Cropsey: Granholm bad for business
Rejuvenating the automotive industry, marijuana and gay marriage are all issues on the forefront of Sen. Alan Cropsey’s agenda.
Cropsey, R-DeWitt, spoke to a group of about 25 students and Mount Pleasant residents Wednesday night after being invited by the College Republicans.
Cropsey spoke on a number of topics, such as teaching intelligent design in the classroom and higher education.
He also spoke about what is needed to reform the automotive industry.
“About 20 percent of the manufacturing jobs that have been lost over the last three years in this nation have come from Michigan,” he said. “We are looking at a fundamental restructuring for the economics of the state of Michigan.”
Michigan has a lot to do to become a more competitive state, Cropsey said. He also commented on what he said are the shortcomings of Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
“We’re working on this jobs thing in the legislature and I hope it works out,” Cropsey said. “But do you know what would be a better message to send to the business community? To get rid of the current governor and replace her with someone who knows business.”
After speaking for about an hour, Cropsey fielded questions from the audience.
Midland freshman Dennis Lennox II asked Cropsey if he supported giving rights to homosexual couples, to which Cropsey replied he was the one who introduced the 2004 constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
Touching on the sensitive topic of Texas Congressman Tom Delay – who is currently involved in a criminal investigation – was Political Science Professor Edward Clayton.
“The Center for Responsive Politics shows that every Republican in the House in Michigan has taken money from Tom Delay,” Clayton said. “Do you think members of the Michigan delegation should return the contributions they have received?”
As long as the contributions were made legally, Cropsey said there is no reason to return the money.
On the topic of marijuana, Cropsey expressed his dismay at the prospect of it becoming a ballot issue.
“Ten years ago I would have said (legislators would) oppose it and oppose it overwhelmingly,” he said. “I have been working a lot with different judges on it, and they are scared to death of marijuana getting on the ballot because marijuana really is a gateway drug.”
About 80 percent of all arrests made in the U.S. today are drug or alcohol related, Cropsey said.
The senator also took questions related to recent tuition increases at universities across the state, such as CMU’s 19 percent hike for freshman over the summer.
“(Universities) have to come up with the funding one way or another to keep the faculty,” he said. “And it won’t come from the state, so it has to come from tuition.”
Not all in the audience were Cropsey supporters.
“I thought (the speech) was a skillful blend of half-truths and distortions,” Clayton said.
Cropsey represents Clinton, Ionia, Isabella and Montcalm counties.
“Students don’t pay attention to local politics,” said Illinois junior Kara Lambert, College Republicans chairperson. “People need to realize that the big picture (of politics) is actually composed of a bunch of smaller, more local pictures.”
