Interesting stuff, especially if Obama wins.


Proposal for replacing lieutenant governors not tied to Granholm rumors, sponsor says

By Amy Lane
Crain's Detroit Business
October 31, 2008

A resolution introduced in the state Capitol would set up a new process for installing a lieutenant governor in Michigan, adding to pre-election buzz about whether Gov. Jennifer Granholm will find new opportunities if Democrat Barack Obama is elected president.

But the resolution’s sponsor, state Rep. Steve Bieda, D-Warren, said neither his resolution nor a companion bill is being introduced “about any speculation about the governor.”

If a Michigan governor leaves office before a term is up, or if there is a vacancy in the office of the governor, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. But there is no provision in the state constitution for replacing the lieutenant governor.

State law provides for the Senate to pick an acting lieutenant governor from the same political party as the governor, but Michigan’s attorney general has determined that while the Senate could select its own presiding officer, it may not appoint a person to fill the vacancy of lieutenant governor because there is no authority under the constitution to fill a vacancy in that office.

Bieda said the process of selecting a lieutenant governor should be in the constitution. His measure is patterned after the 25th amendment to the U.S. constitution, which allows the country’s newly succeeding president to pick the vice president.

Under Bieda’s House Joint Resolution OOO, if Michigan’s lieutenant governor succeeds or fills a vacancy in the office of governor, the new governor would then select a new lieutenant governor and submit that nomination to the state Senate and House, which would put the selection up for a majority vote in each chamber.

Bieda’s resolution would need to pass the House and Senate by two-thirds majorities and would then go before voters in an upcoming general election. He is having a companion bill drafted that would set up the same new process in state law.

Bieda said he hopes to see both measures taken up after the House returns to session in November.

The term-limited lawmaker, who leaves office at the end of the year, said he has been working on the measures for some time and is not introducing them in preparation for Granholm to leave office before her term is up.

“It really kind of comes out of an academic interest I have in good government,” Bieda said.

If Granholm does leave office early, she would be succeeded by Lt. Gov. John Cherry.

In past weeks and months, speculation has mounted that Granholm, who has played an active role in the Obama campaign, might leave for an appointed post, such as one involving energy, or a federal judgeship.

Bill Ballenger, editor of the political newsletter Inside Michigan Politics, has his doubts.

“You always have this kind of talk. It gets down to whether she wants to leave, and whether the Obama administration wants her,” Ballenger said.

He said he thinks that Granholm likes being governor and takes pride in the job, and she “could be viewed as deserting the state in six years without completing the task.

“Does she want her legacy to be somebody who bailed out before she completed her term? My feeling is, I don’t think she would want to do that,” Ballenger said.

However, he said he sees “no question about it” that Bieda’s measures are being introduced on the possibility that Granholm might leave.

Liz Boyd, Granholm’s press secretary, said that “this is not the first time people have speculated on the governor’s future, and it won’t be the last. For the governor’s part, she is focused on the job she has.”

Do you think Granholm is more or less qualified to run the country than Palin? This is a serious question since I'd be terrified with either doing it I think.

The point is moot since Granny's Canadian.

I've heard that the Supreme Court could be in her future, though.

If the Dems hadn't gotten control of the Senate, I strongly suspect Levin would've retired and Granholm would be running for Senator now (and a lot of other things would've played out differently leading up to that).

After fucking Obama with the Michigan primary scheduling, I suspect the best post she would get is Ambassador to Canada (kinda like Jim Blanchard). Obama probably wants Archer as governor in 2010 moreso than Cherry, so taking Granny and giving our Lt. Governor incumbency isn't what he'd want.

Granholm running the country scares me less than Palin. She knows how to balance a budget without totally killing service. People expect her to run the auto industry, grow new business segments out of her ass, etc. with no money and little ability to borrow, which I think is unrealistiic. There are things I don't like about her, but she does what she says she will do.

The point is moot since Granny's Canadian.

I've heard that the Supreme Court could be in her future, though.


I heard that from two different people today.


That--would be weird.

I love how everytime the state Republicans issue a statement these days about the troubles in Michigan, they refer to this as the "Granholm/Cherry Administration", lol.

Granholm running the country scares me less than Palin. She knows how to balance a budget without totally killing service. People expect her to run the auto industry, grow new business segments out of her ass, etc. with no money and little ability to borrow, which I think is unrealistiic. There are things I don't like about her, but she does what she says she will do.
Pretty much how I feel about her.

I've heard that Jenny might run for Senator in 2014 when Levin's next term is up, of course assuming Levin calls it a career then. He'll be almost 80 at that time.

MI GOP MEDIA ADVISORY: Michigan GOP Chairman to Hold Press Conference Detailing Lt. Gov. Cherry's Role in Failing to Lead Michigan

lawl

I can't see Cherry winning the Governor seat.

He's like a liberal Dick Posthumus.

I can't see Cherry winning the Governor seat.

He's like a liberal Dick Posthumus.
I agree with Wil Ledezma. Unless Granholm leaves for some Beltway gig, I have a hard time envisioning it happening for Cherry. He's not particularly engaging, otherwise he'd have run and won in 2002 instead of Granholm. The only reason he'd make it past a primary is "machine" support.

Of course, the Republicans could put an even-more-flawed candidate in front of him. Money's gonna be key. The folks who've wanted to piss away large sums of money into political races have been on the west side of the state, away from the automotives. It'd be interesting to see who Stryker backs.

Of course, given term limits, the notion of an official who's been elected to state-wide office for decades may have more novelty now than it did when Posthumus ran. There just aren't a lot of seasoned politicians left, at least among those who'd want the job.

I can't understand how ANYBODY would want to be Governor of Michigan or President of the US right now.

Life's too short.

I for one would much rather create internet contests for prepaid phone cards.

Me too!

It's slightly less stressful.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090313/NEWS15/90313043/GOP+s+field+of+3+leads+Cherry+in+2010+governor+rac e

The Dems are going to need to find a better alternative than John D. Cherry. He reminds me of Dick Posthumus, who was probably as unexciting of a candidate as you could probably ever get.

One Dem I've always liked is Bart Stupak who is the Congressman from the UP.

It's interesting that they polled for Hoekstra things, but the article doesn't give the head-to-head for Cherry vs. Hoekstra.

I doubt Stupak would ever go for the job. His district is gerrymander-proof unless the Great Lakes dry up. Barring felonies, he's a Congressman for life.

I heard somebody mention once that Mitt Romney was considering running. Perhaps to keep his name relevant for a 2012 Presidential run.

He dominated the presidential primary here last winter and his dad was the governor of Michigan before, IIRC.

Fuck Mitt Romney. Another religious whacko. I'd vote for the first guy who has the balls to either say he is an atheist, or just believes in God to hedge his bets, but really doesn't buy the bullshit that goes with believing in God, like having to be good or not cheating on his wife. Cut through the bullshit and just admit what everyone else is thinking: Believing in God is like the proverbial "Cock in the glass case". You say it because it sounds good. Especially the part about "All ya gots to do is axe forgiveness, and it's all good!"

I heard somebody mention once that Mitt Romney was considering running. Perhaps to keep his name relevant for a 2012 Presidential run.

He dominated the presidential primary here last winter and his dad was the governor of Michigan before, IIRC.
Romney isn't running for governor here. His "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" editorial slammed the door shut on that.