A-ha! You thought I was going to talk about our less-than-holy primary, didn't you? Nope. I'm here to talk about something else.

Dick Cheney is coming to Michigan this Friday. Our soil will be tainted by the Evil One, called in to help raise money for Bush rubber-stamper and the "least effective" member of the Michigan congressional delegation, Club for Growth darling Tim Walberg. Dick and Tim are charging $500 a head to get in the door of a private reception, $1000 if you want a picture taken with the VP. (they need special infrared cameras, or something. Maybe Cheney doesn't show up otherwise)

Worth mentioning here at Kos- we have ourselves what the press is calling a "heated" campaign in Michigan's 7th district. Wave bye-bye to Bush Republican Tim Walberg, and say hello to a real fighter for the people, Michigan Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer.

This guy rocks. He spent all last year calling out the do-nothing Republican majority in our Michigan Senate - there is no doubt in my mind that he would be a great addition to the United States Congress.

Originally posted at Blogging For Michigan, this comes from the Schauer campaign-

Although this is coming out of Michigan, it will help any state that has a high number of workers displaced by outsourcing- if that is your area, you should get in on this, too.

Do you have your Congresscritter on speed dial yet? You probably should! 202-225-3121. Program that in.

TTA stands for Trade Adjustment Assistance, the program that is training displaced workers here in Michigan for new careers after their jobs have been outsourced. The vote is coming this week, and it's critical that we get the federal money to fund this operation, or it goes bye-bye.

From Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Rep. Sander Levin-

...to end our budget deficit. Perhaps we should look at changing the definition of "trickle-down", because that is probably where these cuts will end up- right on you.

Why the need for secrecy?

State Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop says he has compiled a list of $900 million worth of spending cuts to balance the state's budget -- he just doesn't want to share the list with the public yet.
 
Bishop, a Rochester Republican, said his colleagues in the GOP-controlled Senate have pieced together a budget-balancing plan that contains no new taxes, no fee increases and no budgetary "gimmicks." But his proposal to eliminate the current $900 million deficit has not been unveiled to taxpayers or the governor.

"I haven't made it public because I feel the proper thing to do is to have discussions with our legislative colleagues and the governor. This is an ongoing process of negotiations," said Bishop, who took over the Senate leadership post in January.

When Bishop spoke by telephone with Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Thursday, he did not share the details of the GOP plan.

This is it.

This is the battle for our future.

What happens in the next few months will define the quality of life in our state for years to come.

The framework will be set in the State of the State speech Tuesday, and Granholm had better bring her "A" game to the table. Given the tone of the opposition in response to the release of that bipartisan All-Star panel 19-page report, a report correctly entitled "Michigan's Defining Moment", a report that spells out in detail the crisis we are dealing with, she is going to need it.

Who is that moderate looking boy smiling on your porch? He's not so scary! Is he? Nah...

But be sure and watch closely as Dick does his trick.

DeVos is still trying to dodge the issue of his support of radical right causes by hiding behind the mask of pro-gay rights, pro-choice, pro-stem cell research, RINO Rudy Giuliani. He looks so cute, doesn't he? That Rudy, he's OK, he's not a staunch conservative like those other Republicans. You are lulled into a false sense of security and relief. Those extreme, frightening costumes make you nervous. You have seen too many of them in the past few years.

I have said "hi" to her a couple of times. She will stop yelling, smile, say "hi" or "how are you" back, calm as can be, and then proceed to go back to yelling after you walk by.

I don't argue with her about the things she yells about. What would be the point?

Lately I feel that way about the Michigan Republican Party and Dick DeVos. That is why the posts at my blog have been mostly about ads and polls this past week- I have reached the point where I really just don't want to argue with a bunch of people who are just pulling all their demons out of the gutter and shoving them in your face and screaming about them.

For those who can't play YouTube, here is the script-

Voice over: "Jennifer Granholm personally opposes abortion. But Jennifer Granholm believes that this deeply personal and private decision should be made by a woman and her doctor, and not by politicians.

Dick DeVos takes an extreme position. Dick DeVos wants to make almost all abortions a crime, even when a woman has been the victim of a rape or incest.

The difference is clear. It's time to take a stand."

If the strategists are cringing, that only confirms that capital "C" Conservatives have to hide their true agenda, and that the Republicans are more than happy to deceive the public. Dick is hiding his true agenda, but as Dickerson points out in this piece all a reporter has to do is follow the money. It's all there.

If only the media had been reporting the truth about DeVos all along. Hats off to those journalists who have done some homework on Dick's background, but, honestly guys, most of you have done a pretty poor job at reporting on the man that has been hiding in plain sight.

find the frequency over the jump...

I'd like to thank you for joining me today.

This is a critical election. Voters in Michigan and across the country have a clear choice between a vision of leadership that works every American, and the failed leadership of Republicans like President Bush and Dick DeVos. In Michigan, you can have a real leader like Governor Granholm who is fighting every day for Michigan's working families. Or you can have a committed Bush Republican like Dick DeVos who will put his party's interests and the special interests ahead of our country.

We had a very interesting episode go down last week, the repercussions of which are still reverberating on the airwaves today- and probably will continue from here on out.

Wednesday, Sept. 6, the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) released an ad that, for the first time in this campaign season, was critical of Dick DeVos by name and his record of creating jobs in China while eliminating jobs in Michigan during his reign at Amway.

The 30-second Democratic spot, airing statewide, claims that as president of Amway Corp., now Alticor Inc., DeVos laid off 1,400 workers and invested $200 million in China. DeVos served as president of the company, co-founded by his father, Rich DeVos, from 1992 to 2002.

By contrast, the ad claims, Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm traveled to Asia to bring $200 million in investment back to Michigan.

There shall not be any criticism of the would-be King.

Once upon a time, back in the cold, dark spring, Mark Brewer was threatened with arrest when he tried to hold a press conference in front of Dick's headquarters in Lansing.

Today, Dick has called his lawyers to try to stop the MDP from airing a television ad.

Does this behavior remind you of anyone else you know?

Gov. Jennifer Granholm took sharp verbal shots at Republican challenger Dick DeVos on Saturday, calling him "a CEO who cut jobs in Michigan to invest in Asia."

In speeches to the Michigan Democratic Party convention at Cobo Center in Detroit, Granholm and others displayed a campaign theme of class division, characterizing DeVos as a wealthy, archconservative ex-Amway executive and friend of President George W. Bush who has shipped jobs to China.

"I am fighting for the things that everyday people of Michigan want and need," Granholm said. "My opponent has spent his time and a considerable part of his fortune fighting for things that hurt our citizens."

Best quote of the day: "You may not have a lobbyist with a fancy suit. But you know what? You don't need one. You have me."