Circumspice, 8/10/06

by: matt

Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 15:42:25 PM EDT

• In case you missed it, Standard & Poors lowered Michigan's general obligation bond outlook to "negative" only hours after Republicans rammed through the Amway Guy-Patterson $1.9 billion business tax cut (nearly a quarter of the general fund budget). This fact has been picked up by the DFP, AP and other sources. The Guv apparently talked about it on Mitch Albom's show on WJR too. Not exactly the choir of angels Amway Guy, the chambers of commerce, and the legislative Republicans probably expected to hear when they first came up with this idea. BTW, S&P's announcement isn't the first Wall Street firm to call attention to the lack of sense in Amway Guy-Patterson's $1.9 billion business tax cut. Last year, Fitch Ratings described it as a threat to our state's credit outlook.
  

• I stopped over at Townsend Street today today to catch a glimpse of the new Joe Slade MDP ad. It's entitled "fiscal hawk." Brewer says the Legislature's mischief happened too late to reflect anything about the new $1.9 billion UNPAID-FOR business tax cut. But he says it may very well be mentioned in future ads. I still dig the fiscal responsibility message behind the ad, though - and it does dovetail nicely with the coverage making its way through the papers. View the ad here.
  

• The Flint Journal does not think highly of the Legislature's decision yesterday to strip out $1.9 billion from the state budget without saying where the money will come from. "Republican lawmakers were no profiles in courage", they say.
  
  
• Add State Rep. Rick Baxter (R-Concord) to the list of anti-government fanatics who don't favor replacing any of the $1.9 billion lost thanks to the Patterson-Amway Guy business tax cut. Mayor Griffin, we're countin' on you, buddy! (Jackson Mayor Marty Griffin is the Democratic challenger against Baxter).
  

• Soon-to-be U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid points to Michigan's CD07 as an example of why Bush is poison. Quite candidly, I don't recall ever hearing Walberg actually campaign against Bush as Sen. Reid suggests - but I do think Schwarz jumping in bed with Bush hurt him among Dem crossovers. So his larger point is correct: Republicans would be well-advised to run as far from Bush as possible. Maybe that's why his cute little face no longer adorns the Michigan Republican Party website. Ya think?
  
  
• Might Joe Schwarz endorse Sharon Renier? Maybe farfetched, but comments about Sharon are much nicer than about Walberg in this Battle Creek Enquirer story.
  
  
• As reported on Michlib over a week ago, Bill Clinton will be coming in-state to raise some bread for Sen. Stabenow and Gov. Granholm. Apparently, "The Decider" and the Vice President who shot a guy have been invited to stump for unnamed (surprise!) Republican candidates. Wonder who it was who thought this would be helpful? Also, more speculation about the million-dollar minister becoming the Amway billionaire's running mate. The DFP's Kathy Gray has more.
  
  
• Republican House Speaker Craig DeRoche and Republican Attorney General Mike Cox take their pissing match to the editorial page of the DN today.
  
  
• Current State Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema (R-Grandville) appears ready to talk seriously about a deal on fixing the Republicans' overtime screwup. Sounds nice, but soon-to-be-ex-Senator Sikkema is the more rational one. What does Mr. Speaker of the House, Craig DeRoche have to say?
  
  
• Sen. Jason Allen's (R-Traverse City) Democratic challenger, social worker Sharon Unger comes across very well in this writeup from the Petsokey News-Review. Yes, I know Kerry only got 41% here. But today, the TC Record-Eagle has yet another story that cites Allen's involvment in the local parking deck-gate scandal. Time to sit up and take notice (as well as hope the local Republican establishment isn't successful with their campaign to get the TCRE's editor fired for having a set).
  
  
• I posted this Holland Sentinel column by former(?) Christian Reformed pastor Case Van Kempen on the news ticker the other day, but it does merit special mention. Hmm...if a CRC pastor in Holland who once got a ride in Amway Guy's Ferrari is now having doubts, well...

• Hang onto this one to add to the list of EPIC-MRA's Fast Eddie Sarpolus' goofs:

"The Democrats have an opportunity to pick up seats but no realistic chance at picking up control," Sarpolus said.


Tack this quote above your desk for inspiration.

• Yesterday, I bemoaned the fact that well-qualified HD004 candidate Maureen Stapleton was spurned by voters in favor of 23-year old Coleman Young, Jr. Well, based on this clip from Desiree Cooper, there may be some hope for the guy:

  "I ran because I was tired of seeing people in a fetal position on Lafayette," he said. "I'm tired of seeing men and women not working. I want to make sure there's funding from the state to address these problems."

  Keep up that spirit, young Mr. Young, and you will quickly prove naysayers like me wrong. I hope you do.

• Off the Record is Bill Ballenger, Kathy Hoffman, Kyle Melinn, Larry Lee and no guest.
  
  
• After a hot start, the Tigers were dealt the second in a pair of losses to the Twins yesterday. We're still 8.5 games in first.