Is Dick DeVos a Monday morning quarterback or just a third-string Yankee?

It's easy to sit on the sidelines and say what you would do - but DeVos has been in this state through the whole crisis caused by the disintegration of the domestic auto industry. What has he done to roll up his sleeves and help? During this same time, he has had a lot of free time - he has apparently been unemployed since 2002. He may be an excellent Monday morning quarterback - but I would rather have someone who has proven leadership in government. It's not so easy to balance the books in government - you can't just let people go or eliminate their benefits or cut services that are legally mandated. Often the quick fix is more expensive in the long run. Talk is cheap. Deciding to spend millions on it only shows DeVos to be as fiscally irresponsible as we all suspect. On the contrary, when Governor Granholm asked state employees to sacrifice to balance the budget she cut her own pay first. The Republicans in the legislature held on to their outrageous salary increases.

Or maybe DeVos is just a third-string Yankee, thinking he is destined to "lead"/ win because he spent more money on the game than anyone else. He is one of those "third-basers" - born on third base and convinced not only that he hit a triple but that he can show the rest of us how to. Do we really believe he knows how to fight for a job? Do we really believe he has ever done that? Even in this campaign, rather than do the hard work of figuring out how state government works (it's called a general fund, Dick) - he sits back and spends millions on slogans and ads. Do we really think that is what Michigan needs? Do we have that kind of cash to burn in this state? Do you think these trade offices, tax cuts, increased spending on everything are all free?

Change does take time. Don't we all know someone moving from manufacturing work to the healthcare field? That didn't just happen automatically. Diversifying Michigan's economy and re-orienting the hardest working workforce in the world doesn't happen overnight -but anything short of that will not get us out of this structural inbalance in our budget. Companies are excited about our higher standards for high school - but kids won't graduate from those standards immediately. Don't give up on Michigan - now is the time when we all need to roll up our sleeves and work together. Sometimes comebacks are a long time in the making, but they are worth it- just look at the Tigers!