G4G Talking points for 09/19

[SharonRB]

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 (49 Days – 7 Weeks! – until Victory 2006)

Governor Granholm yesterday called for training and education for Ford workers who accept buy outs, to make sure that they can remain an active and productive part of Michigan’s economy.


She proposed a tax deduction that would offer workers up to $10,000 per year towards training, education or relocation, or up to $40,000 for new business startups.


The Governor will continue to aggressively fight for Michigan workers and lead Michigan through a gut-wrenching transition in the auto industry.

Her jobs plan is diversifying Michigan’s economy, and with Google opening its doors yesterday and the 21st Century Jobs Fund creating new jobs projects across the state, it’s starting to work.


DeVos has the wrong plan for Michigan – he fights for the people on top who do the outsourcing and downsizing, and who benefit from the unfair trade agreements, not the workers and families who need someone to stand up for them.

Headlines from Around the State

Associated Press: Group wants to educate Michigan public about embryonic stem cells
Researchers from Michigan and Michigan State University, along with policy makers and a mother whose sons have juvenile diabetes, said Monday that they've formed a bipartisan group that plans to make the case that Michigan's tough restriction on embryonic stem cell research is blocking important medical gains and hurting the state's economy… "If we don't use embryos that are going to be discarded anyway ... it pushes the cures farther and farther away," U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said during a Lansing news conference unveiling the nonprofit group Michigan Citizens for Stem Cell Research and Cures. Added U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz, a Republican from Battle Creek: "A state like Michigan ought to be right out there among the leaders in embryonic stem cell research and not have laws that create barriers. ... There is nothing more pro-life than helping the living." Gov. Jennifer Granholm has asked citizens to voice their support for easing restrictions on embryonic stem cell research in Michigan by signing an online petition. The Democratic governor said during her State of the State speech earlier this year that fewer restrictions on stem cell research could boost investment in life sciences and help Michigan's economy.
Click here to read the full article... http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-37/115859304983610.xml&storylist=newsmichigan

The Daily Mining Gazette: Who gets help with heating costs?
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the release of almost $8 million in energy assistance for 14 states. Strangely enough, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota were not included in those 14 states. Three very cold states who deal with very long winters were left out of some much needed assistance with no explanation. The funding comes from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) which is a federally funded program to help low income households with their heating bills. LIHEAP block grants are used for home heating credits, state emergency relief and weatherization assistance programs. Many people in this area us the home heating credit and a fair amount have also taken part in weatherization programs to help reduce their heating costs. Between the amount of low income families in the area and the high heating costs we are sure to have this winter, there is no reason for Michigan, and other cold states, to be excluded from the $8 million given in assistance. According to HHS, the aid is being given to those states “in which low-income households make greatest use of fuel oil to heat their homes.” This is their reasoning for leaving us out — most Midwestern states use natural gas instead. There should be something done to look again at this decision and Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Wisconsin’s Gov. Jim Doyle are urging President Bush to reverse this unfair decision.
Click here to read the full article...http://www.granholmforgov.com/site/R?i=V8E2BLr_4MQxVw6kFeeW1g..

Kalamazoo Gazette Letter: Vote Granholm for governor Nov. 7
Granholm ran down a list of companies that she had either brought to Michigan or had convinced to stay in Michigan… She has convinced a lot of companies that Michigan is the right place to be. Dick DeVos, the Republican candidate for governor, is Amway and Amway laid off 1,400 Michigan workers and invested hundreds of millions of dollars in China when it expanded there. Doesn't sound to me like DeVos is for the Michigan workers. I urge you to vote Nov. 7. for Jennifer Granholm. She is sincere and absolutely passionate about returning our state to one we can not only be proud of, but one whose citizens can again live the American dream.
Click here to read the full letter... http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/columns-2/1158596411210360.xml&coll=7