8 p.m. -- I apologize for the lack of updates, but joined the herd of others and left Mackinac Island a couple hours ago when the conference more or less wrapped up, allowing the young professionals free reign to network and get established with some top names in metro Detroit's business community.

A full review of the Mackinac Policy Conference will be posted on Monday, but in the mean time, I want to thank everyone at the Detroit Regional Chamber for putting together an outstanding conference and doing such a great job with the plethora of media - print, broadcast and political bloggers.

The operations crew should be applauded for all their long and tireless work. It was noticed and appreciated by all.

3:37 p.m. -- While a lot of Democratic legislators took off early, state Senator Bill Hardiman was one politico who was seen all over this weekend.

He says attending the conference was a positive experience -- allowing all sides to get together, particuraly in the informal sessions, to talk about the issues Michigan faces.

As a west Michigan senator, he observed some differences between the two sides of the state.

“There is a lot of collaboration … in the west side of the state,” Hardiman, R-Kentwood, said. “I think there is collaboration on the east side, but it seems like it’s a lot harder to make those happen on the east side. People are working on improving that, which is a good thing.”

And when it comes to the governor’s proposals, the senator and former Kentwood mayor is skeptical of releasing felons from prison.

“I suggested some privatization take place to help lower the costs of corrections,” he said. “How we reform it is very important.”

3:32 p.m. -- Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land skipped a state legislative luncheon and decided to spend the time with Congressman Pete Hoekstra at a get-together for Michigan's congressional delegation.

Like Hoekstra, Land is one of many possible Republican contenders for governor. But she treats the questions about her future, like so many others, by emphasizing her focus is on this year.

“I’m just looking forward to the election and getting that done – it’s going to be a large voter turnout. We have wonderful clerks in the state and I’m looking forward to a great election.”

3:26 p.m. -- Pete Hoekstra, who hails from west Michigan, was the only Republican member of Congress attending the Mackinac Policy Conference. I caught up with the congressman, who recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Iraq and other countries, at the end of a luncheon for members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

“I was a little surprised I was the only Republican member who came,” he said. “Republicans, like just about everyone in the state, believes you have to have a strong southeastern Michigan if you are going to have a successful state.”

Hoekstra is another candidate rumored to be considering a bid for governor when Jennifer Granholm's term expires in 2010. His focus is on getting re-elected this November, but he left the option open and didn't say no.

“I’m focused on getting through the 2008 election,” Hoekstra said. “Clearly I’m frustrated about the status of Michigan – our unemployment rate is 4 percent higher than the rest of the country. This is an awesome state that is underperforming because of a lack of leadership.”

“I would love to (serve) whether that’s running for Congress or another office,” he said.

3:25 p.m. -- I caught up with state Representative Ken Horn as he was leaving the Grand Hotel to make his way back home to Saginaw County.

“A lot of the conference was seminars and luncheons,” Horn said. “The bigger part was the conferences behind the scenes – meeting people on the porch. It was interesting to watch some of the dynamics unfolding behind the scenes.”

He agreed with some who have complained about the liberal-lean of some of the Mackinac Policy Conference. “I’ve watched some of my (Republican) colleagues experience some heckling. “There was a little bit of an undertone, and I will have a chat with the Detroit Regional Chamber to make sure this is brought back to a more balanced approach.”

When it comes to the capital outlay budget, he says we’re going to lose federal funding because of “shenanigans on the floor of the House.”

“I can’t for the life of me explain why we are spending so much money in one year except that the Democrats want to leave a legacy behind,” Horn pointed out. “Most of that money will be used in Wayne County.”

The Frankenmuth-based freshman Republican legislator says he will continue to push welfare reform and measures to encourage students to finish high school – cracking down on those chronically skip schools.

Horns added he’s knocked on 15,000 doors over the last 18 months and feels confident going into this year’s election, which will be a rematch of the 2006 contest.

3:21 p.m. -- In addition to Horn, I snagged an interview with state Senator Bill Hardiman, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and Congressman Pete Hoekstra. Stay tuned!

2:13 p.m. -- State Representative Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth, just sat down with me for an exclusive interview. It will be online in a few minutes.

1:51 p.m. -- I just returned from snooping in the legislative and congressional luncheons.

Congressman Pete Hoekstra is the only Republican in a full full of downstate liberals. Hoekstra, who is rumored to be considering a bid for governor in 2010, talked about the security issues facing the country. He noted the serious "threat to the security" of this country still continues.

He went on to touch state issues, including making Michigan competitive on a global level. "This is a state that is underperforming," he said.

Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak, who we have repeatedly mentioned on this blog, is still going out of his way to been see with Detroiters. It really looks like the rumors about him running for governor are coming to fruition. During his spiel, Stupak stressed the importance of immigration reform -- though he dodged specifics probably because the luncheon was being recorded on video by a couple outlets and he didn't want his constituents finding out how their congressman really feels about immigration.

While the U.P. congressman talks conservative in his district with the Average Joes and Average Sues, his voting record and rhetoric in Washington is something else. At the Grand Hotel, he echoed the pro-amnesty talking points uttered moments later by Senator Carl Levin and his brother, Congressman Sander Level.

As for the legislative luncheon with state representatives and senators, the real news was the lack of politicos in the room. Tables were set up for all the legislators who had registered, but the vast majority of tables were occupied by other people.

The conference is coming to an end for the politicos, but RightMichigan.com has a couple more reports to file from Mackinac Island. So stayed tuned for the remainder of the afternoon.

1:15 p.m. -- An exclusive interview with state Senator Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, has just been posted on RightMichigan.com.

I'm off to a lunch with the few remaining legislators and members of Michigan's congressional district. Hopefully, I'll have some bits of tid when I return.

12:39 p.m. -- The atmosphere in the Grand Hotel is definitely noticeably different compared to yesterday or Wednesday.

With much of the top-tier events concluded and crummy weather today, many business leaders and political leaders have departed.

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and a handful of other legislators, including a sweatshirt-wearing House Speaker Andy Dillon departed before lunch.

The conference goes through tomorrow afternoon and early evening, but the remainder of the events are aimed at the young professionals who arrived this morning and have a couple open-bar parties planned for tonight.

12:37 p.m. -- When discussing potential candidates for governor in 2010, WJR's Paul W. Smith called Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land "the little Dutch girl ... who cannot tell a lie" -- referring to last night when she repeatedly dodged questions about her potential future at the Detroit Regional Chamber PAC reception.

12:10 p.m. -- Kilpatrick just shocked me by saying government needs to get out of the way and let the market run itself. Is he becoming a conservative? Probably not because those comments came a few minutes after he encouraged government intervention in the economy.

11:54 p.m. -- Going back to Jennifer Granholm's answer to the questions posed to her by myself and Tim Skubick, there was an interesting tidbit in a recent Detroit Free Press story on special education students and the new math requirements, which the governor claimed they are exempt from:

Among the people raising concerns in Lansing about the impact of the new requirements is Elizabeth Letts, whose son Steffan Doubek is a freshman at Marquette High School. Until this year, Steffan was able to take special education math courses because he has a disorder that makes it difficult to recall multiple steps and sequential events. But this year, he was put in an algebra class. And though he's taking a special education math class, too, it won't count toward graduation.

"This year he has become depressed and defeated. He hates school and has often been reduced to tears," Letts told lawmakers during a House subcommittee hearing earlier this month. "He's being set up to fail and the hardest part of this is he realizes it."

Lawmakers also heard from Ann Pierson, a high school special education teacher who said she's "never experienced the frustration I've seen in ... students I have this year."

For some of Pierson's students, algebra comes five times a day -- during algebra class, during an algebra concepts class, in a support class, during her preparation period and after school.

Consequently, "they hate school and it's a shame," Pierson said.

11:46 a.m. -- The WJR panel with the four metro Detroit leaders is on a commercial break when the Jeff Daniels commercial, funded by the taxpayers for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, started playing over the speakers in the media work room.

I've always wondered why we spend money on running commercials advocating business investment in Michigan on Michigan radio and TV stations. Shouldn't these efforts be focused outside the state?

11:45 a.m. -- I caught up with state Representative Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, who responded to what he heard earlier this morning from Governor Jennifer Granholm’s speech before the Mackinac Policy Conference.

When it comes to the small school proposal, he pointed out it’s possible to have these small learning environments without increasing taxes to fund new schools.

“It could be done within the larger schools,” he said. “There are a number of larger schools that create small schools within them. There are innovative ways of doing this without spending additional tax dollars.”

Jones was also skeptical about Granholm’s proposed corrections reform, which doesn’t address salary and wage cuts and includes the early release of felons.

“I believe there are very few felons that can be let out,” the former Eaton County sheriff said. “Obviously, coming from 33 years in law enforcement, I know there are certain types of people you should never let out – the child molester we should lock up and throw away the key.”

One possible area of savings is the release of sick and dying inmates, who are generally elderly citizens.

“It costs us $33 million a year to house dying inmates,” Jones said.

11:31 a.m. -- The joint WJR-sponsored panel with Kwame Kilpatrick, Brooks Patterson, Robert Ficano and William Crouchman just started.

We'll keep you alert of any important developments, but it's expected to be focused on metro Detroit.

On a side note, I was walking back from Granholm's press conference when I came across Kilpatrick answering a couple questions from Tim Skubick. I joined the gaggle and was able to ask Detroit's mayor if he was surprised by the welcoming reception he received yesterday afternoon from Patterson, who jumped off a horse-pulled carriage and walked up to Kilpatrick and hugged him.

The mayor wasn't surprised because the colorful Republican Oakland County executive is his friend, he said.

The mayor's entourage did give me a couple looks when they saw my media credential, as I suppose they weren't too pleased with a conservative journalist trying to ask their boss a question.

11:21 a.m. -- Just got back from the governor's impromptu gaggle with the media.

It took a while, but I was able to ask a question about her strict graduation standards.

Recall that the requirements have been controversial, and drawn opposition amongst members of her own party because many feel they will discourage non-college bound students from finishing high school. Many are also concerned the increased costs on small school districts -- mostly in northern and upper Michigan -- who have to hire additional teachers to cope with the increased standard for advanced math, science and foreign languages.

"We do not dumb down the standards because all kids can learn," Granholm said. "The question is what are the strategies that school systems need to take on to ensure these kids can jump over the higher bar."

This is a typical answer -- an unfunded educational mandate from bureaucrats without any concrete plan to fund it and help cash-strapped school districts cope with it.

Tim Skubick followed up asking if the standard requires all students to take advanced algebra to graduate -- a common complaint.

Granholm replied, "Every child unless they're special education."

10:56 a.m. -- I'm leaving the media room to head over for Granholm's media availability. Hopefully, I'll get to ask her a question.

10:53 a.m. -- The governor, as usual, is high on rhetoric and political spin, but short on substance.

Unfortunately, too many on the right have forgotten the green issue -- allowing the liberal left to have a virtual monopoly of all things green.

As Newt Gingrich has said, "Both major parties have to find common ground to break the gridlock that is preventing real change to renew the earth. We advocate civil debate and real intellectual engagement to find entrepreneurial, market-based solutions to challenging environmental problems."

10:46 a.m. -- Those infamous taxpayer-funded TV advertisements to promote Michigan tourism and business investment are being highlighted by the governor, who just played the "Gone Fishin'" spot.

Has anyone ever wondered why these are played in Michigan? Sure they air on stations outside the state, but a lot of money is also spent on in-state advertisements.

Were these commercials even produced in Michigan and by a Michigan-based company?

10:41 a.m. -- Granholm is talking about the rising costs of corrections, and is getting to her support of releasing convicted felons from prison.

She says she won't release "violent criminals" on the streets, but what about felons? And why does she want the Legislature to enact early releases? She has the constitutional authority to pardon and commute prisoners.

"Sensible, safe corrections reform" is needed, she said.

Does that mean she supports cutting the wages and salaries element corrections spending?

10:38 a.m. -- She talked about eliminating no-bid contracting in taxpayer-funded projects. What about roads?

Municipal governments are prohibited from seeking outside bids and have to go with the Department of Transportation and the county Road Commission bid for infrastructure improvements.

10:36 a.m. -- The governor just said she has stopping state employees from double-dipping, "including on the education side." But what about Democratic congressional candidate Gary Peters?

10:34 a.m. -- Granholm now says she's committed to government reform.

Hearing liberal tax-and-spenders like the governor promote herself as a government reformer is like having Mao Zedong talking about human rights and democracy.

10:30 a.m. -- Sweden is apparently a major talking point today.

The governor can talk all she wants about foreign competition, but the real competitor for Michigan's economy is Indiana and Ohio -- not Sweden or China and India.

Fixing Michigan's lagging economy requires a business-friendly climate: lowering taxes, reforming government and repealing the bureaucratic regulations and red tape.

10:25 a.m. -- The governor says Michigan and Sweden are excellent comparisons in every regard, and notes that Sweden has "400,000 news jobs in alternative energy."

Is she aware that Sweden is governed by the tax-cutting, conservative government of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt?

10:22 a.m. -- Granholm: "I know there are a lot of naysayers " when it comes to Michigan's economy.

10:20 a.m. -- Granholm talks about all the money available through the so-called 21st Century Jobs Fund and Michigan Economic Development Corporation. I wonder if she's including the thousands and thousands of taxpayer money spent on the lavishly catered, open-bar MEDC-sponsored reception on Wednesday evening.

10:14 a.m. -- The governor is emphasizing her plan for small high schools, which she calls "middle colleges."

The idea of smaller class sizes is great, but where's the money coming from? Our schools are struggling now thanks to bureaucratic waste.

Granholm wants to transfer state funds to pay for it, but that's just shifting the costs and leave a hole in another area.

"We can create a revolution in respect to high schools," Granholm said.

The governor has invoked last night's speech by Republican Carly Fiorina several times.

Maybe she's taking a page out of New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg's playbook.

10:09 a.m. -- Granholm emphasizes the new "tough" high school graduation requirements, which sound great on paper, but only hurt students who aren't college bound and book smart.

There's nothing wrong with not attending college, and implementing ridiculously high standards for graduation will only encourage students to drop out because they can't handle calculus, advanced algebra or a foreign language.

The downside of the governor's plan to send vast numbers of high school graduates to college, students who normally wouldn't attend, is flawed because not everyone is met for uni. This ends uip watering down higher education -- making a bachelor's degree virtually worthless in so many fields.

Granholm says people need to get degrees that matter -- not degrees in "French or political science" (which is what she studied). Community colleges are a tremendous asset, and can be the major player in training the workforce and turning around Michigan's economy, but higher education -- universities -- are not the place for vocational training. Unfortunately, so many of our universities at the bachelor's degree level are no longer truly higher education, but rather overpriced vocational training.

10:06 a.m. -- "Let's agree to disagree on some things," she said.

10:04 a.m. -- Granholm claims Michigan's manufacturing job loss is the result of market loss. Apparently, she doesn't think the anti-business climate in the state, the high taxes and over regulation is a problem.

10:02 a.m. -- The governor jokes about her recent medical issues, including her emergency surgery about a month ago. She jokingly says "Mike Bishop had nothing to do" with her bowel obstruction.

Granholm adds she wants to discuss the "next steps to move" the state forward. "There's many, many things we are working on," she said. "We all know what the challenges of Michigan are."

10 a.m. -- Granholm receives a decent round of applause from an audience that largely favors big government solutions.

9:59 p.m. -- The introducer says while some things have improved, "unfortunately" not everything is going well in metro Detroit.

9:57 a.m. -- After a brief recess, Granholm is being introduced.

9:47 a.m. -- Governor Jennifer Granholm is about to take the stage for her "conversation" with the Mackinac Policy Conference attendees.

Moderating the discussion will be Blue Cross Blue Shield president and CEO Daniel Loepp, who said told the conference on Wednesday he supported last year's $1.4 billion tax increase on families and businesses.

9:29 a.m. -- The Greater Detroit Area Health Council, Detroit Renaissance and Detroit Regional Chamber announced a new collaborative effort to "facilitate regional progress on health care issues and opportunities."

They will focus on health care quality and cost, care for the uninsured, medical education and research -- making southeastern Michigan a health care destination.

No word on their plan to target the cost of health care though.

9:10 a.m. -- Just about to leave for a press conference ... will report on anything interesting.

9:04 a.m. -- Governor Jennifer Granholm is taking the stage at 9:30 p.m. and she's expected to have a media availability afterwards, according to some rumors circulating amongst the credentialed press.

8:58 a.m. -- Things are moving slowly this morning thanks in part to some less than stellar weather.

I just finished a radio interview with WMKT 1270, which covers a large slice of northern and upper Michigan.

Everyone is really interested in what's happening with the 2010 governor's race -- especially with surprise candidates like Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak, who's going out of his way to be seen and meet people at the conference.

8:26 a.m. -- Around midnight, a bus load of young professionals for Detroit arrived in Mackinaw City for the second half of the Mackinac Policy Conference.

It looks like they'll have a fun time up here between now and Saturday evening, based on the social events listed in the official agenda.

For everyone else, today is the last day. Some of the politicos are heading home. I saw Mark Brewer, the Michigan Democratic Party chairman, lining up for the 8 a.m. ferry back to Mackinaw City along with a couple of reporters.

The biggest events today will be a joint session with Republican Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (who made a brief appearance on the Grand Hotel's porch yesterday afternoon before going into seclusion), Democratic Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and Wayne County Commissioner William Crouchman, the Democratic chairman of the board.

There will also be a session with Governor Jennifer Granholm, which will be simulcast on WWJ radio. The governor is taking questions from the audience, but her media availability is not known.

Then at lunch, a large group of state legislators and members of Michigan's congressional delegation will socialize with attendees and answer relative questions on policy issues.

As for last-minute attendees, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, a possible Republican candidate for governor, arrived yesterday afternoon while former Democratic Attorney General Frank Kelley was seen this morning at the Grand Hotel.

Be sure to stay tuned to RightMichigan.com for another day of comprehensive coverage from Mackinac Island.