Michigan's going to pot
Ganja's in and the movement for a part-time legislature is out.
That's the word from a panel of Lansing press corps hacks who entertained delegates to the Michigan Municipal League's annual springtime capitol frolic Wednesday by fielding provoking questions from veteran radio and TV commentator Tim Skubick.
Also, when the trio of political experts were asked which state politicians they thought would be lining up to run for governor when Jenny Granholm bites the dust because of term limits, they pretty much agreed that so far the leading Democrats are Wayne County Exec Bob Ficano, Lt. Gov. John Cherry and former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer.
As for the Republicans, there was agreement that Attorney General Mike Cox wants to run so bad he can taste it, that U.S. Rep. Candice Miller may just come home from D.C. and give it a shot and, unless he totally has run out of money (which is unlikely), Dick DeVos could make an encore performance.
This panel of veteran observers, incidentally, was composed of Bill Ballenger, editor of the Inside Michigan Politics newsletter; Associated Press Bureau Chief Kathy Barks Hoffman and Free Press Lansing Bureau Chief Chris Christoff. Not too shabby.
It was kinda surprising to me how quickly and easily they all agreed that the move to legalize medicinal marijuana that is headed for the November ballot is sure to be approved. But they were adamant in the belief that there is just too much popular support for legalization to keep Mary Jane from making it to the Big Dance.
Now don't rush out and buy a seedling tray and heat lamp and think you can save the mortgage by harvesting a cash crop on the ping pong table in the basement. There'll be lots of legal limitations on growing and mowing this kind of grass.
Like it or not, it does appear to be a shoo-in to be legalized for people with medical problems. I can live with that. Listen, if you can get a contact high at a rock concert, folks with debilitating or terminal diseases ought to be able to toke and smoke while they await the latest miracle of modern medicine.
There was a bit of disagreement on the possibility of the legislature choosing to float their own part-time work proposal. But when push came to shove, the panel agreed that even the most powerful and divine plan to trim Lansing lawmakers' hours, perks and income is destined to end up folded, stapled, spindled and mutilated.
Will Hillary and Barack kiss, make up and draw cards or something to see who's No. 1 and who's No. 2? No. If Hillary prevails, wins the presidency and calls Two Men and a Truck to haul Bill's photo collection back to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., will Mz. Jenny become, say, head of Management and the Budget? Granholm says no and I certainly hope not!
Come to think of it, telling you that the state's going to pot isn't exactly man-bites-dog news, is it?
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Pete Waldmeir
It is so great to read Pete waldmeir again and as usual almost always agree with him.
You still have the no nonsense, common sense approach to things and love your comments on the mess in Detroit.
How sad for those of us who were born in Detroit and love the city and now watch it being reduced to this pathetic place run by a moron and all of his other moronic friends.
I'm afraid this scandal has thrown it to the edge financially and morally and there seems little hope for it now. So many other large cities are doing so well and such fun to visit and Detroit should have been like that too.
Part-time
Pete,
I find this disheartening:
There was a bit of disagreement on the possibility of the legislature choosing to float their own part-time work proposal. But when push came to shove, the panel agreed that even the most powerful and divine plan to trim Lansing lawmakers' hours, perks and income is destined to end up folded, stapled, spindled and mutilated...
Instead of these men, with their power of print, taking a stand, they would just like to right this off. I feel thats one of the problems today, there is no discussion of the implications of change, just the percieved notion. Thats the same attitude that got us into Iraq. No discussion, the powers that be knows what is good for us.
You hear more about who slept with who than real polical discussion. When will the press look at the ideas of a person, rather than who cut their hair and how much it costs. Do I care if Debbie Stabenows husband paid $150 for a hooker?...not one bit. I do care on her votes on legislation, why don't the papers print this information
everytime and keep track on each legislators votes?
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