Monday Musings: "Freep's Folly" in 2010 Gubernatorial Endorsement

folly-news.co.uk

(This is the longest post I have written in a long time...

but it is THAT important! Thanks for your attention.)

Dictionary.com describes "folly" as (n): nonsense; a ridiculous idea. That is exactly what the Detroit Free Press has done with its endorsement of "The Nerd"for Governor of Michigan. The election is eight days away, so please allow me to enlighten those seemingly not in the know. A famous saying is "insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results"...we cannot afford to allow another know-nothing Republican with no plans and no government experience to further ruin our beautiful state.

Since the Free Press strike that began in 1995, the paper has hired many "new employees"--including the editorial board, so it could be that the "newbies" do not know about the last time we here in Detroit were fooled into allowing a Republican get mistakenly elected Governor of Michigan in 1990. Detroiters and Mayor Coleman Alexander Young were angry at then-Governor James Blanchard for *ignoring* Detroit and glossing over the needed *urban agenda*. Detroit voters either didn't vote at all, or thought they'd "teach Blanchard a lesson" by voting for the seemingly moderate and nice guy John Engler.

The 12 years of the Engler administration were a complete disaster for the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan. Engler came into office with a budget surplus, and left office (and left Michigan the day he left office--literally) with Michigan in dire straits. Engler depleted the state's "rainy day fund", closed all of the mental health facilities, cut taxes to the point that there was (and still is) no money to run the government, and decimated the public education system, especially here in Detroit.

"The Nerd" has no plans for Michigan, just "feel good" slogans like "Michigan needs to feel great again". Yeah, but how? MORE cutting taxes?

"The Nerd" has the NERVE to say in his advertisements that unemployment in Michigan has risen since Virg Benero has been Mayor of Lansing. Well, duh...but a Mayor doesn't have control over all of the employment of the entire state as The Nerd's ads seem to suggest.

He says "high unemployment in Michigan" with a straight face--although he laid off thousands in Michigan and the U.S. from the companies he owned AND then sold his company to China! TWICE he had a chance to build manufacturing plants in Michigan and TWICE he went to China instead. So who is more responsible for high unemployment in Michigan?

Mayor Bernero, on the other hand, has run Lansing like he will run the State of Michigan. Lansing is #7 in the United States in employment improvement; and #1 in the State of Michigan. Mayor Bernero knows how to improve the business climate while at the same time balancing the budget. He took a personal pay cut and a cut in his personal health insurance. What did "The Nerd" do? Sit on the millions he made for himself while selling out to China.

Mayor Bernero became known as "The Angriest Mayor in America" when he was justifiably angry because the Republicans were williing to let the American auto companies die, and all of the hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and small businesses along with them. He went to Congress--angry--and demanded loans (not bailouts) to save the American auto industry. 

What did "The Nerd" do to save the auto companies and manufacturing in Michigan? NOTHING--except tell a business group in Grand Rapids that "manufacturing in Michigan is dead"!

Does Michigan need a Governor who only cares about big business, and neglects the real working people and small businesses? What is "The Nerd's" REAL record when it comes to making jobs IN MICHIGAN (not in China)? Just four months ago, "The Nerd" opened up a NEW company IN CHINA--he's tried to deny it.

One of "The Nerd's" current TV commercials has a smooth voice-over by a black actor--black people almost always can identify a black voice. DON'T BE FOOLED, DETROIT.

As far as Detroit goes, Mayor Bernero and "The Nerd" were invited to a debate at Renaissance High School last Thursday sponsored by the United Ministers of Detroit and the NAACP, among others. Mayor Bernero was there; "The Nerd" had other things to do. That is exactly what will happen after the next election: Governor Bernero will be there for Detroit; "The Nerd" will have other things to do when it comes to Detroit.

Yes, "The Nerd" came from humble beginnings and got rich. Nothing wrong with that; that's the American way. But it should NOT be the American way to throw the middle class under the bus and cut taxes to the point that there is no infrastructure (especially in Michigan) or social safety net.

Mayor Bernero also came from humble beginnings as the youngest child of an Italian immigrant who came to America in 1947 to work in the auto industry and was able to raise his five children in a middle class environment provided by that blue collar job with middle class salary and health benefits. Mayor Bernero wants the same opportunities for every one that his family had.

"The Nerd" only understands "the bottom line" and profits for the people at the top of corporations like has been his recent experience.

BTW: all of the road repairs that are going on right now are the result of the STIMULUS package that the Democrats voted for--money and jobs for the State of Michigan and other states. Republicans rail against the Stimulus, but then show up in their districts with big checks. The height of hypocrisy!

I expected the Detroit News the endorse "The Nerd", but the Freep?!?!?!?!?!? How quickly we forget!

Don't be fooled again. This is more than a choice between "Wall Street and Main Street"--this is a decision that will affect Detroit and Michigan for many years to come.

Look at the candidates and really decide who is for EVERYONE in Michigan, not just the rich and well-connected. If "tax cuts" really did create jobs-where are they?

The Free Press already committed one folly; don't do the same, Detroit. Wake up! Don't make the same mistake twice and expect a different outcome.

Vote Virg Bernero for Governor on November 2 2010