Gretchen Whitmer, the fiery governor of Michigan, has made quite a name for herself, especially when it comes to something she seems to adore: lockdowns. Since taking office in January 2019, Whitmer has been a whirlwind of political actions and decisions that have left Michiganders shaking their heads. Not many governors can claim to have sparked a plot to kidnap them, yet Whitmer got herself that badge of honor in late 2020. A governor in the heartland is supposed to rally folks together, but she primarily rallies opposition with her unyielding grip on power.
First off, let's talk about her infamous mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown policies under Whitmer were some of the strictest and most prolonged in the country. Businesses shuttered, jobs lost, and people's livelihoods destroyed—all while Whitmer seemed to relish her newfound control. Michigan was turned into a dystopian experiment where Whitmer seemed to believe she could micromanage the lives of over 10 million people. Spikes in unemployment, a massive hit to the mental health of residents, and a collapse in the small business sector tell the tale of her heavy-handed approach.
Now, who could forget Whitmer's infamous 'Do As I Say, Not As I Do' moment when caught traveling to her vacation home after warning Michiganders against similar travel? Ah, the hypocrisy. Her penchant for setting rules that seem to apply only to her constituents and not to herself was the cherry on top of the authoritarian cake she served. The moment was a hilarious yet sad testament to her leadership style marked by a blatant 'I am above you' demeanor.
Her penchant for authoritarianism didn't start with the pandemic, though. Whitmer's veto pen is among her favorite tools, slashing bills coming from the Republican-controlled legislature like a gardener on a pruning spree. She seems to have a special knack for cutting budget bills that could have provided tax relief for hard-working Michigan families or supported law enforcement—the very backbone of civilized society.
Oh, and have you seen Whitmer's take on infrastructure? Fixing the damn roads has been her motto, but has anyone seen much progress? The potholes might argue otherwise. For all the big talk about getting things done, it seems like the roads have become a permanent part of Whitmer's unfulfilled promises portfolio.
Environmentalists might love her, but Michigan's economy certainly doesn’t. Her push for stringent environmental regulations has put a chokehold on industries critical to the Wolverine state's economy. Energy policies that sound more like they’ve been cribbed from a California playbook than a state known for its manufacturing prowess are driving businesses elsewhere. Somehow, Whitmer seems to think suffocating Michigan's economy with over-regulation is the path to prosperity. Perhaps she missed Economics 101.
To top it off, the controversy doesn’t end. Resentment grows each time Whitmer implements policies that seem to ignore rural Michigan, a vast area filled with constituents who feel like they're an afterthought in her administration. There’s no better way to create division than to govern with a city-centric approach, as if the rest of the state is merely a collection of barns and wheat fields with no people to consider.
If one thing can be said about Whitmer, it’s that she knows how to stir the pot. Despite her administration being tainted with a questionable handling of taxpayer dollars directed toward donors and allies, she manages to maintain media support reminiscent of a celebrity rather than a public servant. Standing in the spotlight and getting cushy with a partisan media might be fun, but let’s not confuse popularity with effective governance.
Whitmer loves to wield mandates like a wizard with a wand. Forget personal freedom or fiscal responsibility—those are evidently relics of a time she never acknowledges. She’s become a cautionary tale of what happens when executive power gets drunk on authority, dominating a state where resistance to her policies grows stronger.
Firebrand Whitmer might still have supporters who appreciate her leadership style, but it’s telling how she’s managed to get under the skin of so many. As much as she's written about as a rising star, one must wonder—at whose expense does her star rise?