So last night was a televised interview with both candidates on WDIV’s “Flashpoint.” Saw some interesting dialogue.
All said, I think Rick Snyder definitely came out ahead in doing what people wanted, which was talking a bit about specifics. He outlined (once again) the “Value for money” bodgeting system a bit, mentioned wanting to create a long-term plan for public employee compensation, clarified the whole “Exported jobs to China” thing (which the Truth Squad has also classified as a foul) and generally stayed upbeat and on-message about how he planned to help Michigan. I’m not happy that he wants the HRA lawsuits to continue as well as do some nebulous deregulation, but…
Virgil Berniero took several opportunities to take cheap shots at Snyder. He generally veered away from any sort of specifics, deferring to “Well I will just do what I did in Lansing…” and his record there. I have no doubt he accomplished some things, but people wanted to hear specifics and he deliberately avoided them, and rather ungracefully. There were several uncomfortable moments where Scillian just had to move on to avoid turing it from an interview to an argument. Not very politically adept.
Right now, this moderate is leaning toward Snyder. I simply feel he has the better tools to get the job done, and I feel like Berniero is willing to put all of our eggs back in one basket as he courts manufacturing jobs to try to bring the state back.
Snyder moved jobs to China when he was in business. there is a segment of the population that still believes businessmen are on the side of the people. The businessmen have done a lot of harm.
When someone points out the loss of jobs the last decade and blames a mayor, he is lying. The jobs mess is a national phenomenon caused by large corporations and wealthy bought off politicians looking to escape reasonable wages and environmental regulation. Michigan’s economy was spearheaded by auto and big manufacturing. Those days are gone. Nobody can fix the jobs problem in a state even less so in Mich.
Snyder is already dancing in the end zone even though he’s only at the 10 yard line. His only qualifications seem to be the ® next to his name, the fact that he isn’t Jennifer Granholm, and his “One Tough Nerd” commercial that propelled him to the nomination. Don’t count Bernero out yet.
Not according to him. He was on the board, and not in a decision-making role when Gateway, which was in pretty bad shape and contracting overall, outsourced somem functions to China. When he was made interim CEO later, he brought back a chunk of those manufacturing jobs and call center jobs because the quality he got here surpassed that of what he got in China, and made up the difference in cost.
But hey, nice job parroting Berniero’s talking points.
I have heard the ads attacking Berniero, but I do not beleive those have been made by Snyder himself. He hasn’t denounced them, necessarily, but I don’t see Rick Snyder doing the attack ads. Maybe he’s far enough ahead that he doesn’t have to.
http://www.discera.com/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=52272 This is one of his companies announcing its opening in China. So, not only is he moving jobs but he is sharing forward technology with them. That will allow them to use the technology developed in Ann Arbor for their own use. That is just plain wrong. all our R&D given away for short term profits again.
I’ve by no means counted him out, but he has to come out and say something compelling, instead of just basically comlpaining about “Wall Street fat cats” et al. He needs either some charisma, which he seems to be lacking in what I have heard of him so far, or some serious DETAILS on what his policy is going to be that show he’s got a better plan than Snyder.
Remember John McCain? “I know how to win wars, but I’m not enough of a patriot to tell you before I get elected.” That’s not going to fly with Michigan voters. Neither is pussyfooting around the issue that the Detroit schools suck and need serious out-of-area supervision and revamping. (which he did last night)
DETAILS, Virg, we want DETAILS. Can you hear me now? Show some political courage, and you might not lose the election.
Please show me, again, where Rick Snyder has managerial authority over this decision, or spoke in support of it during a board meeting. Until you can prove that, all you know is that he’s on the board of a semiconductor company that, SURPRISE, has opened some facilities in China. Find me one that hasn’t.
But hey, we all know which box you’re going to check on Nov 2nd, even if Bernero was the former Fire Chief in South Fulton. It’s not like informed decision making is your strong suit.
You are pretending your mind is open. it is welded shut. A powerful board member has no responsibility for sending jobs and cutting edge technology to China? If not him ,who? Some guy working in the shop? This is the future tech. That is the power of America that you are justifying turning over for short term profits. Well they all do it. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/science/earth/22ander.html?_r=1 Yep, here is one. A guy who is a thinking caring exec. You can care about the country over short term profits.
You’re a funny dude. I vote Democrat about as much as I vote Republican, and sometimes I vote independent. If there’s someone with his brain welded shut here, it’s you.
Are you aware that board decisions are not required to be unanimous? That a majority vote is all that is needed to approve company strategies? How do you have any idea whether Snyder voted to outsource the jobs or not?
Beyond all this, you seem only able to attack Snyder, but have nothing of substance to say about good old Virg. He doesn’t have a plan, so far as I can see. He epitomizes the liberal elite douchbag who says he knows more than you and you should just let him run things, they will be fine. He won’t even attempt to explain what it is he wants to do, besides some touchy-feely “I’ll work with people.”
Snyder wants to roll back the Healtcare Bill.
He wants to retain the tax break for corporations that outsource.
He wants to privatize Social Security.
He was on the Gateway board when they outsourced 19,000 jobs.
He is an unabashed corporate stooge who will push to get even more power in the hands of tha already too damn powerful.
He is a Venture Capitalist and theWall Street Journal, says his investments in that field have not created any jobs in America. But he made millions.
He is another rich guy who thinks the governorship is his right ,if he wants it.
Well if the people vote him in, he must be the very best. The voters apparently are never wrong in your part of the universe.
Lets skip the election completely and install the guy who is leading in the polls.
The Freep ran a list of his businesses. He has has some successes and some failures. Some failures have been pretty spectacular. But he has not demonstrated any real interest at keeping work in the US. He is now a venture capitalist. How much seedier does he have to be?
I have no idea why people still believe a business background translates to a good government official. how many times does that have to blow up before it gets soundly rejected.
The majority of voters in Michigan apparently see it differently than you. They likely believe that the role of government is not to force businesses to keep jobs in the US through tarrifs and barriers, but to create an environment where businesses will choose to make investments in the US without uncertainty around compliance and unknown future regulations. The role of business is not to employ people, it’s role is to generate a profit for it’s shareholders. It is the role of government to foster an environment where business can profitably invest capital in their jurisdiction. That’s the only way jobs are going to grow in this country.
Jobs will grow in America when we develop the green technology of the future ,if we have strong enough regulation to prevent corporations from taking it over and outsourcing it, because that is what they will do.
The job of corporations is to keep the bosses fat and happy. They have to kick enough money to stock holders to allow them to keep getting huge salaries and bonuses. They are unable to plan long ahead. The CFOs of most financial institutions have a tenure of 2 years.Why do they care about long term corporate planning? Corporate bosses come and go and want to make it quick. They are not invested in making sure the corporation is thinking into the future.
Your plan is simple. we cut our wages to 3rd world levels. Eliminate all regulation and environmental concerns and of course bring back child labor. We give then huge tax breaks and they will still pretend they are based in the Caimans. Nothing less will keep them from outsourcing, because that is what they get in the 3ed world.
Hey, gonzo, I gotta say that I literally laughed out loud when I saw that this:
was your reply to this:
That was a great and informative reply, truly showing you know the stances and positions your favored candidate has! How about actually posting a reply that says what BERNERO thinks, is claiming he’ll do, and what stances he holds?