Looking over a pitiful lot

In my last batch of postings I mentioned that Alma Wheeler Smith, Dem candidate for Michigan Governor, stood up for gays in sponsoring a bill that other Dems seem not to want to touch. That prompted my friend and debate partner to tell me about Jack Lessenberry's column in this week's Metro Times in which Jack reviews the current crop of declared candidates. So I found a copy and read it.

Michigan's economic troubles started long before the current Great Recession started in 2008. I left the auto industry in early 2007 (wow, it's been 3 years!) and the round of cuts that encouraged my departure was far from the first. Jennifer Granholm's predecessor in the governor's chair was John Engler, who saw the economic troubles coming and did all he could to drain the state's economic rainy-day funds rather than fix any underlying problems, leaving Granholm no wiggle room. Of course, she would have drained those same funds within a couple years. That was only one of Engler's many disastrous policies.

Obviously, says Jack, we need someone strong, like G. Mennen Williams. Tiny problem -- he died in 1987.

The GOP offers these candidates:
AG Mike Cox -- firebreathing conservative looking for ways to boost his career.
Rep. Pete Hoeskstra -- out to protect everyone from terrorists. Jobs? Ehh.
Oakland sheriff Mike Bouchard -- spent millions to tell us how smart he is.
State Sen. Tom George -- who?

The Dem pool:
Dan Kildee -- he looked pretty good, but he jumped out as fast as he jumped in.
Lansing mayor Virgil Bernero -- appears to hold office only to campaign for another job.
Dem House Speaker Andy Dillon -- caves mighty quickly to GOP policy demands.
State Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith -- looks mighty good. Except nobody thinks she can win so nobody is contributing to her campaign. Considering how racist much of the state is that Smith is both a flaming liberal and black probably has everything to do with it.

Granholm is such the wimp that Jack predicts whoever wins the GOP primary will be elected governor. Hold on to your seats, Michigan is in for a wild ride downward.

Lessenberry will propose a way out of the mess next week.