LIVEBLOG: Governor Granholm’s State of the State address

Below is our liveblog coverage of Governor Granholm's State of the State address. For another take on it, please visit Michigan Liberal’s live blog.

7:05 — First things first, we need to honor our members of the National Guard. Granholm honors special guest to standing ovation. Support the troops. Moment of silence of fallen soldiers.

7:07 — The world is changing and Michigan has not adjusted to the new era. So clairvoyant Governor Granholm!

7:08 — We need new jobs and a diversified economy. Diversify and educating our children is the only way out of our economic crisis.

Continued -7:09 — The citizens are angry at the high cost of living at everyone but in particular, the Michigan Legislature. The people wanted change and they got a budget crisis. The citizens of Michigan are mad but they really love Michigan and have hope.

7:11 — In the year ahead we need to be focused and we need to job for every worker, health care, safe places to live and work, and quality education for kids and adults. We did it in the past with repealing the SBT and passing the 21st century jobs fund, the $4,000 Michigan Promise scholarship, and the Earned Income Tax credit, and raising the minimum wage.

7:13 — Jobs, health care, education, and safety are very important and we need to work together, will you join me? There is an awkward silence that is kind of funny.

7:14 — We need to attract tourists. We agree. We need incentives to grow the film industry. We agree. Develop the cultural life of cities. We agree. Why is she playing softball? We need laws that protect the Great Lakes from water diversion. We agree. If we agree so much, then can you explain the budget deadlock? For that matter, are you going to mention the budget deficit we are still knee deep in?

7:16 — I thank Speaker Dillon and Majority Leader for their hard work and cooperation. My speechwriter made me say that. We need good paying jobs for everybody. I will do anything for jobs…for real. In the last five years, I traveled everywhere and secured 7500 jobs to Michigan. Tonight, I have two big ideas. Combined with the 21st century jobs, we will have the most aggressive strategy in the nation. News flash Governor, businesses want educated workers, good schools, and smart transit options more than they want low taxes.

1) Michigan Job creation tax credit – For the top fifty growth industries that grow jobs in Michigan, we will cut or completely eliminate your taxes.

2) Michigan Invests Fund – We will use $300 million to keep young companies in the state of Michigan. And this $300 million will be pooled from state employee pensions so if the companies we invest in fail we are going to…

7:20 — We need a stable budget and everyone should know I cut budgets like Edward Scissorhands cuts bushes, believe me. Just look, my new budget will have $200 million more in cuts and $100 in the rainy day fund. What til you hear what I have to say next.

READ MY LIPS No new fees and no new taxes. The chamber gives standing ovation.

7:21 — Cuts in corrections can happen without compromising safety. You mean like eliminating the political and economic windfall from locking up non violent offenders?  We put pressure on state employees to make cuts that saved the state $170 million dollars. Stand and join me in applauding the state employees for taking the brunt of budget cuts.

We will make a one stop shop for business on a website/number to cut the red tape. In next week’s budget, I am proposing an Michigan Economic Stimulus Package of (sounding like Austin Powers) for infrastructure to create nearly 28K jobs over two years. Look ma, no new taxes!!!!

7:25 — We are going to push for pro job tax cuts. That sounds so catchy, I wonder how well it does in focus groups.

7:26 — Alternative energy is a blockbuster industry for us. We need to lead on renewable energy. We are going to replace the manufacturing sector with alternative energy jobs. For real? Sounds of crickets abound. No one claps. More sounds of crickets. Come on, are you sleeping out there????

Well anyways, I like alternative energy and Michigan is really windy so we should capitalize on that through utilizing wind turbines. What lakefront community is going to allow turbines to sully their picturesque landscape? We can use wood waste for biofuels. The big three are leading in building more energy efficient engines. Who killed the electric car? We are a big player in the solar energy industry because we make the stuff that makes up solar panels.

7:30 — We have a lot of landfill waste that can be converted into green energy and Lord knows we have a lot, including that from Canada.

7:31 — Michigan can be the alternative energy capital of the world. To win the race for these jobs, we have to compete by committing to use alternative energy for our own use. Just look at Sweden. Sweden set high goals for alternative energy and created 400,000 jobs. How long is she going to talk about alternative energy?  Our largest utilities (Consumer Energy and DTE) are going to invest 6 billion in renewable energy to produce 7,000 jobs in Michigan. Essentially, they need a guaranteed monopoly before they really invest in Michigan.

7:35 — We should eliminate the tax for biodiesel and ethanol in Michigan. I am addicted to cuts.

7:36 — Education is very important and our goal is to double the number of college graduates. I will propose a budget that expands funding for K-12 and early childhood education. All school districts will offer full day kindergarten. We need to raise the dropout age to 18. I mean for real, we can’t miss out on that school funding. We need to give the state superintendent power to close schools that don’t make the grade. Read *cough* Detroit *cough*.

My new budget will create a 21st Century School jobs fund to close failing schools and create smaller schools that focus on rigor, relevance, and relationships and get them to college. Wouldn’t smaller class sized help the most?

7:40 — (6) Early college high schools. Granholm gives praise to Jalen who as a freshman will graduate in five years with a 2 year diploma and will be working for Henry Ford upon graduation making roughly $50,000.

7:42 — There are a record number of high school students taking college entrance exams and local colleges are seeing record enrollment. We are going to follow Kalamazoo’s lead to expand Kalamazoo promise across the state. I wonder if it will be in Detroit. The higher ed budget will reward colleges according to the number of students that obtain college degrees. Doesn’t this produce social promotion at the college level?

Do we really want to tie funding to the number of diplomas granted? We will invest in more but their research must make money. What is the timeline for this? Most research takes years before there is any direct payoff? Microwave economics is not wise public policy.

7:44 — No Worker Left Behind is working but the federal funds are running out and we need to find a permanent Michigan source. No new plan presented and I am assuming no new taxes.

7:47 — We helped freeze ARM’s to help protect people’s homes from foreclosure. Thanks Mike Cox? We will help people refinance at lower interest rates once the Legislature pass the Save the Dream Act.

7:48 — Drug Industry Immunity makes the State of the State!!! Michigan consumers should have the right to sue drug companies for faulty products. Go Granholm!

7:49 — We pay too much for home and auto insurance. I am going to issue a new executive order for an insurance advocate to help people avoid being ripped off, no matter where they live. See Detroit. I wonder if Granholm is willing to push for auto insurance to be based on driving records not zip codes?

7:51 — We need to tear down 1500 blighted houses by the end of this year to help reduce crime. I am going to get 10,000 more mentors to do what government can’t afford to do.

7:52 — We need affordable health care and we should be proud for standing for Medicaid during the budget crisis because we stood up for senior citizens and low income people. We should be proud of having the highest rate of insured children across the nation. We want federal support to get more coverage for the uninsured and we didn’t get it. When the new president is elected (if Hillary Clinton is elected and I am appointed Secretary of HHS) we will be first in line to get that funding.

7:55 — We need to ask ourselves how history will judge us. It already has.

7:56 — We need to roll up our sleeves and work to diversify our economy.

7:57 — We can fight each other but we need to show the citizens of Michigan that we can fight for them.

Thank you.