The list of our Governor's accomplishments overwhelms:

• Managed to pass an income tax increase over the opposition of 70% of the citizens and 50% of their legislative representatives
• Managed to pass a service tax over the opposition of  95% of state businesses and the State Chamber of Commerce
• Managed to protect the state bureaucrats from the tiresome requirement that they confine spending to stay within their allocated budgets
• Managed to protect the state bureaucrats  from irksome demands that they restructure their methods to provide services more efficiently and with greater cost effectiveness
• Shielded the MEA from the worst of the assaults aimed at providing more bargaining power to local school boards
• Overcame the objections of the State Police and MSU in order to abandon the low cost headquarters in E. Lansing in favor of a $127 million new building in Lansing.

 Fortunately, her minders have discovered a way to help her avoid these petty distractions by having the taxpayers fund a new executive post for someone to remove from her the burdensome responsibilities formerly routinely executed by the Governor.
This new functionary will assume the responsibility of the oversight of State departments, reform their methods and audit their continuing performance versus their budget targets.
What's that? This was all available last November when an experienced business executive offered his talents for the office of Governor. DeVoss wasn't it? Oh, that's right, the voters declined his offer. Ok, we all make mistakes, no-one is perfect.
and, of course, the new appointee will be guaranteed to be free of the polluting effects of right of center political views.
So, anyway, Governor Granholm will now be freed to concentrate on what she does best; paint with the broad brush of reforming Social Engineering and serve the special interests of  her supporters. After all she has now accomplished her career enhancing goal; she has established her tax and spend credentials to the satisfaction of her potential Democrat Party benefactors in Washington DC. She can now Move On.
The first fruits of this new phase appeared last week.
Modestly, almost humbly and quietly  even stealthily, on the eve of Thanksgiving Day this Governor granted the People of Michigan her "2007 Great Thanksgiving Emancipation Proclamation":

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Jennifer Granholm has issued an order that bars discrimination against state workers based on their "gender identity or expression," which protects the rights of those who behave, dress or identify as members of the opposite sex.
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An applicant enters the recruiting office of the State Police :
- Please take a seat sir. Your application indicates you meet the academic prerequisites. May I say, I couldn't help noticing that you are wearing a rather frilly skirt.
- Oh thank you, it is rather cute isn't it. I picked it up at the post-Thanksgiving day sale at Macy's. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how little I paid for it.
- May I ask, do you always dress this way?
- Well Captain I do have quite a wardrobe, I rather lean toward pleats...
- I mean , don't you wear pants?
- To tell you the truth I find them rather confining, I feel rather, well, emancipated in skirts. Besides, its makes mooning easier, ha ha.
 - Ah yes ha, ha. I'm just wondering about appropriateness..
- Well Captain, surely in view of  the Governor's 2007 Great Thanksgiving Emancipation Proclamation its not an issue is it?
By the way, would you mind delaying your meeting with the next applicant? She doesn't speak English and I promised I would help her fill out the application form.
- I must ask you your reaction to a hypothetical situation. Imagine you have pulled over a traffic violator. You put on your service cap. You check its proper alignment in the rear view mirror and you exit the vehicle. How are you dressed otherwise? I mean, from the waist down.
- Oh, you can be sure my skirt will be simple but well coordinated with my uniform shirt. Do I wear boots or gaiters?
- So you approach to serve the citation. What do you imagine will be the reaction of the citizen?
- Captain, there'd better not be a reaction...but I wouldn't expect there to be.
- Don't you think he would be.. er.. surprised at your appearance.
- Oh no, paragraph 2 of  Governor's 2007  Great Thanksgiving Emancipation Proclamation will ensure that will not be the case.
- Remind me, how does paragraph 2 go again?
- Sure, I quote:
"State employment practices and procedures that encourage nondiscriminatory and equal employment practices provide desirable models for the private sector and local governments"
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To be honest, the recruiting office scene is fictitious.
But, I swear to God, the  Governor's 2007 Great Thanksgiving Emancipation Proclamation is not! I couldn't make up something like that even if I tried.
The Proclamation now adds gender identity to a list of other prohibited grounds for discrimination that includes religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, height, weight, marital status, politics, disability or genetic information.
How about language?
How about ugliness?
How about timidity?
Should moral depravity, sociopathy or psychopathy be added to the list of defined and acceptable disabilities?
How about Jihadist affiliation.
Let's stop tinkering around. As long as the Governor is wielding the broad brush of Social Engineering, perhaps it would be as well that we deal with discrimination comprehensively and not have to have her come out with annual proclamations until the definition is complete.
What is needed is a taxpayer-funded in-depth study by an expert research team with public hearings and focus groups. By these means they could formulate a proposal to put the issue of discrimination to rest once and for all.

Russell Spencer