Michigan is in dire financial straits. There is lots of waste and duplication of effort in a lot of areas plus outright fraud. Reforms along these lines are nice but where the real money lies is in the Land of the Unions. All up and down the system.
Unions aren’t bad, Big Unions like Big Business or Big Government is.
Chris Christie knew that and he had the chutzpa to say it.
He pulled off a major upset by winning the New Jersey special election for governor. He had campaigned as a conservative. Boy do I hear a lot of that these days coming from politicians all up and down the campaign trail.
Unlike 95% of those talkers, once Chris Christie became Governor he not only kept right on talking like a conservative, which is rare enough but starting trying as hard as he could to effect change.
The state is heavily Democrat. He shouldn’t have won on party lines. The new Governor is a Republican. Unlike Scott Brown Christie did not immediately swerve to the middle once elected.
Michigan is a lot like New Jersey as far debt ridden and the majority of the voters being fed up with failed Democrat policies. In New Jersey they were willing to give full measures a chance.
His first speech to the legislature was absolutely so politically incorrect that I found myself cheering at my computer. Of course I blogged about it at the time. Once at the link scroll down for the actual speech.
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http://conservativeinmuskegon.blogspot.com/2010/02/cats-out-of-bag.html
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New Jersey had a budget deficit over $10 billion: wow. Makes Michigan’s short fall seem a lot easier to handle.
But with that $10 Billion to make up the new Governor went to work, he attacked things all the paid consultants I’m sure told him were untouchable. He was honest with the people in what he planned to do as a candidate and he is trying to keep the promises he made. Some of the smaller more member orientated are joining him! His promise was simple, namely to balance the budget and live within their means. By doing whatever was necessary.
To do that he is fighting back against the unions and the war they are waging against him.
Below is a link to the nastiness of the union using their teachers to use their students to fight against Christie.
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http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/nj_gov_chris_christie_budget_c.html
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Hat tip to Muskegon Pundit for this.
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http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2010/04/george-f-will-bringing-thunder-ous.html#links
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Muskegon Pundit’s post brought Christie’s efforts back onto my radar when he linked a George Will article in the Washington Post.
Christie is definitely on George’s radar.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/21/AR2010042104451.html
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Some of the politicians I know around here tell me that the voters while they like the rhetoric will not stand for it if you actually try to cut government.
The rest of them seem to think they can’t get elected it they stray from the political middle.
The middle of what is what I’m asking. Inbetween a Democrat and a Republican? The voters are fed up with both. They want someone to do their job period and New Jersey so far has that.
That need to find that safe middle ground might be so here,(I Doubt It) but it seems to be proving false in New Jersey, that dark blue state. Voters at the school board level have just rejected well over half of the proposed budgets for the schools, forcing renegotiations. Part of Christie’s original message was that he was going to create tools to help districts negotiate with Unions; he is making this happen.
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http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2010/04/earthquake-in-new-jersey-majority-of.html
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So far the voters are watching Christie’s back instead of sticking a knife there.
If Chris Christie would have tried some half measures I doubt he would have won in the first place or have the continued trust of the voters.
So the question remains in my mind. Does Pete Hoekstra have the chutzpah to actually make these fundamental changes in Michigan?
If he does, he is keeping it close to the vest as far as particulars. That maybe good until the general election; but I’m hoping to see some of that New Jersey Hell Fire in Michigan. Of all the candidates for Governor I think Pete has the tools, hopes he uses them.
The voters I’m betting would like to be trusted and willing to trust and vote for someone who does.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
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