There must have been some ultra-conservative Republicans wondering the other night, why in the heck is my governor talking about immigration?

     Rep. Dave Agema from West Michigan was one of them.

      But there was Rick Snyder telling the whole state that we need to "encourage immigrants with advanced college degrees to come to Michigan to work and live."

      Note that he was not embracing immigrants who are here illegally or working at Michigan firms because they want to save some money, but it was still the immigration issue that must have made some R's a bit uncomfortable.

       This was Gov. Snyder being the wise business guy and not necessarily the smart politician.  A crafty career politician would have left the issue alone for fear that somebody  might not understand what he was talking about.  Just ask former President Gerorge Bush about the immigration issue and the kind of hot water he got into with his own party when he tried to resolve it.

       Mr. Snyder should not have the same problems because he has laid out a rationale that he says makes sense.

       First, inviting college educated "foreign nationals" is not exactly like opening the border to illegal's to work in our farm fields.  He notes that in the Silicon Valley about "one-half of all the startups" there began with U.S. transplant citizens.

       And he can do the math:  Bring in smart folks who create jobs and the state ends up making more money and the economy comes back which is why he urged all lawmakers, of all political stripes, to "openly encourage innovators and entrepreneurs to come to our state…even if they weren't born here.

       Rep. Agema perked up when his governor first raised the issue but then relaxed when he got the explanation.  But how many ultra right wingers in TV land did not listen and incorrectly concluded their guy was for illegal's?