Granholm vs Devos Debate #1
Is there anyone else I can vote for in the Michigan governors race? I was not very impressed by the debate last night.
I could tell Granholm is skilled in this kind of format and supported her positions forcefully. Dick Devos came across as a little nervous. This was a new forum for him I think and he was challenged by it. There were a few times he was caught with that deer in the headlights look.
Devos annoyed me by rarely answering a question directly. He tried to stay on his pre-arranged bullet points. He said that the Single Business Tax should be replaced by another business tax that brings in only 1 billion in revenues compared to the 2 billion in revenues the SBT currently collects. He said it would be easy to cut more fat out of government. So, another billion would be easy to cut? Doesn't' he know that the majority of the state budget is mandated spending? As a result, that billion has to come from the general fund that pays for schools, public safety and a lot of other things. I'd like to hear specifics of what he plans to cut.
Granholm lost my respect by her attempt to somehow link the Devos family to a scandal in a nursing home investment. The Devos family invested in common stock in a nursing home company. Later it was found out that there were a lot of problems with sexual abuse of patients. Why on earth would the Devos family knowingly invest in something like that? Even if you have no morals you know that would be a terrible investment because sooner or later that abuse would come out and sink the company. Granholm, you probably lost any chance of getting my vote with that attempt to smear your opponent.
Much of the debate sounded like two children arguing. You said this and it's not true. You said that and it's not true. Back and forth, back and forth. I didn't learn anything new last night.
I could tell Granholm is skilled in this kind of format and supported her positions forcefully. Dick Devos came across as a little nervous. This was a new forum for him I think and he was challenged by it. There were a few times he was caught with that deer in the headlights look.
Devos annoyed me by rarely answering a question directly. He tried to stay on his pre-arranged bullet points. He said that the Single Business Tax should be replaced by another business tax that brings in only 1 billion in revenues compared to the 2 billion in revenues the SBT currently collects. He said it would be easy to cut more fat out of government. So, another billion would be easy to cut? Doesn't' he know that the majority of the state budget is mandated spending? As a result, that billion has to come from the general fund that pays for schools, public safety and a lot of other things. I'd like to hear specifics of what he plans to cut.
Granholm lost my respect by her attempt to somehow link the Devos family to a scandal in a nursing home investment. The Devos family invested in common stock in a nursing home company. Later it was found out that there were a lot of problems with sexual abuse of patients. Why on earth would the Devos family knowingly invest in something like that? Even if you have no morals you know that would be a terrible investment because sooner or later that abuse would come out and sink the company. Granholm, you probably lost any chance of getting my vote with that attempt to smear your opponent.
Much of the debate sounded like two children arguing. You said this and it's not true. You said that and it's not true. Back and forth, back and forth. I didn't learn anything new last night.
posted by Kevmo at 7:40 AM
1 Comments:
Kevmo, I agree with most of your recap. DeVos defintely looked uncomfortable and also annoyed me with his blatant unwillingness to answer questions rather than spew out a memorized soundbite. As you mentioned, especially with the SBT and stem cell issues, he is all rhetoric and won't provide detailed ansers on what he would do if elected.
While I understand your disgust over Granholm raising the nursing home issue, IMO she used that to highlight DeVos' unwillingness to disclose his investments. Granted, that wasn't the most pleasant angle and I don't think she was implying that he had anything to do with it.
Anyway, I do hope the next two debates will be a bit more substanitive on the most important issues. I would have to give the win to Granholm last night.
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