Republicans take the reins in Michigan

LANSING — Under a sunny and blue skies with unseasonably warm temperatures on Saturday, newly elected Republicans took over nearly all of the key leadership positions in the state of Michigan.

A crowd estimated by Capitol Committee officials to be about 1,000 people gathered on the lawn of the state capitol to watch as power was transferred from Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s leadership to Republican Rick Snyder. Snyder’s Lt. Gov. Brian Calley was also on hand to take his oath of office, as were Ruth Johnson, incoming Republican Secretary of State; Bill Schuette, incoming Republican Attorney General; and Republican members of the Michigan Supreme Court, the State Board of Education, and board members for Wayne State, Michigan State and the University of Michigan.

Republicans swept into power in November, gaining a supermajority in the Senate, and taking control of the state House, as well as taking the statewide offices. They take power as years of funding from the federal government comes to a close, and the coming budget will see a projected deficit of $1.8 billion.

During his inaugural address, Synder called for broad bipartisan cooperation and acknowledged the state was facing a difficult, but not impossible, climb out of its current economic morass.

“It won’t be simple or easy,” Snyder said. “There is no magic solution to our problems. But with most of our problems, there also comes opportunities. It will require shared sacrifice from all of us. Many have already made sacrifices. Many of us need to join those who have already contributed.”

Snyder has said he will ask public employee unions to agree to more concessions as part of austerity plans. The Snyder speech provided no particulars on exactly what the businessman turned politician would do to fix the state’s budget woes. Those details are expected later this month when Snyder presents his first State of the State address to the legislature.

He is also expected to introduce a two year budget before the March deadline. He has said he wants the Republican controlled legislature to pass the budget by July 1, something Gov. Granholm also called for many times during her eight years in office.

Johnson and Schuette called on the spirit of Reagan in their remarks. Schuette said Saturday was “morning in Michigan.”

The conservative Republican from Midland said Michigan residents want less taxes, more safety and less government in their lives. Schuette has said he will continue the lawsuits started by outgoing Republican Mike Cox challenging the health care overhaul passed by Congress as well as intervening in a case brought by the Obama Justice Department against Arizona for a contentious immigration law that state passed.

Meanwhile Johnson told the crowd that she would safeguard elections from fraud, and integrate technology into the Secretary of State’s operations.