Granholm Drops the Ball (as usual)

What is it about Governor Granholm that she refuses to ever deal with the tough topics? She's at the end of her career in Michigan due to term limits and still can't make the difficult decisions that need to be made. Does she really think she has a shot at the Supreme Court and that they key is to do nothing dramatic to spoil her chances?

In her State of the State speach she said nothing about the need to dramatically reduce prison spending. This is the most obvious place in the budget to make serious cuts - but it is going to involve putting her self out there and taking some risk (which she never does). Prisoner are going to have to be released, and it is inevitable that some of them are going to do something bad. Her job is to make the case, explain it to the voters and do it. She knows it has to be done, but wants someone else to take the heat.

The other key failure was to talk about raising the gasoline tax. The state's roads are a disaster and with every passing month, the eventual costs multiplies. Adding 20 cents will barely be noticed in day-to-day price fluctuations but she doesn't have the guts to tell voters why it makes long-term sense and has to happen.

If she proceeds in her budget with an "across the board cut" she will only be confirming that she has no ability to make decisions and would rather resort to the cheapest political tactic in the book.

I worked hard to get her elected and she has accomplished nothing.