It’s Not Just the Economy, Stupid

While Governor Granholm continues her efforts to get companies to invest in Michigan and help small business employees save for retirement, one has to wonder about issues facing our state that do not involve our economy and jobs - and where Dick DeVos stands on them.

For starters, there’s education. Granholm recently enacted a new set of standards in our high schools which will guarantee that our youth will be smart enough for the competitive 21st century world. DeVos, on the other hand, supports vouchers. He was a chief backer of the voucher proposal which Michigan rejected by a more than 2-to-1 margin in 2000.

And what about the environment? Granholm has opposed efforts to allow other states to take our Great Lakes water. She has also fought to protect our Lakes from invasive species. One group named Lieutenant Governor John Cherry its Conservationist of the Year. But for DeVos fans, it is inconveniently true that their candidate has no plan for helping their environment of our state - at least not one of which he speaks. We can assume that like his buddies GW Bush and Dave Tramp (no offense to tramps), he would sell our lakes, forests, and resources to the highest donor.

Of course, in the wake of Samuel Alito’s recent appointment to the Supreme Court, the right of women to control their own bodies is also being threatened. So it’s good to know that at least DeVos is honest about his opposition to women’s rights. What he won’t tell you is that under the pro-choice Granholm, our abortion rate in Michigan dropped 11% from 2003 to 2004, thanks in no small part to birth control.

Fewer abortions is great news. But how can you forget about the moral issue of health care? Here’s what Eric Baerren said a couple months ago in The Morning Sun:

During last week's visit to the Morning Sun, Dick DeVos didn't include health care on his list of the state's most pressing issues (I guess when you inherit a fortune built on suckers swindled by soap, the price of prescription drugs isn't so important). On the other hand, if you look at the Michigan Manufacturer's Association legislative agenda for 2006, health care is featured prominently. So DeVos says he wants to attract manufacturers, but hasn't read up on what issues they think are important.

So he doesn’t care about insuring Michigan citizens. (Nor does he listen to the needs of manufacturers.) But at least the incumbent cares:

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today discussed details of the Michigan First Health Care Plan, first announced in her 2006 State of the State Address. Following a conversation with medical professionals at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, the Governor said that her plan will expand affordable health care to all Michigan citizens. The plan will attack the factors that are driving health care costs up, make affordable insurance products available to individuals, and help make insurance more affordable for small businesses to provide to their employees.

“The Michigan First Health Care Plan will provide affordable health care coverage to every citizen in Michigan,” said Granholm. “This plan will provide a quality product at an affordable cost, create incentives for business, and help bring down health care costs for everyone.”

Speaking of health and safety, did I mention Michigan’s helmet law?