Glad to see a republican back in the saddle. The whole recall and election was a waste of tax payer money.

Congratulation Joe Graves on your 10-point blow out win against a hand-picked union lackey. It is too bad that the MEA wasted their member's hard-earned money on an election that showed how the union is losing clout and dignity. The MEA , ad naseum, says "it's for the kids, it's for the kids." What they "say" is always diametrically different from what they "do." If they really cared about the kids under their tutelage, they should have instead donated all the money they spent on the recall and election to the classroom teachers for purchasing school supplies they dearly need. I love teachers. Most are caring, dedicated, and honorable. My beef is with their union, who highjacked this noble profession, and formulates union policy decisions that make teachers into ogres in the public's eye. Until the ball and chain of forced union membership in education is severed, the classroom educators will have to endure the wrath of the citizens while the MEA squanders their union dues and makes a bad situation worse.

Well said Fentonite.

It was not a waste for me on the recall election of Paul Scott Joe will not be in the pocket of Snyder like Paul Scott was. The one thing on my mined was the tax increase on Retirees Joe said that was wrong to vote that tax in and if given the chance he will vote to end that tax increase. Think about it Republicans raiseing taxes!!

David, i am assuming you, like me, are a retiree and I empathize with you. If you look at the 2012 income tax retiree change, you will notice that if you were born before 1946 there are NO increases in taxation. Ergo, there is no change. If you were born between 1946 and 1952, you are exempt from pension taxes for the first $20,000 (single) and $40,000 (married). If born after 1952, then all your pension(s) are taxable. The Wall Street Journal found that many corporations are phasing out their defined pension plans and converting to a 401k type plan. General Motors being one of them (full disclosure:my wife is a GM-Cadillac salaried retiree). In my estimation, taxing pensions will start to decrease because less retirees will be receiving pensions upon retirement in the future. The gorilla in the room is the public employees and unionized workers. If---big if--Michigan eliminates collective bargaining (as Wisconsin recently did) or becomes a Right to Work State (as Indiana recently did), the question of taxing pensions will be a moot point. Do you think Joe Graves, a fine man,has the clout, experience, and the power to stop a juggernaut if the people demand change. At one time unions were a potent political force--not any more. They are fortunate to keep what they have bargained for, let alone, ask for more.
FYI: Michigan website for taxing pensions. Check it out.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/taxes/Tax_Change_Summaries_-_Retirement_Exemptions_359799_7.pdf