It looks like Mike Bishop has abandoned his strategy of trying to drive a wedge between the House Democrats and the Governor- interesting because just a few short weeks ago he claimed the Governor was the problem here.
The Rochester Republican said Democrats who hold a majority in the House are figuratively "in the fetal position sucking on their thumb" and not getting anything done.
Speaker Dillon, your thoughts on this comment?
Yeah, yeah, I know, both sides are trying to bait each other into being the first to... oh, I dunno... SAVE THE STATE or something... crazy as that may seem, but I think we might have reached another low point in Bishop's "race to the bottom" for this year's rhetoric on budget talks.
One can only hope anyway- but somehow these hopes keep getting dashed on the rocks of reality every time Bishop talks to the press.
Oh, and by the way, the Senate approved that $1 billion dollar tax break for business that we talked about last week, guaranteeing that somewhere down the road some other lawmakers will get to have the same kind of fun they are having now, and I'm left to wonder why Schauer, Clarke, Thomas, Barcia and Anderson voted for this...
One Senate Republican said that by the end of the process, "a whole lot of people are going to be unhappy."
They project pessimism on everything. Have you noticed that? The Governor sucks, the state sucks, our business climate sucks, the budget deal is gonna suck, everything is just horrible, if you are a Republican.
Republicans need things to be bad, so they will run around and tell everyone how bad everything is. All the time. Watch for it.
This is your chance, Speaker Dillon. On the diary down below, you said, "I tend to err on the side of staying positive and focused on the issues before us".
Democrats can focus on the real issues, and staying positive is not an "err" in this case; it is your ultimate goal.
Democrats are going to save schools, provide public safety, promote health care, and preserve our quality of life. Isn't that what it is all about? If lawmakers won't stand up for home, Mom, and apple pie, then what is left to stand up for? Here is your opening, Democrats. Take it.
Not only are Republicans crying doom and gloom, they want to drag that doom and gloom out for as long as they possibly can. One House Republican thinks a continuation budget is a good idea.
"If I had to bet, I would say this is all leading to a continuation budget," said Rep. Jack Brandenburg, a Harrison Township Republican who serves on the House Appropriations Committee. "Just hold the line for this year. She (Granholm) won't admit it, but that's a pretty good compromise."
You have got to be kidding me. Republicans are now justifying not doing their job and calling it a compromise?
"It doesn't make sense for her to go out and recruit jobs when there isn't an environment here for making a sizable investment," Bishop said.
So, not only does Mike trash the idea of creating jobs, he trashes the whole state in the eyes of investors. Thanks, Mike. You are quite the ambassador for our citizens and our business climate.
We can always count on the Republicans to denigrate Michigan.
And, get this, if the Governor didn't "say bad things" about the Legislature, everything would be just fine!
But then he followed up with a (from his perspective) positive spin on Granholm's upcoming trip, suggesting Granholm's overseas mission might be helpful to the budget discussions because she wouldn't be around making derisive comments about the Legislature.
Yes, that big, mean Governor is picking on them as they turn in one of the worst performances in history. The heart just aches, doesn't it? Poor legislators.
First of all, I would like to thank everyone for their support of BFM and of free speech. Some people really stepped up here and helped me through a very difficult time, you know who you are, and you have my undying gratitude.
Special thanks go out to Senator Mark Schauer. Whatever it is that you are "going to decide" in the next 24 hours, I'm behind you all the way.
I am way too tired to try to write about all of this, but I did want to give you the SOD from Bishop's Chief of Staff Matt Miner, courtesy of MIRS-
"I think it's great that people have these so they can express their opinion," he said.
Turns out that Senate Republicans love blogs. Who woulda thunk it.
