McGonegal campaigns for Michigan House seat
This story appeared in the Thursday edition of the Milford Times, a Gannett weekly newspaper that covers Oakland County’s Huron Valley, a small part of the 66th District thanks to gerrymandering.
The story brings out Mike’s most important issue, jobs, and the No.1 job killer in the state and nation, the high cost of health care. Mr. Ward uses the same old disproved idea that cutting taxes for the rich will create jobs. Study after study has shown that to be false, but that’s his story and he’s sticking to it.
By Aileen Wingblad
STAFF WRITER
Democratic challenger Mike McGonegal is squaring off with two-term incumbent Republican Chris Ward for office of state representative for the 66th district.
The race is a first for McGonegal, a Green Oak Township resident, though he admits that for years he's considered running for political office. "People have asked me to run for things in the past, but I just didn't have the time, " he said. "Now, I do. And I'm not happy with the way things are going."
Ward, a Brighton Township resident, is majority floor leader who is seeking his final term allowed as state representative. "I feel very good about another term — the opportunity to finish my work," he said.
Mike McGonegal
Michigan's high unemployment rate is the key issue McGonegal said he will address if elected to office.
And doing so, he said, will require the state legislature to ensure education is adequately funded and to make affordable health care available to everyone.
"How do we get jobs in here? We make sure we have a priority in education," McGonegal said. "A better educated work force will attract new types of business. That's the magnet to get jobs back to Michigan — nonexportable jobs."
Along with getting new companies to the state, it's also vital to support those that are already here, McGonegal added. And that will entail a long, hard look at the accessibility of health care, he said.
"The automobile jobs, the durable goods manufacturers and the machine tool industries have left because of escalating costs of health care. Other countries help their businesses with that cost, but we don't help ours."
McGonegal noted that he was not in favor of the recent repealing of the single business tax, calling it an "irresponsible" move that ultimately lowered the state's bond rating. This is deterring businesses from investing and relocating to Michigan, he said. Yet he stops short of placing too much blame on the legislature's eliminating the SBT.
"What's it's really about is we haven't adjusted to the global economy. It has a lot more to do with the decisions of the auto industry — and those came from health care costs spiraling out of control," he said.
The answers are out there, he said. "We don't have to reinvent the wheel. All we have to do is look at how other states and other countries are addressing health care and learn from their mistakes," he said. "It has to be at the state level and the federal level, because the bigger the pool, the lower the cost."
McGonegal added that if voters send him to Lansing, his extensive background in business will be particularly beneficial to his constituents. He has spent most of his career in industrial sales. He also has five years in law enforcement.
"I know what the issue is: It's jobs it's jobs, it's jobs," he said. "I've been a businessman and I know that this isn't about a particular tax or what the Republicans did or didn't do, or what the Democrats did or didn't do.
"What we need to do is invest in the right stuff — and know that things aren't going to be easy in Michigan for a long time."
McGonegal, 57, moved to Michigan from Ohio 12 years ago. He's married and the father of four.
And though he knows the state representative race will be a tough one, he said he's up to the challenge.
"It's going to be an uphill battle," he said. "But I believe people are ready for a change."
Chris Ward
There's no hesitation for Ward when asked to name the major issue facing the state legislature — and its residents.
"Definitely, it's the economy. Every priority right now is on turning around our economy, reducing the unemployment rate and beginning to stop the rapid downfall," Ward said.
And Ward is ready with plans to do just that. "We need to reform the business tax structure. We've already started that by ending the single business tax, and I've introduced a bill for a gross receipt tax," he said.
He is proud of the work he's done so far as a state representative and is looking forward to two more years. "Hopefully, I'll have the chance to serve again," Ward said. "It's really quite an honor."
Ward, 32, is the father of three. He's currently separated from his wife.
posted by Communications guru @ 5:17 PM
17 Comments:
I saw the Milford Times article and the Hon. Mr. Ward admits that we all are not better off than we were 4 years ago he says he wants to begin to stop the rapid downfall by reducing unemployment but shouldn't this attempt to stop the downfall have started 4 years ago and since his attempts have not yielded any results why vote for Mr.Ward.
Thanks Milt and now for the wife,Anita just wants to add to us Mr. Ward has no independence from, as, best I can put it Republican orthodoxy.Although we are democrats we are very conservative and we see Mr. Mcgonegal as an independent,pragmatic,non partisan frame of mind that we think all in the district are eager for in this position. Milt says thanks for letting him go first. Yo're welcome dear.
That was sweet milt and anita.
Too bad a 25 year Republican Senate and 11 year stint by Republicans in the Michigan House hasn't been sweet at all.
All those Republicans for all those years and 12 years of John Engler just 4 short years ago and none of them thought about the SBT then, but why?
What we need is a change from Republican governmental policies and Mike McGonegal is a damn good start!
The economy in this state has slowed to a snale's pace and is at its lowest point in three years and Ward is the problem and his claim that he will now start to fix things with his tax double talk is too much! Ward needs to go to the private sector he created so he can see what he has done for his neighbors.
big kahuna: what is up with all these free meals with your guy chris because when my mother in law feeds my fat face on sundays it goes without saying that i'll be cleaning up her leaves and doing her gutters.
People we can win this thing so start talking up mike to all.
Michigan's bad economy is Chris Ward's fault, and not Jennifer Granholm's?
What color is the sky in your world?
Welcome to the blog Milt, and thanks for your input. I cannot find anyone either to tell me why we should keep sending this guy back to Lansing with his record.
Welcome to the blog as well, Anita, and thank you for your input, as well as letting Milt go first. We would love your and Milt’s input and opinion on some of the other things we have posted.
You are correct about Mike. In his line of work, he has had to work with all kinds of different people, not just people exactly like you who are the only ones invited to the table. That’s what really sets the two candidates apart, as well as Mike’s basic honesty and morals. Mike has met many, many Republicans at their front doors who say they plan to vote for him and his ideals are closer to their own that the incumbent.
Thank you for your comments and welcome to the blog as well, LW. Your comments were right on. Business as usual is not working in Lansing, and we need a change. A career politician like our opponent who can only work with a narrow group of ideologues who think exactly like him and who has never had a job out in the real world is not the answer.
I also want to personally thank you for your post and welcome you to the blog, JJ. You are right that the economy has “slowed to a snail’s pace” but I would not say Ward is not the problem. You give him too much credit to begin with, and the problem we are facing is not his or any one person’s fault. However, his lack of action as a leader – at least in title – of the Legislature is not helping fix the problem and he is standing in the way of a solution and real progress all in the name of keeping power. You are also right about his tax double talk being part of the problem.
This from a report from the respected W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research that we blogged about on 8/25, and it concludes “a weak auto industry - not high taxes - are at the heart of Michigan's struggling economy, and that “Michigan has lagged behind the rest of the nation since 2000 almost entirely because of the decline of Michigan's automakers.
The irresponsible move of repealing the SBT early is hurting us more than it is helping us in so many ways.
I agree Sue. If any open-minded person looked at the two candidates side-by-side Mike wins hands down. We just need to show people Mike’s qualifications and Mr. Ward’s.
The color of the sky in my world is either bluer or gray, depending on the weather that day same as in your world, who-ever-you-are.
Please show me where I, or anyone else, ever said or implied, “Michigan's bad economy is Chris Ward's fault.” As I pointed out earlier to JJ, “his (Ward) lack of action as a leader – at least in title – of the Legislature is not helping fix the problem and he is standing in the way of a solution and real progress.
Neither is the downturn of Michigan’s largest employer the Governor’s fault, but she has a plan to help ease and better the solution, and alleged “leaders” and obstructions like Ward are impeding progress.
This is from column by Kevin J. Murphy, a professor of economics at Oakland University and a political independent that ran on the Detroit Free Press this summer.
“Republicans, at both the state and national levels, are attempting to pin the blame for Michigan's lackluster economy on Gov. Jennifer Granholm. It reminded me of the late '90s when Republicans, at both the state and national levels, attempted to give credit for Michigan's robust economy of the time to then-Gov. John Engler.
If Republicans persuade enough Michigan voters that Michigan's economy is foundering because of Granholm, they could swing an election via a patently false claim.
I address this not from any political standpoint but as an economist.
The basic economic question is whether a state's governor can significantly influence the economic performance of the state -- and the answer from the economics profession is no.
Government, to the extent that it can influence macroeconomic activity, does so through two channels: monetary policy (i.e., interest rates) and fiscal policy (taxing and spending). States do not engage in monetary policy.
My basic point, then, is that the state's poor economy cannot be blamed on the governor. She simply does not have the fiscal or monetary policy tools at her disposal either to have caused it to tank in the first place or to yank it out of the doldrums now.
So whom should we blame? For better and for worse, our fortunes in Michigan have been tied to the auto industry for the better part of the last hundred years. Auto sales are extremely sensitive to national economic conditions. If the U.S. economy slides into recession, consumers stop spending on consumer durables like automobiles. The consequence for a state like Michigan can be disastrous.
I'm not trying to tell anyone whom to vote for come November. I bristle at the thought, however, that the election might be hijacked by a slick campaign of disinformation.
big kahuna: there is no reason to accept a meal or a gift or a plane ride or anything ever from a lobbyist. Go ahead and let Ward meet with them and hear their point of view but do not accept anything from them nothing zero nata . It is wrong and if Mcgonegal would do it if elected then he would be putting himself in the occassion of being bought.Lincoln met with lobbyists but he would take nothing from them.The Gov. of California does not take a thing of value from any one because he is above it . It looks bad to the public and appearance is reality. I would not like to be in a divoce case and see my wife's attorney buying the judge in our case lunch because they are just friends. People say politicans are all crooks so stop the cycle and accept nothing.If Ward would pay back the wine wholesalers all their lunches and admit it was bad judgement and pledge never again to accept a free lunch then he would earn the respect of people. The only way Ward could feel good about himself is if he comes clean with the voters instead of assuming we are unaware of his habit of accepting what we others have to pay for. You want to debate me I ask why not get Ward to debate ethics with Mcgonegal.ANON
I thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in too, Kahuna. I agree that “There are a lot of very good reasons why one group or another would want some face time with the majority leader.” I also think the people who he’s actually supposed to represent and who pay his salray should also get some “face time.”
You are also right when you say, “Perhaps it is the industry you are working for that would like some legislation fixed that is hurting their business.” Like maybe the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association that wants you to get around a Supreme Court ruling and draft a bill that says you can only buy from them, hurting consumers and other businesses. That cost them $4,000 up front, and in 2006 alone they have already shelled out $10,000 to Ward for his fine work. Why is that OK with you, Kahuna? He also tried to give a developer $9 million of our money to help him with his new shopping mall. Why is that OK with you?
There is nothing wrong with lobbyists unless they are throwing money and gifts at you for favorable legislation that hurts the public and you’re taking it.
I have no problem either with a lobbyist or even a constitute picking up a lunch tab once in a while, but $5,899 on free meals for Mr. Ward is OK with you?
Our post of Aug. 18 puts it into perspective, but in case you don’t want to go there I’ll summarize it for you.
Wouldn’t you think “there are a lot of very good reasons why one group or another would want some face time with the” actual leader of the entire Michigan House of Representatives? The actual leader of the House had only about $1,800 worth of free meals courtesy of lobbyists. Apparently, Ward’s time is much more valuable than Craig DeRouche’s.
On the Senate side, there are just 38 Senators compared to 110 House members, meaning Senators represent almost three times the amount of constituents a state Representative is responsible for. So it might seem logical that the more powerful Senators would have more money spent on them by lobbyists. Not true.
The Senate Majority Leader only ate $1,170 worth of free meals, and Ward’s direct counterpart in the Senate, Senate Majority Floor Leader Bev Hammerstrom, only scarfed down $1,200 worth of free burgers.
I don’t think Mr. Ward’s time is worth some $4,100 more than DeRouche’s. or the Senate Majority Leader. Just my opinion.
That is an absolutely ridiculous claim. Why is Mr. Ward’s time so much more valuable than the Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader or Senate Majority Floor Leader? Lobbyists didn’t spend almost $6,000 on free meals for them. Are you ever going to answer that question instead of giving this song and dance that a group or law I like gets passed because my lobbyist greased his palm? Why in your world is that OK? How is that being hypocritical or naïve? I work in Lansing, and I know how things work. This goes above and beyond anything normal.
Why are the “wine thing and the land deal are getting a bit old?” When was he ever held accountable? Did a different person commit those acts? Why does he always get to get a free pass for his ethical lapses? You can bet Mr. Ward and his supporters want it to be old news, but he has never come clean about it nor has the full story ever come out.
Then tell me how election reform has saved a lot of money. What I have seen is it has created a lot of confusion. Here in Livingston County it created so much confusion that a long-serving, popular incumbent Village Trustee in Fowlerville has to run as a write-in because the elections are so screwed up. You may be right, it has saved taxpayers money, but is at the cost of further compacting our most valuable and precious freedom, the vote? You are welcome to make your best case, and I’m willing to concede that in four years it saved some money every two years.
Are you honestly telling me with the anti-incumbency mood and the direction our state and country is heading in that being a career politician does not matter? Sorry, you could not be more wrong. I fail to see what the Kennedy family have to do with this at all. I would venture a guess that are just as many Bushs in elected office right now as Kennedys, or close to it.
big kahuna and CG : It is wrong to take any thing of material value from from a lobbyist.PERIOD.If you don't stand for something than you will fall for anything and that is what Ward has been doing his entire political life so a defeat would teach him a lesson as he does not remember Watergate and he thinks no one else does either.I don't want my guy or gal beholding to any one. GC you say why not accept a small lunch now and again it is only a little thing.Well its the first drink that gets the sailor drunk so if you can't afford to buy your own damn lunch than you should not hold the office.You two sound like you are on the same side and it is the wrong side.ANON.
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