At The B.O.B.,Grand Rapids: Political pundit Bill Ballenger shares observations on state's legislative gridlock,absentee voting and shifts in voting behavior with MOGA members Sept.19

摘要

GRAND RAPIDS,Mich.-The legislative gridlock that has developed in Lansing this year-following a 2018 comeback that saw Democrats win races for Governor,Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General while Republicans retained control of both houses of the state Legislature-has been”worse than I thought it would be,”according to veteran Michigan political pundit Bill Ballenger,who shared his observations on the state and national political scene with members of the Michigan Oil and Gas Association at MOGA's Sept.19 meeting at The B.O.B.in Grand Rapids.Ballenger,who has been involved in or actively followed and commentated on state government and politics for more than 50 years said that despite the fact that Gov.Gretchen Whitmer and Republican legislative leaders have been civil to each other,”We are on the verge of a government shutdown or some kind of crisis,”with no state budget in place as the Oct.1 start of Fiscal Year 2020 looms.