Michigan: Forward in a Fortnight?

• Share

Among the favorite political pastimes of Michigan's Republican Governor George Romney is making frequent speeches that cite percentage figures for the progress of his programs, plead for bipartisan unity, exhort Michiganders to "put an end to stalemate and drift" and "move forward."

But in his quest for bipartisanship, the Governor bears a heavy burden in the Falstaffian form of his Lieutenant Governor, T. (for Thaddeus) John Le-sinski, a 300-lb. Democrat who loves to ridicule Romney. Last week Romney returned from a two-week vacation in Hawaii to discover that Lesinski, as acting Governor, had just issued a devastating takeoff on Romney in his own "Report to the People."

"These 14 days," Lesinski boasted, "have seen more done to get Michigan ready for the future than any other 14 days in memory. During this time, the legislature has produced more legislation than any other fortnight in the state's history. The house passed 35 bills and the senate passed 33 bills. We have moved forward in all areas where we have stagnated for years.

"I have achieved 86.3% of my program. I have cut our weekend traffic deaths in half to the lowest fatality record in 39 weeks. The reputation of Michigan has skyrocketed during the past fortnight. People are beginning to think of Michigan more favorably than ever before. Several threatened moves in the industrial community have been discarded because of business' new confidence in my administration. This has saved thousands of jobs for Michigan.

"I am sure that if Governor Romney would only leave the state again during this legislative session, we should complete this record of achievement and forward thrust."