LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Responses are a mixed bag following Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “What’s Next?” speech in Lansing Wednesday morning, outlining her legislative agenda for the rest of 2023. Some of the feedback look like this:
- “Doctors are grateful to Governor Whitmer for making a Prescription Drug Affordability Board a top priority, and we encourage the Legislature to act on this without delay,” said Dr. Rob Davidson, west Michigan emergency physician and the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Health Care. “Physicians across Michigan know how devastating it is for our patient’s health when they simply cannot afford the medicines we prescribe. Now lawmakers have a common-sense solution to rein in costs and improve our patients’ health and well-being.”
- “Proposed energy mandates will shutter efficient, reliable power plants, and force our energy market to depend on inconsistent power sources. Wind and solar are not without their own consequences on the environment; for instance, solar panels are largely produced overseas in countries that rely heavily on coal power. As Michigan electricity providers are already transitioning to new energy resources, government forcing change at unreasonable, breakneck speeds will raise electricity rates on Michiganders,” said State Rep. Mark A. Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, who claimed that because of Whitmer’s policies, “high costs on Michiganders will cause further population loss.”
- “Reducing our fossil fuel use and safeguarding the Great Lakes is absolutely the right message for Gov. Whitmer to be telling Michiganders and the Michigan Legislature. This solution, with her efforts to shut down the Enbridge Line 5 ticking time bomb, is a win-win that will prevent losses to Michigan’s tourism and shipping economy and reduce dirty fossil fuel pollution,” said Sean McBrearty, campaign coordinator for Oil & Water Don’t Mix.
- The governor’s address was a laundry list of extreme liberal policies that will hurt our state’s ability to attract new people and investment while burdening struggling Michigan families and small businesses with new costs,” said State Sen. Joseph Bellino, R-Monroe. “Rather than addressing the problems of high prices for everything from food to fuel that Michigan residents face on a daily basis, the governor is focused on more government mandates and more government control of people’s lives…The governor’s energy pipedream is irresponsible and reckless. She wants to continue giving billions of taxpayer dollars to companies to transition to electric vehicles while at the same time handcuffing how we supply the energy to power those vehicles.”
- “Michiganders are tired of paying the highest electricity rates for the worst service in the Midwest. Moving Michigan toward 100% clean energy will provide more affordable, reliable energy, and address climate change by reducing pollution and protecting our Great Lakes,” said Lisa Wozniak, executive director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Creating good-paying clean energy jobs, reducing energy bills and protecting our air and water are kitchen table issues. We support Gov. Whitmer’s call to transition Michigan to 100% clean energy and press the Legislature to meet the moment by passing legislation that moves us to a clean energy future. We owe it to our children and their futures to get it done.
- “Emboldened by her presidential ambition and her party’s slim majority in the Legislature, Gov. Whitmer has demonstrated that her bridge-building rhetoric was always insincere and is showing herself as the left-wing, progressive extremist she really is. Unfortunately, it has become painfully obvious that what’s next for the people of Michigan is bad news for their pocketbooks,” said State Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township.
