Snyder on China, proposals, debates

LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) - After spending the better part of two weeks on a trade mission to China, Gov. Rick Snyder told 24 Hour News 8 some companies were already negotiating potential contracts even while the trip was in progress.

Snyder talked about expanding "home grown" companies as a way to re-invent Michigan. His trip was also about making sure Michigan businesses have access to markets in China.

Before he left on his overseas trip, Snyder spoke to the US-Japan conference in Minneapolis also trying to expand exports of Michigan products.

Usually, the governor is reluctant to get involved in political battles that hinge solely on ideology. But he did weigh in on Proposal 2 -- the broad-based collective bargaining amendment -- asking supporters to drop their insistence on putting this into the Michigan Constitution.

His effort failed.

He expressed concern about the tens of millions of dollars being poured into some issues, and singled out Proposal 6, the Bridge Proposal. Snyder's administration is at odds with the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, and millions of dollars in commercial advertising has been spent to support the proposal with almost nothing being spent to oppose it.

In the Real Clear Politics average of polls , Michigan is trending toward the president. Snyder said Michigan is still in play and still winnable for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. He said the first presidential debate on Wednesday night between Romney and President Obama should take on a positive tone.