Democrats in the U.S. House have released a draft of the economic stimulus package designed to get our economy moving again.
Several aspects of the package would immediately benefit Michigan and Livingston County>. Money to increase the federal share of the Medicaid program would help out the state budget. Money for road and bridge construction would help Livingston County's backlog of road projects. Funds to repair schools, increase food stamp payments, and on and on.
There are even funds for mass transit, which Livingston County might have benefited from had our county commission moved ahead with the commuter line to Ann Arbor, known as WALLY.
I'm wondering how Mike Rogers will figure out a way to vote against this.
Showing posts with label Obama Administration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama Administration. Show all posts
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wizardkitten Says It Better
Seems like the folks over at Blogging for Michigan are a little sick of all the speculating about Gov. Jennifer Granholm's future, too.
Check out wizardkitten's blog on yet another possible post for Granholm.
Well done!
Check out wizardkitten's blog on yet another possible post for Granholm.
Well done!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Commerce Opening May Revive Granholm Rumors
Some news reporters report news. Some report speculation. Some fuel speculation.
Tim Skubick falls into the later category. The Lansing news veteran has covered the Michigan Capitol since before the electric typewriter was invented. Politicians come and go. Other reporters come and go. Issues come and go. But one thing stays -- Tim Skubick's speculation machine.
A favorite Skubick ploy for creating speculation is to ask virtually every two-bit politician who comes to Lansing, "Are you running for governor?" Nearly every one says he or she is thinking about it because what politician above the level of county commissioner (and some at that level, too) hasn't thought about it.
Presto! Skubick has a "story" without having to do any real work.
An even better story machine this year has been speculation on whether Gov. Jennifer Granholm will take a job in the Obama administration, enabling Skubick to speculate, speculate, speculate about her chances.
When all the jobs in the cabinet were filled, there was still a judgeship to speculate about, as he did recently in the Lansing State Journal.
While speculating endlessly, Skubick blames Granholm for making him do it. He argues that she should just say yes she's interested in a job or no she isn't, as if that would really end his speculating. If she says she would be interested, then Skubick could speculate on why she was passed over for this or that job (whether or not she really was) or which job she might be interested in. If she says no, then Skubick can speculate whether she really was interested and was spurned by Obama.
Speculation never ends because it is based on nothing but thin air.
So now that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has bowed out of heading the Department of Commerce, expect the Skubick speculation machine to start up again.
But that's just speculation on my part.
Tim Skubick falls into the later category. The Lansing news veteran has covered the Michigan Capitol since before the electric typewriter was invented. Politicians come and go. Other reporters come and go. Issues come and go. But one thing stays -- Tim Skubick's speculation machine.
A favorite Skubick ploy for creating speculation is to ask virtually every two-bit politician who comes to Lansing, "Are you running for governor?" Nearly every one says he or she is thinking about it because what politician above the level of county commissioner (and some at that level, too) hasn't thought about it.
Presto! Skubick has a "story" without having to do any real work.
An even better story machine this year has been speculation on whether Gov. Jennifer Granholm will take a job in the Obama administration, enabling Skubick to speculate, speculate, speculate about her chances.
When all the jobs in the cabinet were filled, there was still a judgeship to speculate about, as he did recently in the Lansing State Journal.
While speculating endlessly, Skubick blames Granholm for making him do it. He argues that she should just say yes she's interested in a job or no she isn't, as if that would really end his speculating. If she says she would be interested, then Skubick could speculate on why she was passed over for this or that job (whether or not she really was) or which job she might be interested in. If she says no, then Skubick can speculate whether she really was interested and was spurned by Obama.
Speculation never ends because it is based on nothing but thin air.
So now that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has bowed out of heading the Department of Commerce, expect the Skubick speculation machine to start up again.
But that's just speculation on my part.
Friday, January 2, 2009
They Can't Stop Talking About Health Care
The discussion on health care that the Obama Transition Team called for around the country has started a conversation that is continuing long after the meetings themselves ended.
My email box has been the recipient of numerous emails from people who couldn't make any of the events in Livingston County, Michigan, but who still wanted to share their stories and concerns.
From a lawyer came a comment about medical malpractice and how to prevent it. He noted that hospitals where doctors are employees, malpractice is much less frequent.
"With physicians being employees, there is far better organization and business and quality decisions can be better made and enforced," he noted.
A woman who has been laid off twice this year learned her coverage will run out on February 19 and that it would cost her $1,0005 a month for her family to pay for it herself. "Needless to say unemployment benefits will not even begin to cover a thousand dollars a month. So I think we will be joining the ranks of the uninsured.
Anything President Obama can do will be an improvement over this," she wrote.
Another woman wrote that the quality of care too often is sacrificed for profit as insurance company rules aimed at cutting costs handicap doctors. And she worried that doctors over-prescribe medications because of kickbacks they receive from pharmaceutical companies.
What has been interesting about the emails is that these came not from activists but from people whose names I don't recognize and who felt very strongly about the issue. They wanted to contribute their two-cents but for one reason or another they couldn't make the meeting.
Clearly, the Obama Transition Team tapped in to something very emotional, very important, for millions of Americans.
We need to help them answer people's prayers.
My email box has been the recipient of numerous emails from people who couldn't make any of the events in Livingston County, Michigan, but who still wanted to share their stories and concerns.
From a lawyer came a comment about medical malpractice and how to prevent it. He noted that hospitals where doctors are employees, malpractice is much less frequent.
"With physicians being employees, there is far better organization and business and quality decisions can be better made and enforced," he noted.
A woman who has been laid off twice this year learned her coverage will run out on February 19 and that it would cost her $1,0005 a month for her family to pay for it herself. "Needless to say unemployment benefits will not even begin to cover a thousand dollars a month. So I think we will be joining the ranks of the uninsured.
Anything President Obama can do will be an improvement over this," she wrote.
Another woman wrote that the quality of care too often is sacrificed for profit as insurance company rules aimed at cutting costs handicap doctors. And she worried that doctors over-prescribe medications because of kickbacks they receive from pharmaceutical companies.
What has been interesting about the emails is that these came not from activists but from people whose names I don't recognize and who felt very strongly about the issue. They wanted to contribute their two-cents but for one reason or another they couldn't make the meeting.
Clearly, the Obama Transition Team tapped in to something very emotional, very important, for millions of Americans.
We need to help them answer people's prayers.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Is Archer In Line for Post in Obama Administration?
It was a bit of a surprise recently (Nov. 20, 208) when former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer announced that he would not be running for governor in 2010. The former Michigan Supreme Court justice had told the news media months before that he was exploring a possible run after Gov. Jennifer Granholm leaves office due to term limits.
In declining to run, Archer cited his unwillingness to spend the necessary time away from his family in order to campaign, saying he basically would have to "marry" the state of Michigan.
That doesn't mean he has lost his taste for politics. Archer was a major and active supporter of President-elect Obama here in Michigan, spending time on the campaign and not just lending his name.
Could it be that some position is waiting for him in the Obama administration? At his news conference, Archer said he didn't expect that to happen. And most of the high-profile cabinet posts have been filled.
Granholm has been mentioned as a possible U.S. Supreme Court justice should a vacancy occur in the next four years, as is extremely likely. But Archer seems an equally plausible pick. Not only did Archer support Obama earlier than did Granholm (who was a backer of Sen. Hillary Clinton), but he served on Michigan's highest court. And he was once voted Michigan's most respected judge.
Archer also would do a fine job on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, or any number of other posts.
So I'm betting we haven't heard the last of Dennis Archer as a public servant.
In declining to run, Archer cited his unwillingness to spend the necessary time away from his family in order to campaign, saying he basically would have to "marry" the state of Michigan.
That doesn't mean he has lost his taste for politics. Archer was a major and active supporter of President-elect Obama here in Michigan, spending time on the campaign and not just lending his name.
Could it be that some position is waiting for him in the Obama administration? At his news conference, Archer said he didn't expect that to happen. And most of the high-profile cabinet posts have been filled.
Granholm has been mentioned as a possible U.S. Supreme Court justice should a vacancy occur in the next four years, as is extremely likely. But Archer seems an equally plausible pick. Not only did Archer support Obama earlier than did Granholm (who was a backer of Sen. Hillary Clinton), but he served on Michigan's highest court. And he was once voted Michigan's most respected judge.
Archer also would do a fine job on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, or any number of other posts.
So I'm betting we haven't heard the last of Dennis Archer as a public servant.
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