The question is what will Mitt Romney do as president if his policy is simply to be hands off and let the government be made so small it can be drowned in a bathtub. In the 21st century global economy, no state alone has the ability to compete against China.

There is a gentleness in Michigan that you just can't replicate.

We need, first of all, for there to be accountability, for there to be somebody who is responsible for enforcing standards and holding people's feet to the fire.

We cannot wait for the storm to blow over; we must learn to work in the rain.

It's that Romney is taking advantage of the government's "free stuff," too, and has been profiting from it handsomely for a long, long time - even as he rails about the "free stuff" that the government provides other people.

That's one of the most exciting things about Michigan's future. We need to, we must capitalize on our alternative-energy vehicles that we can produce right here.

To compete in a global economy, our students must continue their education beyond high school. To make this expectation a reality, we must give students the tools they need to succeed, including the opportunity to take a college entrance exam.