Michigan Undecided for Governor: Granholm Vs. DeVos,

N. Kates was kind enough to give a basic rundown of the gubernatorial races in the Midwest in his article titled "Preview of the 2006 Gubernatorial Elections". Since I'm from Michigan and have been following the debate closely, I figured I'd elaborate on the race in Michigan.

Here are our candidates:

Jennifer Granholm (D) - Sitting Governor. Taking a lot of heat for Michigan's dismal economy and unemployment rating. Michigan's economy is in dire straits and our unemployment rate is quite high. States that this is due to Michigan's heavy reliance on the auto industry as well as outsourcing. The lack of health insurance for many Michiganders is a big issue as well. Also taking flack for the abuse of prisoners in our jails and the deaths of children in foster placements in the state.

Dick DeVos (R - Running for Governor. Taking heat for supposedly outsourcing jobs and negotiating to get tax breaks for the wealthy. Also taking heat for his firm pro-life stance (not even in cases of the health of the mother, incest, or rape), supporting school vouchers, and his support of intelligent design. He has spent quite a bit of money in this campaign and is accused of trying to buy the election.

The election is tight this year...Granholm's slight lead is starting to fall again but it's still a lead. Meanwhile, Michiganders feel stuck in the middle.

On the one hand, Michigan really does need a change. Our economy is failing, there aren't jobs to be had, many of us don't have health insurance. These are quite serious issues and for many of us, desperate times are here.

On the other hand, DeVos isn't just a republican, he's a far-right republican. Can he turn our beloved Michigan around? We don't know. He swears he can do better than Granholm but many of us wonder "at what cost".

At what cost, indeed. Michigan is a blue state, and plenty of us are irate at what President Bush has done to our country. We have no guarantee that DeVos won't try to push our state into becoming what Bush wants for our nation, and that scares us. It isn't just a matter that it could happen, we see the warning signs in DeVos' stances on abortion, intelligent design, and stem cell research.

Many of us wish we had better candidates to choose from. We love Michigan, and we want Michiganders to get back on their feet without having to leave the state to find jobs. We're afraid our children will have to leave the state if they have any intention of finding a career, and we wonder what that will mean for us.

Granholm touts education, particularly college education, as an issue of utmost importance, but with few jobs left in Michigan, and most of them being in sectors that don't require a college education, what are our college grads going to do once schooling is completed?

I had a rather serious issue earlier this year that I needed some real help with. It was in an area where the Governor may have been able to effect some change...but her office repeatedly blew me off. I ended up quite angry, because my Governor is supposed to work for me. After all, we helped get her elected, she should be concerned with issues of serious importance.

It would have made up my mind about who I voted for this year if DeVos' campaign had cared a whit either.

Eventually, from both offices I got mostly platitudes, so I can't even say that if we elected DeVos he would actually care.

I find it extremely disheartening that both of them appeared to be too busy to help me. After all, both of these people want my vote, and it wasn't like I was complaining about a parking ticket or something. My child had died, and I needed some help. Someone should have taken the time to help a grieving mother, but neither side did.

I'm stuck wondering which box I will check in November, and I truly wish we had better choices. I'm upset that the far-right still has the audacity to try to run for office after the dismal failures that we've been putting up with from their group so far, and I'm highly disappointed that my sitting governor doesn't take the time to help her constituents on an issue that she could indeed help with.

Perhaps I won't vote for any governor at all. I'm working hard to care about politics, to try to change this country for the better...but if I'm left in a position where there really isn't a better, what is there left for me to do?

Maybe next time around, I'll just run for office myself.