The 2006 elections are finally over

Ahh, hear that? You don't? Me either. My phones are blissfully silent except for people I actually want to talk to.

My radio is filled with talk, music, and commercials for the local auto mechanic.

My television is still filled with a lot of garbage, but at least the politicians have vacated it.

The 2006 elections are FINALLY over. Thank goodness for that.

I really don't want to recap the Michigan elections so I will provide links for those of you still interested in reading about politics. Here you go:

Granholm win is evidently a vote of hope by Michigan residents.

Granholm wins election and wins again as Democrats take control of the state House and made gains in the Senate.

Results of the various ballot proposals

It's Election Day - don't forget to vote

After all of the debates, endless ads, and pre-election hoopla - it is FINALLY time to exercise your right to vote.

• Make your voice heard today in Michigan's Gubernatorial Election.
• Choose which proposals you would like and dislike.
• Vote for your congressman/congresswoman.
• Take part in one of the fundamentals of our democratic society - the right to vote.

Anyone else get inundated with political phone calls over the weekend?

The final push being made before tomorrow's election reached a maddening level over the weekend. Supporters and opponents of the various proposals on the ballot made their voice known to me numerous times over the weekend. Of course, the gubernatorial candidates had the loudest voices of all with their automated phone calls. I am sure there must be some legal loophole that allows political phone calls to be made without regard to the Do Not Call List. Apparently political phone call advertisements do not fall under the category of "telemarketers" as they are not technically selling anything to you. But aren't they?

They are trying to "sell" you on the benefits of tossing your vote their way. I don't know, maybe it's just me. I tend to view these calls as sleazier than other telemarketing calls.

I am just thankful that after tomorrow there will be a reprieve from the radio, television, mass mailing, and phone call advertisements from all of these politicians and political organizations. That's an early Thanksgiving gift I guess.

Won't that make you thankful?

Michigan political news heats up as election draws near

One of the hottest topics here at the All Things Michigan blog was a post I wrote after a friend of mine moved to Colorado for better job prospects. There was a lot of good discussion and points made in the comments section of the post. The bottom line about this year's election for the next governor of Michigan is that whomever wins needs to get the Michigan Representatives and Senate to put partisan politics aside and do what is right for Michigan.

If you missed the post, you can find it here.

If anyone else has a story to share about friends or family they have seen leave Michigan because of our economy feel free to post it in the comments section below.

Another positive about the elections taking place next Tuesday - only eight more days of political ads on radio and television. That sure makes me smile :).

Losing friends to Michigan's crummy economy

A good friend of mine recently moved out to Boulder, Colorado for a better job in a better economy. He was making decent money working in Accounting/Finance here in Michigan, but without any health insurance benefits. He would wait weeks or months here after sending out dozens of resumes for a measly one or two interviews. In just one week out in Boulder he has had multiple interviews in just ONE day. It's no wonder states like Wyoming are recruiting for jobs here in Michigan. When your state's economy ranks 49th out of the 50 states every other state's job market looks promising.

Neither Granholm nor DeVos has come out with a definitive fact-based plan for job creation here in Michigan. Neither candidate has come up with a feasible health care plan. Neither candidate has much of an idea on what it will take to improve the results of our education system.

Does either candidate deserve our vote?

I was ticked off about our state's economic woes long before my good friend finally gave up on trying to make things work in Michigan. The biggest deciding factor in where he moved to was not the job market, it was the weather climate. It came down to Texas heat or the moderate climate of Boulder.

In case you were in denial about the state's economy – just how bad is our economy when people don't care where they move to as long as they move out of Michigan.

It didn't matter where he ended up as far as he was concerned. He knew getting a job somewhere else would be relatively easy compared to Michigan.

Our State is Broke - Will Somebody Please Fix it?!?

The election is two weeks from today. It might as well be two years from today. We have a long road to economic recovery before us. The question is, how many more wrong turns can we afford to take?

Thoughts on the third Granholm vs. DeVos debate

It is hard to adequately state my displeasure with these three debates fights that took place between Governor Granholm and her challenger, Dick DeVos. What a waste of time for the great people of the state of Michigan. Neither candidate did anything to solidify their positions on the economy, taxes, or education. While DeVos has done essentially nothing (in my eyes) as far as presenting a fact-based solid plan for Michigan's recovery you have to ask yourself a simple question in regard to Jennifer Granholm. Are you better off than you were four years ago?

You see, this is why voter apathy is so high these days. The negative campaigning and the mud-slinging debates make voters decide to not cast a vote at all rather than vote for one of the two major party candidates.

Granholm has the 8-9 point lead in the polls but is it because she has done such a good job or is it because DeVos has not done anything to garner our votes?

Read what the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press are saying about the debate.