G4G Talking points for 09/28 -

[SharonRB]

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (40 Days until Victory 2006)

“I know a little something about soft money, as my family is the largest single contributor of soft money to the national Republican Party. I have decided, however, to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect some things in return.” – Betsy DeVos, wife of gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and former chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

Governor Granholm announced yesterday that 24 additional job creation projects were to be awarded funding from her new 21st Century Jobs Fund.


The new projects will receive $37 million of funding from the $2 billion fund, which offers money to help businesses expand and invest in Michigan to diversify our state’s economy.


Dick DeVos touted a “new” idea to crack down on lobbyists in Lansing – but Governor Granholm proposed stringent reforms months ago and her legislation has been blocked by Republicans in the Legislature.


DeVos did not actually offer specific legislation, and he was careful to wait until AFTER the Legislature recessed for the election, ensuring that no action can be taken this year.


The truth is, Dick DeVos has made a career of lobbying – as CEO of Amway, he lobbied for unfair trade and special tax breaks that only benefited his company, and he gave millions of dollars to Republican causes.

Headlines from Around the State

The Livingston Press: Granholm digging in
"I can feel it in the air," said Granholm. "We are going to take back the state." Granholm said Michigan residents are feeling more pain than in any other state in the country. "We know Michigan's economy is economically challenged, and why?" asked Granholm. "Because of (George W.) Bush's failure to enforce a fair trade agreement." Michigan was a 100 year leader in the auto industry, and Washington, D.C. was indifferent to the legacy, letting jobs slip away, the governor stated. "China should have been prevented from stealing our parts," she said. "In 2001, they promised not to steal our product designs. The federal government is not standing up to them." Granholm laid out some points from her plan, "Jobs Today, Jobs Tomorrow," to transform Michigan's economy. "It's the most aggressive plan in the country," she said. The recovery plan accelerates building projects to jump-start the economy. "FDR during the Depression invested in buildings," said Granholm. "We will put 10 years of building programs and $4 billion to work in three years. Every orange barrel you see means a job." The 21st Century Jobs Fund is sparking more than $2 billion in investment on high growth sectors such as life science, alternative energy, advanced manufacturers and homeland security, revamping workforce training to create jobs, said Granholm.
Click here to read the full story...http://www.countypress.com/stories/092706/loc_20060927001.shtml

The Detroit News: DeVos looks to regain his momentum
DeVos went on the defensive to counter Granholm and Democratic Party commercials about his years as head of Amway-parent Alticor, when he trimmed the company's Michigan work force and invested in China. His strategists say DeVos expected the attack, has held his ground and is in a good position as the campaign's final six weeks grind down. But some outsiders say he's got to start giving voters answers to Michigan's crippling problems in order to regain his momentum. Further complicating his task, DeVos strayed last week from his message on jobs, to take on intelligent design instruction in science classes. That opened the way to a distracting discussion of social issues his campaign had hoped to avoid. One Republican strategist jokingly referred to DeVos' comments as fallout from conservative Tourette's syndrome… "The way he's outspent her, he should be up by 10 or 12 points. That he's not baffles me," Owens said. "When Granholm came at him, he just got bogged down in the China question and I don't think his campaign has got its momentum back again. He was setting the agenda for a while, his money was allowing him to set the agenda -- the economy, the jobs loss, it's a time for change." Due to declining U.S. sales, Alticor reduced its work force by about 1,400 between 1997 and 2002 -- 600 through layoffs, the rest through attrition or early buyouts. The company also opened a plant and a network of distribution centers in China, investing $100 million while DeVos ran the company and another $100 million shortly after he left. China requires that products sold inside its borders be manufactured there.
Click here to read the full story... http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/POLITICS01/609280380/1022