I wonder if the right strategy might be to try to focus business development and the rest of the country's attention on the western half of the state, such as Grand Rapids, and its closer proximity to Chicago. I also wonder if the Upper Penninsula could be marketable.

[Bhaalspawn]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

Sick and totally done with career politicians. Im voting for Rick because there is just something about him I really like, he seems like a real person.

I haven't paid much attention to the Michigan gubernatorial race since I tend to focus primarily on federal policies. However, I give Rick and his team credit for giving him a high profile and a positive profile. I haven't paid too much attention to him, but I like the attitude he is projecting. "Hire me (and I will be your humble servant)" and not "Elect me."

He probably won't be much different from any other governor, but perhaps there's a chance that he'll try to fix the state's economy. Unfortunately, that could very well mean eliminating numerous social programs and worker and consumer protections. However, all of the states, at least the ones without oil, are forced to compete in a race-to-the-bottom right now and there just aren't any good answers.

My ideas:

• Legalize marijuana and tax it. Enjoy an influx of marijuana users. Use the tax revenue to try to lower taxes if possible. This will also save money since less money will need to be spent on criminal justice costs related to marijuana.
• Legalize gay marriage and enjoy an influx of homosexuals and the business they might bring.
• Legalize prostitution, regulate it, and tax it. This will also save money since less money would need to be spent on related criminal justice costs.
• Use our state's abundance of cool lake water to develop a strong nuclear power industry and export that energy to other states.
• Fully legalize stem cell research; no restrictions.
• Try to develop Grand Rapids as the new business center for the state of Michigan, giving Michigan a new face.
• Try to change the state's national image to that of, "Beautiful state with abundant lake shore, a great place to live and a good place to do business."

[Bhaalspawn]

Did Rick Snyder export jobs out of America? According to a Detroit Free Press article:

Worst thing his opponents say about him: Democrats would eat him alive in the general election, portraying him as a heartless corporate boss who enriched himself by exporting American jobs.

Rick Snyder | 'Tough nerd' raises lots of questions | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

I'm not sure where I stand on this sort of thing. I oppose foreign outsourcing but also understand that business is business and that businessmen just follow the rules and are obligated to try to earn a profit and that politicians make the rules. Perhaps his knowledge of how modern businesses work in a global environment would help him better retool the state's economy (and help us win the race to the bottom?).

[MittenDweller82]

Originally Posted by Bhaalspawn

Did Rick Snyder export jobs out of America? According to a Detroit Free Press article:



Rick Snyder | 'Tough nerd' raises lots of questions | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

I'm not sure where I stand on this sort of thing. I oppose foreign outsourcing but also understand that business is business and that businessmen just follow the rules and are obligated to try to earn a profit and that politicians make the rules. Perhaps his knowledge of how modern businesses work in a global environment would help him better retool the state's economy (and help us win the race to the bottom?).

Sometimes a true outsider is the only solution to a problem, and in Michigan's case someone who cares nothing of political favors and only about getting back on track is the correct candidate. All large business in the last 10 years have done their share of outsourcing in one form or another, whether they admit it or not. Michigan residents need to realize that fundamental change from within and at the lowest levels of government is the only way true change can occur. Cleaning house in Michigan will be slow and painful, but I believe Synder has the credentials and track record to accomplish this.

[darstar]

Who ever gets in , as Gov. , needs to address the jobs issues, thats what its all about in Michigan, and , not outsourcing our industry. We need to find new ways to bring IN business, start new environmental green jobs and technology. Thats the future for Michigan , along with Tourism. Our Natural resources are our greatest treasure, and our largest opportunity to attract people with money and resources.

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by Bhaalspawn

I haven't paid much attention to the Michigan gubernatorial race since I tend to focus primarily on federal policies. However, I give Rick and his team credit for giving him a high profile and a positive profile. I haven't paid too much attention to him, but I like the attitude he is projecting. "Hire me (and I will be your humble servant)" and not "Elect me."

He probably won't be much different from any other governor, but perhaps there's a chance that he'll try to fix the state's economy. Unfortunately, that could very well mean eliminating numerous social programs and worker and consumer protections. However, all of the states, at least the ones without oil, are forced to compete in a race-to-the-bottom right now and there just aren't any good answers.

My ideas:

• Legalize marijuana and tax it. Enjoy an influx of marijuana users. Use the tax revenue to try to lower taxes if possible. This will also save money since less money will need to be spent on criminal justice costs related to marijuana.
• Legalize gay marriage and enjoy an influx of homosexuals and the business they might bring.
• Legalize prostitution, regulate it, and tax it. This will also save money since less money would need to be spent on related criminal justice costs.
• Use our state's abundance of cool lake water to develop a strong nuclear power industry and export that energy to other states.
• Fully legalize stem cell research; no restrictions.
• Try to develop Grand Rapids as the new business center for the state of Michigan, giving Michigan a new face.
• Try to change the state's national image to that of, "Beautiful state with abundant lake shore, a great place to live and a good place to do business."

Sick just plain sick. Michigan should never be turned into a home for sin and decadence. This vision of Michigan is a nightmare scenario. If it ever happens I will leave the state immediately and never return. However Im not worried about having to do that, as there is no way these things will ever fly here. This is not Massachusets or Californication land.