A recent editorial in the Detroit Free Press entitled, “It’s Bad, OK? So Let’s Pull Together” was a masterful stroke of writing! The take on Governor Granholm’s State of the State Address was on target when it was inferred that her appearance should be punctuated with a one word description of our once proud state: “Bad”. Granholm could then depart from the stage and plan her next run across the Mackinac Bridge which seems to be her only claim to fame during the past six years of her administration. She jogs across the bridge while residents are seen running out of the state in search of jobs!

All of us in Michigan are still waiting with baited breath to be “blown away” by her plans for resuscitating the state. Based on her lack of leadership and her inability to make a decision or to make one and then days later rescind it because of adverse publicity, has put our state on a life support unit. What we need is a giant set of defibrillators!

Her legacy will be one of taking a state that was awash in jobs and enthusiasm and relegating it to the leader in unemployment and mental depression. For the past six years we have heard that the previous administration handed her a flawed economic package and we have been paying the price ever since. Having worked in the Engler administration for ten years I have first hand knowledge of Engler’s dedication to improving the plight of every Michigander and his ability to make the tough decisions -something Granholm only envisions in her dreams!

To her benefit though our town has a record of turning out losers who then go on to other lucrative careers so perhaps Granholm can make that part of her dreams. Case in point would be Matt Millen, the architect of the Detroit Lions disastrous record during his tenure. Millen is now an analyst with a national network. And let’s not forget Ron Marinelli who guided the Lions through the record breaking 0-16 record. He is now with the Chicago Bears. So to round out this trifecta of losers, Granholm might be able to parlay her abysmal economic record into a position with the Obama Administration. Then the entire world will know what we in Michigan have known for quite some time, that she is in over her head. Or in the words of one Michael Jackson song: “I’m bad, I’m bad, really bad!”. In fact, that would be perfect background music as Granholm enters the chambers in Lansing for her State of the State message! Washington DC, here she comes!

Bill Kalmar

Former Director of the Michigan Quality Council