Gubernatorial showdown belongs in Saginaw

October 2, 2006 —

Jennifer Granholm and challenger Dick DeVos have agreed to participate in three debates as part of their gubernatorial campaigns, according to a report published by the Detroit Free Press on Sept. 19.

The first debate, scheduled for tonight, will be held on the campus of Michigan State University. WKAR, a public television station serving Lansing and its environs, will host the debate. The second debate will be held Oct. 10 in Grand Rapids, and the third and final debate will take place on Oct. 16 in Southfield.

Immediately noticeable is the fact that all three debates are being held in lower Michigan, one of which is in a republican stronghold (Grand Rapids), one of which is a democratic stronghold (Detroit), and one of which is the ostensibly neutral arena that is MSU.

What is peculiar, however, is the fact that these three locations constitute Michigan's most economically prosperous areas.

Considering the fact that both candidates' campaigns revolve overwhelmingly on economic issues, this is unacceptable. Both Granholm and DeVos are urging voters to consider their respective plans for economic reform, but then, decide to debate in areas where reform would hold the least significance.

Why won't they present their messages in areas that are economically struggling? Are the candidates afraid of Flint or Saginaw? If you head down M-13 towards I-675, you'll find something that needs to be debated. If you talk to un- and under-employed SVSU grads, you'll find something that needs to be debated.

The region is suffering and has been for the past 10 or so years. SVSU is keenly aware of this, and has made an enormous economic contribution to the area, providing undergrads who occupy low-paying positions in and around Saginaw and well-compensated academic professionals who spend money in the area.

Given this, a most suitable host for one of the debates would have been SVSU. SVSU has all the facilities necessary to hold a debate, and there is fairly equal distribution of republicans and democrats in the area which should make for some interesting disparities in questions from the crowd, if questions were to be allowed. Most importantly, however, SVSU is in Saginaw, and Saginaw presents a number of challenges and opportunities that both candidates need to address.

The DeVos camp's message is hedged on the bet that Michigan's tax and regularory structure discourages investment in the private sector. Part of Granholm's solution is to increase investment in the private sector via increased public spending on projects like roads, buildings, hospitals, and schools, a path not dissimiliar to avenues previous democratic leaders have pursued.

Saginaw would serve as a fine proving ground for either solution, if only the candidates proposing them dared to present them to us directly.