Granholm bashes "uncommitted"...while not committing to Michigan

by: David Boyle

Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 19:39:27 PM EST

"She's committed to us. We are going to stand behind someone who stands behind us."

"Their choice is to be committed for uncommitted? Or to be committed to someone who has stood for us?"

, and DetNews, Clinton cruising over 'uncommitted' (which despite its title, queries

But will she capture a large enough percentage to avoid embarrassment Tuesday?

    Gov. Jennifer Granholm said this morning at a Clinton rally in Southfield that her candidate "is committed to Michigan."    
    "Her opponent in this state apparently is 'uncommitted,' which is not an opponent," Granholm told reporters after speaking to 100 Clinton supporters at the Westin Hotel. "That is why we are encouraging voters to get out and vote for Hillary Clinton. She is not uncommitted to Michigan, which the other candidates apparently are."    
    Clinton opted not to campaign in Michigan because she made a pledge to uphold the party primary calendar, which is tilted to early races in Iowa and New Hampshire.

   There are multiple truth problems with JG's words here, including the fact that, uh, Clinton pledged not to campaign in Michigan (as noted above)! so that Dennis Kucinich, whatever his other problems, is more committed to Michigan than Clinton, cf. George Bullard in DetNews, Re Michigan, at least Kucinich shows up.
    As well, like it or not, Gravel and Kucinich are opponents of Clinton, too, so JG is inaccurate by not mentioning them as opponents, mentioning only "uncommitted" as an opponent. (Cheap rhetorical trick?)
    Last but not least, Granholm (who USED to say that Michigan Liberal is her favorite blog--is that still true??--, so that she may read here frequently) may have borrowed the "committed/uncommitted" wordplay of yours truly on 1/9/08, "Ironically, then, if you are COMMITTED to change, you may have to vote UNCOMMITTED on 1/15." ...I wonder how much she might owe me for "copyright infringement"! No wonder the writers went on strike...

    Now what is really interesting, is Jennifer Granholm's lack of commitment to staying in Michigan herself and doing her job, instead of running off to D.C. with Hillary, if she wins, and then leaving the Michigan mess to her new "Chief Operating Officer" (!! "Michigan Incorporated"??), and to John Cherry, whose, to be blunt, "charisma issues" might prevent him from becoming governor in a normal election.
    See Tim Skubick, the "Off the Record" video of his JG interview on 10/12/07, at c. 13:45-15:45 on the video. (Check WKAR if the above link doesn't work) TS asks JG repeatedly if she will pledge not to leave Lansing, and JG refuses again and again to answer, talking about "speculation", dodging the issue, and leaving a deep suspicion about her own commitment to Michigan. (She does say that fixing Michigan should take longer than a year and a half, and that she doesn't want to go to D.C. ...o.k., then why can't she pledge to stay in Lansing? Whom does she think she's fooling??)

    Repeatedly refusing to pledge to stay on the job in her own state, throwing (or even subtly massaging...) the election for a pal who can give her a cushy slot in D.C., and taking millions of taxpayers dollars to do it, plus the voter list graft, plus holding the DNC-rulebreaking election even after 4 Dem candidates correctly avoided it, plus Michigan's collapse in general...how committed is politician Granholm to Michigan, or staying in Michigan, or anything? Can she be believed when she mocks "uncommitted" voters like the great John Conyers and says voting Hillary is better?
    Probably not. If you vote, vote "uncommitted"...and commit to doing something about Granholm's, Dingell's, Brewer's, Anuzis's, McManus's, and Bishop's noxious dedication to doing the wrong thing re the 1/15 primary, and so many other wrong things as well. Thanks for your commitment to Michigan and to Michigan rank-and-file Democrats!

Bloggers gaining credibility with appearance of LL on OTR

by: kjbas58

Sat May 05, 2007 at 16:55:57 PM EDT

Julielyn Gibbons - AKA Liberal Lucy of Liberal, Loud and Proud - appeared as a regular panelist on the show hosted by Tim Skubick, along with Rick Albin of WOOD-TV, Stephanie Korneffel of MIRS and Bill Ballenger of Inside Michigan Politics. The show on Michigan PBS stations features various mainstream reporters that cover the legislature and state government talking about the hot political stories, and it usually features a guest.

LL appeared as a panelist as part of a show on blogging and bloggers, and a week later she joined the panel as a capitol correspondent. Hopefully, she will appear as part of the rotating panel of reporters, and it will also spur Mr. Skubick to look at other bloggers for inclusion as panelists.

The show airs on most state PBS stations, but here in mid-Michigan it can be it can be seen on WKAR in East Lansing at 11:30 p.m. Sunday. It can also be seen on line.

On a personal note, LL is a former Livingston County resident, hailing from Green Oak Township where some of our most loyal and active Democrats come from, and her parents still live there.

She has also posted a very personal and courageous story on why she started blogging and became an activist.  She is asking for our help in spreading the word about Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. In doing so, she is trying to bring attention to an upcoming event, the Get Your Guts in Gear ride. Please check out her post on the subject, the event itself and spread the word.

Apology to Tim Skubick

by: Hazen Pingree

Wed Apr 18, 2007 at 20:07:57 PM EDT

Okay, I admit it. I was a bit hasty when I ripped Timmeh a new one for saying that Sen. Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) was open to a tax increase.

Turns out I made the mistake of taking Grover Norquist and the Americans for Tax Reform at their word. Stupid me. What can I say? I'm a passionate man.

Sen. Bishop says - and the facts seem to back him up - that he is NOT currently bound by the "no-tax" pledge he signed as a state Rep. in 2000. This, in spite of the fact that the ATR has been trumpeting Bishop as a pledge signer for years now. This, in spite of the fact that - to this day - Norquist continues to falsely claim that Bishop has a pledge in effect.

Of course, Bishop could have helped clear all of this up by coming forward about the facts a bit earlier. But nevermind that. As I said before, he did the right thing and renounced Norquist. For that Sen. Bishop deserves some praise.

And apparently Skubick was right - at least about this. Bishop apparently is willing to at least consider doing the right thing. Tim also deserves props for including the pledge story in his MIRS column yesterday.

Sorry, Tim. Next time it's your word against Grover Norquist's, I'll be sure to believe you and not the drown government in a bathtub guy. Mea culpa.

Monday Coffee Talk/Open Thread

by: BZP

Mon Apr 16, 2007 at 06:03:06 AM EDT

• AP: Lawmakers explore tax idea for community colleges. "Republicans are moving to quash the idea, saying government should focus on reduced spending rather than tax increase proposals while trying to balance the budget." We've heard this one before, but as Gov. Pingree reminded us yesterday, the anti-tax drones are finally on the run.
• DFP: Potholes can place a hit on your wallet. Here's another one for the anti-tax crowd: "So when you hit that big pothole, unless you've got a justifiable reason it wasn't your fault, you'll be stuck with the repair bill minus deductibles that generally range from $250 to $1000, Cain said." One way or another, Michigan residents are paying for our crumbling roads.
• Stone Soup Musings: No help with your shut-off notice? Thank a Republican. Good catch by Kathy: Emergency aid for utility bills is almost gone.
• Observer & Eccentric: Cox gym scrapped. Maybe they finally figured out that there's a YMCA four blocks from Cox's office.
• Conservative Media: Cleary University continues to defend racist remarks. The Guru makes a great point here: "With the recent firing of Don Imus for an alleged racist remark, it also seems unbelievable that Cleary continues to defend Coulter and she's not being held to the same standard, whose racist and hateful remarks in the past make Imus pale in comparison." And look who's defending Ann Coulter now... why, it's our good ol' pal, Mike Rogers!
• No on Joe: Where Did Knollenberg's PAC Contributions Really come from? The No on Joe folks paw through Knollenberg's Q1 Campaign Finance statement.
• Walberg Watch: Walberg 1Q Fundraising. Same thing for Walberg.
• Walberg Watch: Skubick on Joe Schwarz. Fitzy combs through Tim Skubick's column about Joe Schwarz from last Friday. I agree with Fitzy here... I'd be shocked if Schwarz pulled a switcheroo, but it's the only way the guy would have a prayer at winning his old seat back.

Skubick is lost

by: Hazen Pingree

Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 10:40:36 AM EDT

Senate GOP leader Mike Bishop has not ruled out a tax hike, but he's in no hurry to make a final deal. It's called a negotiating stance.

I,    Sen. Mike Bishop (R-Rochester)      , pledge to the taxpayers of the      12th     District of the State of     Michigan    and to all  the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.

Signed,

Sen. Mike Bishop

Friday Coffee Talk/Open Thread

by: BZP

Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 08:10:55 AM EDT

• Conservative Media: Ward tries again with alleged campaign finance reform that targets Democrats
  Chris Ward is trying to resurrect a couple campaign finance reform laws that died last fall. The Comm Guru has the scoop.
• LSJ: Skubick: Here's what's ahead at Capitol
  There's nothing really new here, but this sentence caught my eye: "Senate GOP leader Mike Bishop has not ruled out a tax hike, but he's in no hurry to make a final deal. It's called a negotiating stance." Mike Bishop hasn't ruled out a tax hike? Huh? He's already signed a pledge with his BFF Grover Norquist to "vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes." Or was that just a "negotiating stance" too?
• Mr. Rogers: Rogers effectiveness and influence plunges
  According to Congress.org, Rogers fell from his spot as the 37th most powerful member of Congress to 274th. Ouch!
• No on Joe: Knollenberg Loses Power
  Hawaii Joe fell from 12th to 220th. Double ouch! You can see the full list here.
• Conservative Media: Senator again pits Detroit against the rest of the state as reason for opposing gas tax increase
  Nice commentary about the gas tax from the Comm Guru.
• MyDD: DNC Shuts Out Fox
  Good news: the DNC won't be giving Fox News its formal stamp of approval for one of the democratic presidential debates. Expect Fox to respond with a blistering attack on the DNC, like any fair-and-balanced network would do.
• State News: Icers to play for national title
  Go right through for M-S-U!

Pingree's Potato Patch

by: Hazen Pingree

Sat Mar 31, 2007 at 10:47:12 AM EDT

• The AP tells us about on the Senate Republican plan to cut pay for people who take care of low income senior citizens and people who have a disability. I guess this must be what the Republicans mean by "family values." Wonder whose family they mean? Certainly isn't mine.
  
  
• The Good Ol' Boys on Off the Record say a government shutdown isn't going to happen. Mind you, these are the same crusty old white guys who repeatedly predicted a close race between Jennifer Granholm and Dick DeVos. Meanwhile,  Gongwer's Stephanie Korneffel puts the odds of a shutdown at 50 percent. Pfft! Silly girl. That's what you get when you send a woman to do a man's job! This place hasn't been the same since they started letting the chicks in (extreme condition red snark alert).
  
  
• For the second time in two years, state Rep. John Garfield (R-Rochester Hills) has been busted for drunk driving. This comes three months after Rep. Garfield voted for SB 1241 and HB 6009, two bills which tighten penalties for repeat drunk drivers.
  
  
• Speaking of Iraq, see this from the Battle Creek Enquirer:

  U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg was mocked Thursday on “The Colbert Report,” a stinging satire of news talkfests on Comedy Central.
  
  Host Stephen Colbert did a sarcastic segment saying the U.S. troop surge in Iraq was working.
  
  “The fact is, Baghdad is in great shape,” he said. “Like Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg said last week, ‘In many places, it’s as safe and cared for as Detroit’.”
  
  After flashing a picture of Walberg, R-Tipton, Colbert paused for audience laughter.
  
  “That’s the way you represent the people of Michigan,” Colbert said. “Those tourism dollars must be pouring in.”

  And Stephen should know. Just this week, was appointed as an (honorary) member of the Saginaw County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Maybe he'd be willing to take up residence in the 7th and run for Congress?
   
  
• And finally, our So-Called Liberal Media Prize for this morning goes to the Niles Daily Star:

  WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, rejected attempts by the Democrat majority to push through the highest tax increase in American history.
  
  The $400 billion of tax increases in the Democrat budget will particularly burden middle-income families, low-income earners, families with children and small businesses.
  
  The Democrat budget, H.Con.Res. 99, passed the House by a vote of 216 to 210. Upton did vote for a substitute budget that would not raise taxes, but that measure failed.
  
  "The Democrat budget is nothing short of the largest tax hike in American history," said Upton. "While House Democrats claim that the budget does not raise taxes 'one penny,' the numbers don't lie and taxes will skyrocket $400 billion over the next five years." (emphasis aded)

  Whoever "wrote" this story (transcribed from a Republican press release is more like it)  neglected to put a byline on it. Too bad. Fox News may well be interested in recruiting them to "moderate" the next Congressional Black Caucus Democratic presidential debate.

Tim Skubick: Let's Bash Granholm for Everything! Again! And Again! And...

by: quaker21

Sun Jan 14, 2007 at 00:49:52 AM EST

Heaven forbid the Governor might want to shut the doors for some time to think.  After all, the Republican legislature shut the doors in her face and didn't think when they decided it would be a fun stunt to kill the SBT and get us in this mess in the first place.

Thankfully, the panel -- Dawson Bell, Kathy Barks Hoffman, and Bill Ballenger -- weren't buying (most) of Skubick's omnipresent Granholm bash-fest. 

And Barks Hoffman came back and hit Timmeh square between the eyes with her own little gem.