Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s third State of the State address takes place Wednesday. In it, she's expected to outline her agenda for the coming year, including her Covid-19 pandemic response.
If she hopes to get anything done, she will have to work with the G.O.P. led legislature. If Wednesday’s Senate session is any indication, compromise might be a ways off.
Senate Republicans blocked the confirmation of more than a dozen Whitmer appointees, including the new head of the state health department.
G.O.P. Senator Aric Nesbitt blames Whitmer for not reaching across the aisle.
“Throughout this Governor's time in office, our governor has done everything possible to avoid working with the elected members in this chamber is our founders intended.”
That’s not entirely true. The legislature and the governor worked out a school re-opening plan last August.
Senate minority leader Jim Ananich ?says he doesn’t like the G.O.P.'s tactics.
“This is ranked politics. Thank you very much for admitting it.”
The State of the State takes place at 7 p.m. Republicans will give their formal response Thursday.