1) Are you glad Engler is leaving?
I think 12 years is enough for any politician, term limits are a good thing.
2) What do you think of him?
I've never met the man. I can't claim to agree with everything his administration has done, but then perfect agreement is an unreasonable expectation. I would like to have seen a stronger position by the administration on protecting water quality on the Great Lakes and inland lakes, rivers, and streams, and some effort to discourage the development of our wetlands. Michigan is an outdoor activity haven - boating, hunting, fishing, and camping - which brings billions into the state and those resources need to be protected. This was partially a legislative issue, the legislature created the Department of Natural Resources and largely defines its role.
In fact, Lt. Governor Dick Posthumus, who is running as the Republican gubernatorial candidate, is decidedly stronger on the environment and natural resources than Engler while essentially sharing Engler's economic vision. Posthumus broke ranks with the Republican Party on a number of environmental issues.
But, you can't argue with success. During Engler's tenure, he inherited a burdensome state deficit, a failing "rust belt" economy, unemployment rates far higher than the national average (19% when Engler took office), a welfare system rampant with abuse, a decreasing state population that was fleeing to better economic opportunities in other states, a technology and IT base that made Michigan among the most technologically repressed states in the country, a workforce that was unable to meet the challenges of a changing industry, among a host of other problems.
All of these problems are substantially improved and many completely reversed, due in no small part to Engler's Administration. From consistently ranking near the bottom among Midwest States in a number of categories during the 70's and 80's, Michigan has risen to consistently rank among the top 10 states in a number of categories and unequivocally leads the nation in a few:
#1 in job growth from 1991-1997
#1 in new manufacturing jobs
#1 in per capita income growth (from 1989 - 1999)
#1 in New Facilities and Expansions three years in a row (Site Selection Magazine)
#1 in Tax Cuts - 31 separate tax cuts totaling $15 billion
#4 in exports to foreign nations
#4 in high tech employment (up from nearly last when Engler took office)
Engler frequently faced-off with an obstructionist legislature, largely made-up of the same folks who gave us these problems (Blanchard's camp who is riddled with fiscally negligent tax-and-spend Democrats), to gain support for his proposals and changes. The people of Michigan handed both the House of Representative and the Senate to Republicans in the mid-1990's.
3) Who are you rooting for?
Not Bonior and not Granholm. Both are from the same camp who gave us all the problems of the 70's and 80's mentioned above. Bonior can only be described as an ardent socialist, being a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
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