Granholm talks about Rebuilding Michigan's Motor

Governor Jennifer Granholm addressed a statewide television audience Wednesday night on the state's economic situation.

[Farmer]

It's interesting that Michigan's number 2 (soon to be number 1) industry is AGRICULTURE, that's right people, FARMERS are rebuilding the state, and quite honestly, without the governers help. In fact, if anything, she's hurting our only growing industry with increased water regulators and by having the DEQ selectivly enforce the law against us in unfair ways.

We're the only way out people. Manufacturing is dead. The Big 3 are dead. Ag is the only way. Support Michigan Agriculture, we're already 1 out of 4 jobs!!

[Missy]

Why does everyone ignore the fact that whenever unemployment in Michigan is referred to...all politicians make it sound like the unemployment is down??? Of course it's down...nobody can collect anymore....there are sooo many people out there that have drawn all they can draw. If you've ever had anything for all your hard work, such as assets...you don't qualify for state help, yet you can't sell your assets - because nobody is buying!!!!! By the way, the last one in Michigan...be sure to turn the lights off!

[Anonymous]

I have been looking for a job for three years and if you don't have six months previous experience the companies are not even interested in hiring you. Further more the working person is paying taxes out of his check, paying taxes on his property and paying taxes at the gas pump, with all this tax there is enough to buy anthing to bring the economy back. The state needs to find a different resource to surve than the taxpayer. There is foreclosures because of no jobs and no money which I am almost there.

[jeff from Wayland]

ALL I CAN SAY IS GET OUT OF THE AUTO IND. PEOPLE NEED TO EAT & DRINK .......... IM TELLING YOU NOW GET OUT OF THE FACTORY WORK BEEN THERE DONE THAT.. FOOD BUSSNESS IS WHERE IST AT .... FOR THE TIME BEING .. r AUTO & MANUFATION IS GONE THERES JOBS OUT THERE LIKE GORDON FOODS , SPARTAN STORES, BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WORK 60 PLUS HOURS AWEEK BUT.. ITS $$$ THATS LIFE & WE ALL KNOW LIFE CAN SUCK BUT THE AUTO IND WILL SOON BE GONE.

[Tom]

It has become clear why our state is #1 in unemployment listen to our top leader brag about the 900,00 unfilled jobs in Michigan.What planet did she come from? By making up fairy tales and repeating them over and over does'nt make them true.Shame on you Jenny, take responsibility for this mess it belongs to YOU and YOUR political party who put you in control.

[Colleen]

I think the only way we can truly depend on the auto industry to help lift the state out of the unemployment issue is if unions were not in control of how the companies run their business. Unions were great at a certain time in history. Now all they have done is put a strangle hold on the auto industry in the state and I do believe has caused the companies to not produce automobiles that are desirable by American consumers. We had the chance to have a foreign automobile company in the state not too long ago, but do you know one of the biggest reasons why they went south? Unions. Loosen the control that the unions have on the industry and then possibly things will get better.

[Jay]

Anonymous wrote:

I have been looking for a job for three years and if you don't have six months previous experience the companies are not even interested in hiring you. Further more the working person is paying taxes out of his check, paying taxes on his property and paying taxes at the gas pump, with all this tax there is enough to buy anthing to bring the economy back. The state needs to find a different resource to surve than the taxpayer. There is foreclosures because of no jobs and no money which I am almost there.

This administration thinks it's going to help us fight our way out of this recession, all the while having BIG TAXES and a BIG STATE GOVERNMENT. It just ain't gonna happen, at least not very quickly anyway. It's simple economics - you take more from consumer income by way of additional taxes, and you're gonna have lower spending, thus slower economic growth.

I feel this administration needs to make some real tough budgetary decisions in state government, and until they do that, it's going to be a very LOOONNNNNG road to recovery.

[Jay]

Colleen wrote:

I think the only way we can truly depend on the auto industry to help lift the state out of the unemployment issue is if unions were not in control of how the companies run their business. Unions were great at a certain time in history. Now all they have done is put a strangle hold on the auto industry in the state and I do believe has caused the companies to not produce automobiles that are desirable by American consumers. We had the chance to have a foreign automobile company in the state not too long ago, but do you know one of the biggest reasons why they went south? Unions. Loosen the control that the unions have on the industry and then possibly things will get better.

I think one of the entrepreneurs that spoke at the meeting early on hit the nail right on the head with the "right-to-work" philosphy. I don't remember his name or the name of his company, but everything he said made perfectly good sense to me.

He even went a step further by suggesting that the state government implement such a policy. At that moment, Devin Scillian interrupted and said they had to move on, and began ushering Granholm away - and Granholm anxiously wanted to speak on the topic too! Man, I could have just kicked Scillian right through the TV!!

[Pat S]

Its time to stop talking and do something! And yes I'm a Mi resident.

[Tom D]

I'm sorry to say that we moved out of Michigan late in 2005. We now live in a warm climate and life is great. Do I miss the trees, all the water and familiarity of the State? YES. However, I would be out of work if I had remained and how is a job to be found. I love my home State but it will take many years before it comes back. This is so sad.

[Nathan R]

They should have just used the first two words and that is the only headline needed. "GRANHOLM TALKS"

What a complete joke. This lady is clueless. She has been talking for SIX YEARS and she has run the state straight into the ground by doing nothing.

She has no idea what she is doing, and she is worthless.

Every time I see one of these "town meetings," I laugh, because the whole thing is staged with her cheerleaders in the audience, or completely ignorant people who buy her BS every time and then wonder why the state's economy has collapsed.

You get the government you vote for, so congratulations to the ignorant people who re-elected her. I hope you are satisfied!

[Rick Jaws]

You get the government you vote for, so congratulations to the ignorant people who re-elected her. I hope you are satisfied!
The same can be said for all that vote for G.W.Bush.

[SurpriseSurprise]

Isn't it ironic that Jenny, is all of the sudden appearing again?

Must be she wants more visibility for her new job with Hillary.

To give a good example of how out of touch the Democrats are in this state here is an article about Rep. Dingell from Detroit wants to raise gas tax 50 cents.

Talk about someone out of touch....

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dingell-t... -

[Fed up]

Good Ideas Jenny....hand a bunch of tax dollars stolen from the people that still have jobs, over to your "Education Cronies" to "retrain" $25/ hour factory workers to empty bed pans for $12......at least your providing them with the dream of being a movie star in Michigan's up and coming film industry........

[Ryan]

Rick Jaws wrote:

You get the government you vote for, so congratulations to the ignorant people who re-elected her. I hope you are satisfied!
The same can be said for all that vote for G.W.Bush.

Yes but it is a democratic congress that has control so don't be so quick to blame Bush for all the problems. He is not the one introducing policy its congress.

[Ryan]

Why is she pushing educatin so much. We need to train people for all of the jobs that are upcoming. How many kids are coming out of college and moving away becuase there are no jobs. How many people do we have withyears of experience who can't find work. The one resource we have is plenty of workers, lets put them to work. I agree with the comment above about getting rid of the Unions. These people whine about taking a pay cut to 25$/hr and go on strike. Then they collect unemployment while they are off. Thousands in MI would love to be making the 24$/ hr. I say if those people strike and dont want to work fire them all and let people in who do want to work. The auto companies have made bad decisions to get themselves to this postion, but the greed of the auto workers and the unions has helped in the industries decline.

[Mad Taxpayer]

The program last night offered no New information. It was just one big comercial for the Grandholm Administrations failed Leadership. Not one new thing was learned from this dribble. Notice she did'nt mention any of her accomplishments that we were going to be BLOWN AWAY WITH ? It's more like MOVED AWAY ! I hope TV 8 will not waste anymore time on this useless programing. This could have been a golden opportunity to nail her on so many of tactics she has used to run this State into the ground, but No they choose to pander to this woman ! To Bad, could have been a Good Show!

[No Name]

Jen does such a good job making things sound so great here in Michigan. College! Biofuels! Technology! Marketable skills!
How about no jobs and a new tax on business that is frightening in its complexity and stupidity? What about people that love Michigan having to leave it for another state because they are unemployed?
The reality is as business owners we are being taxed to death. As parents we are helping our college age children choose the state they are going to move to after they graduate so they can get a job using those 'marketable skills'.
Time for lower taxes, budget cutting at the state level and no more unions. Stop telling us what you think we want to hear. Start doing the job that ALL of you were elected to do and stop wasting our time, money and lives.

[jeepie]

It did not seem to offer much hope for our state. bio fuel leader? Perhaps. I hope she was not talking about corn which as a substitute is proving out to be a flop. Film locations? How big a group can that help? It just seems like the same old baloney and false promises. But it is a election year.

[Taxpayer]

Movies folks, the future is movies. We're destined to be the new Hollywood. Jen says....the "most robust film package in the country" that may attract more young filmmakers to the state as a way to encourage others to take a look at Michigan and want to stay here. What a friggin idiot we have as governor.