Please watch the following animation ad by Governor Granohlm's re-election, shown at their convention and featured in the Governor's Monday "talking points" to supporters:
http://www.devosforgovernor.com/Media/Flash/2006-08-28/DeVos_Flash_Three.htm
We don't expect the mainstream media to hold the Governor to any sort of standard of decency or truth, but you can! Together, let's blog, write, call, walk (door-to-door) and get the word out.
Oh, and after watching (please do) the "ad" here are some facts to pass along:
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SCRIPT: This is Dick. See Dick get a business from his Daddy. It's called Amway.
- Dick worked in the company from the bottom up, including everything from mowing the lawns to working in the manufacturing plant. Every job.
- Dick was called back to Amway to lead the company when his father had a heart attack. At the time, he was leading his own company, Windquest, creating more Michigan jobs.
SCRIPT: See Amway sales go down. Down and down. Dick has to do something. See Dick downsize. See Dick layoff workers. Over one thousand Michigan workers.
- When the company was struggling, Dick provided the leadership to cut the fat out of management and protect factory jobs. His leadership eventually saved the company and 4,000 Michigan jobs.
- The company gave many early retirements, and also worked to place people in new jobs outside of the company. Dick didn't cut a single manufacturing job.
- While many other manufacturers gave up on Michigan, went out of business, or filed for bankruptcy, Alticor stayed here, thrived and prospered. Today, Alticor supports over 4,000 Michigan jobs.
- Alticor has had 6 straight years of growth since the reorganization that Dick DeVos led. (Alticor News Release, 11/2/2005)
SCRIPT: See jobs go bye bye. Bye bye Michigan. Hello China! See Dick invest. See Dick invest in China. Over two hundred million dollars in China. See Dick create thousands of low wage jobs in China.
- Not one Michigan job has ever been shipped to China and nothing made in China is sold in the United States.
- Daniel Howes of the Detroit News called the claim that Dick shipped jobs to China "phony" and "demagoguery". (Detroit News, 8/21/2005)
- Brian Dickerson of the Detroit Free Press argues that "the allegation doesn't check out". (Detroit Free Press, 6/30/2006)
- This is simply another negative attack on the part of Governor Granholm that ignores all the facts. Even the Oakland Press argues that this attack "misses the mark". (Oakland Press, 8/27/2005)
- Dick's company opened a factory in China because it was required by Chinese law. 400 Michigan jobs are now directly supported by the sales in China.
SCRIPT: Good work Dick. Bad for Michigan.
- Dick's leadership in saving his company was good for Michigan. 4,000 Michigan jobs were saved because of the company's international investment.
- Alticor's China operations have created jobs right here in Michigan. 400 Michigan workers at the company's headquarters in Ada, Michigan work on China related business.
- Today Alticor sells products in over 70 counties, supporting jobs in Michigan. That's how Dick saved 4,000 Michigan jobs.
- In fact, Dick's experience selling Michigan made products across the world will benefit Michigan. Detroit News editor Nolan Finley argued that "Michigan could learn from DeVos' China experience". (Detroit News, 4/2/2006)
- Governor Granholm's attacks on Michigan companies selling products and expanding around the world slam hundreds of Michigan companies, like the Big 3, for expanding in other countries to sell their products, saving thousands of Michigan jobs.
SCRIPT: Now Dick wants a new job. See Dick run. See Dick run for governor. Run Dick, run! Dick sees the capitol. Dick likes the capitol. See Dick try and buy the capitol.
- 18,765 different Michigan citizens have supported Dick DeVos this year. More Michigan families have contributed to the DeVos campaign than to Granholm. Dick's campaign is not about one person, it is about the many Michigan families who are standing up for change.
- Dick DeVos can't be bought. He is not taking money from special interests.
- But Governor Granholm has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from special interests including dollars from oil companies, energy companies, unions and many others.
SCRIPT: How much will it cost? Dick doesn't care. See Dick claim to be a jobs maker.
- Dick DeVos is the only candidate for governor that has created jobs. He is the only candidate to actually run a manufacturing company and create jobs.
- Over 4,000 Michigan jobs were saved because of Dick's leadership.
- 29,000 people lost their jobs in last month alone under Governor Granholm's lack of leadership.
SCRIPT: Dick has a pamphlet. See Dick's pamphlet. Dick calls it his jobs plan. See Dick's job specifics. You can't!
- In June, Dick introduced The Michigan TurnAround Plan, consisting of 134 action points to turn our economy around and create more jobs.
- The Detroit Free Press called the Michigan TurnAround Plan "the most detailed set of objectives ever produced by a candidate for statewide office". (Detroit Free Press, 6/22/2006) And the Detroit News said that Dick's plan is "the kind of leadership needed to move Michigan out of its long-standing economic doldrums". (Detroit News, 6/22/2006)
- "The blueprint includes a slew of ideas" according to Joel Kurth of the Detroit News. (Detroit News, 6/22/2006)
SCRIPT: Dick says if being governor means managing a plan, Dick doesn't want the job. (Detroit News 6/22/2006)
- This is the real quote: "DeVos labeled his jobs plan "Version 2.0" and said it may evolve with time. Pointing to his business experience, he said he was open to new ideas and bold action. `At the end of the day, it's going to be about results and measurably getting the job done,' he said. `If the purpose of governor is to just execute a specific plan, then I'm not sure I want the job.'" Unlike Governor Granholm, Dick DeVos knows that Michigan families want results - not talk about plans that clearly are not working.
SCRIPT: Dick's plan is a secret. Dick says he won't tell us the secret until after the election.
- Dick's plan is no secret. The Michigan TurnAround Plan is available on the web at www.themichiganturnaroundplan.com. And, Dick DeVos has gone on television to share his vision and message. Yet another sad lie from Governor Granholm.
- Just go check out the plan, it contains hundreds of new ideas to turn Michigan's economy around.
SCRIPT: But we know Dick's plan calls for lots and lots of new spending. Spend Dick spend!
- Not true. Dick DeVos does not support raising taxes. This attack is trying to muddy up Governor Granholm's failure to run state government. She has proposed, signed or supported over 50 tax increases totaling over $2 billion. The state budget has increased over $4 billion under her administration. Talk about lots of new spending.
- Dick knows how to manage and get results with government. His plan calls for over $800 million in cuts. Whereas Governor Granholm has no plan to cut waste, fraud or abuse. And under the Granholm administration, the state budget has grown by over $4 billion. In a massive state government budget, Dick believes there is always waste that can be cut out. Dick will put the budgets of Michigan's families before the budget of Lansing's special interests by not raising taxes and eliminating wasteful spending.
SCRIPT: Who will pay for Dick's plan? You'll pay!
- This is a complete lie. Unlike Governor Granholm, who already has raised taxes, Dick will not raise taxes on Michigan families. This is a simply a scare tactic produced by Governor Granholm and her spokespeople.
- Could it be any worse? Michigan residents are already paying with the worst economy in the nation. While the rest of the nation has gained over 5 million jobs, Michigan has lost over 100,000 jobs.
SCRIPT: See Dick's positions on the issues. Oops. Dick doesn't take positions on the issues. Dick says issues are complicated. (MIRS 3/31/06)
- This is a crazy lie. Yet another out of context lie by the Granholm attack crew. For more of Dick's views on the issues, go to www.devosforgovernor.com/issues.
SCRIPT: Dick has friends. George Bush is his friend. See Dick help George Bush. Six hundred and two thousand dollars! See Dick and George hurt Michigan. Bad Dick. Bad George.
- Dick is an independent Republican who can get the job done for the people of Michigan.
- Just last week, Dick charged the White House with ignoring the Big 3 and demanded that President Bush start addressing the needs of Michigan automakers.
SCRIPT: Not everyone is Dicks' friend. We're not Dick's friends. We don't believe in Dick.
- Dick DeVos is the only candidate who is not taking Special Interest PAC money. So it is true that the big money special interests don't like Dick DeVos.
SCRIPT: Should Dick be able to buy the capitol? We want Dick right back where he belongs. Dick, go! On a slow boat back to China.
- Given Governor Granholm's record, if we don't change, another 1500 police officers and another 104,000 workers will be without a job.
- What Michigan needs is to put Dick DeVos in the capitol. Only then will Michigan be able to start it's turnaround by creating jobs and growing the economy.
- Governor Granholm's attacks on job makers are dangerous. Michigan needs job makers if Michigan wants jobs. With these kinds of negative attacks on job makers, no wonder Michigan is the only state to lose jobs three years in a row. Michigan lost 29,000 in last month alone. How do these attacks create any jobs?
SCRIPT: The end.