LANSING ? Gov. Rick Snyder sounded an Eisenhowerian message over the weekend when, during a televised interview, he declared, “I will go to China” when asked if he wanted to lead a trade mission to the country that has been a political hot potato in Michigan for some time.

It was in the closing days of the 1952 presidential campaign when General Dwight Eisenhower declared, “I shall go to Korea” in the midst of the controversial Korean conflict.

Snyder appeared on WXYZ-TV’s “Spotlight on the News” program Sunday, and host Chuck Stokes asked him if he would go where his predecessor, former Governor Jennifer Granholm, would not: China.

“I will go to China,” Snyder said. “I believe it’s only prudent. It’s a huge market. There’s a huge opportunity to do business. But I wouldn’t say just China. It’s where do we get the greatest return? Where can I show the greatest value for money?”

In 2006, the Democratic Party and Governor Jennifer Granholm blasted Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos for his company’s expansion of its workforce in China. Democrats tried the same tactic in 2010 against Snyder, but it roundly failed.

Snyder also signaled his disinterest in legislation (HB 4112 ) that would regionalize control of the Detroit water system. Rep. Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth Twp.) has introduced a bill in the House to that effect and some suburban officials have asked U.S. District Judge Sean Cox, who has overall control of the system, to implement regional control.

“I think it’s unfortunate the way it’s transpired so far,” Snyder said. “Early courses of action shouldn’t be legislation or litigation. And this is a case that we should be having more quiet discussions. … Let’s have a discussion about what, again, are the facts. And how can we address this in a calmer fashion before people resort to things that are largely being discussed in the media that are causing this divisive attitude?”

Snyder continued, “One thing I am focused on that I want to encourage, and I’ve said this many times, is this new culture in Michigan that is more positive, forward-looking and inclusive. And the current discussion with the water system I don’t believe is meeting those metrics at all.”

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