At a Livonia Chamber Event, Benson Couldn’t Separate Herself From Whitmer

Westland — As a status-quo state, Michigan isn’t known for injecting new ideas into the national bloodstream. With that in mind, I quietly accessed a campaign event hosted by the Livonia-Westland Chamber of Commerce for Michigan Secretary of State and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson to see what new ideas are percolating with the Democrat party in turmoil.

The progressive and liberal factions of the Democrat Party are in a civil war right now, undergirded by the notion, real or perceived, that the Democrat Party has betrayed the working class.

To be fair, it’s not as if the Democrat Socialists of America are bringing any new policy ideas to the table either. Marxist tropes are nearing two centuries old.

But Benson is, in effect, running a basement campaign with mainstream media kept at arm’s length, and for good reason. Her association with the Southern Poverty Law Center, accusations of racial discrimination in her office, and her association with Whitmer have made her very unpopular with conservatives and the far left.

So, what interesting ideas did Benson have to share with the business community?

Her speech to the members of the chamber was articulate, well-delivered, and radically moderate. No mention of the buzzwords that ignite populist rage. The policies she spoke about were the schlock of 1990s liberalism that seems to get repackaged in every election cycle.

I’m trying to be fair here. She gave a nice speech for an approving crowd that wants more spending for public education to achieve “cradle to career” perfection. More affordable housing, which she rephrased as “attainable housing.” Better pay for medical professionals, teachers, and other members of the professional managerial class.

She also endorsed the utopian fantasy of all liberals: mass transit, including high-speed rail, which she mentioned three times. Her vision of the state includes the prospect of someone living in Detroit and working in Kalamazoo.

Taking prewritten audience questions, Benson embraced a broad range of policy solutions.

How would she solve 9% unemployment among college grads in Michigan? Better public education.

How would she solve the problem of Michigan stagnant population growth? Better public education.

How should she solve this, that, or the other thing? Better public education.

She made no mention of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. No mention of the cultural wedge issues that excite the blue-haired moms.

This was a speech finely tailored for the affluent Democrat business class, and in that, Benson displayed an ability to read the room. She does appear to understand the importance of growing Michigan’s economy, and she did lead off with her intent to focus on growth of small and big business while working to keep costs down.

What does Benson actually believe in? Making Michigan better tomorrow. What would a Benson administration look like? She referenced a team of experts coming with her to Lansing. What brand new policies will she unveil? Data-based solutions.

I managed to insert a question at the end of the event: What would you do differently than Whitmer?

Benson deflected and expounded on doing the same, but better, more efficiently, and faster. She put no air between herself and Whitmer.

The lack of ideas, the dogged adherence to technocracy, the focus on middle management, the professional class, and expert class with zero mention of the working class. Is this why Duggan broke with the party?

Toward the end of her speech, Benson uttered the phrase: “Lift all boats.”

I’ve heard all this before. Is this a basement campaign or a pastiche campaign?