James Blanchard
Encyclopedia
James Johnston "Jim" Blanchard (born August 8, 1942) is a politician from the US state of Michigan
. A Democrat
, Blanchard has served in the United States House of Representatives
, as the 45th Governor of Michigan
, and as United States Ambassador to Canada.
Blanchard attended the public schools in Ferndale
. He received a B.A. from Michigan State University
in 1964 and an MBA
from the same school in 1965. He received a J.D.
from the University of Minnesota Law School
in 1968 and was admitted to the Michigan bar
in the same year. He commenced practice in Lansing
and served as legal advisor to the Michigan Secretary of State
, 1968–1969. He was Assistant Attorney General of Michigan, 1969–1974, administrative assistant to the attorney general, 1970–1971, and assistant deputy attorney general, 1971–1972. In 1974 he joined the law firm of Beer and Boltz, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
from Michigan's 18th District for the Ninety-fourth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 1, 1983. During that time, despite being a relatively junior member of Congress, he was responsible for legislation providing federal loan guarantees for Chrysler Corporation which saved the company from a likely bankruptcy.
Richard Headlee
, a Farmington Hills insurance company executive. Blanchard served two terms as governor (1983–1991) until his defeat by Republican state senator John Engler
in 1990. Blanchard was the first Democratic governor to serve in 20 years since John Swainson
who left office in 1963.
Blanchard became embroiled in a bitter partisan dispute over an appointment to the Michigan Supreme Court. On December 9, 1982, outgoing Republican Governor William Milliken
appointed Dorothy Comstock Riley
to the Michigan Supreme Court
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Justice Blair Moody
on November 26.
Since Milliken was leaving office in less than a month, the governor-elect Blanchard argued he should have made the appointment to replace Moody rather than Milliken. Further complicating the matter, Riley had run for election to the Supreme Court in the 1982 general election and had been defeated. In February 1983, the other Supreme Court Justices voted 4–2 to remove Riley from the court. Blanchard replaced her with U.S. District Court Judge Patricia Boyle. However, Riley won election to the Supreme Court in 1984.
to the Southfield, Michigan
law firm of Kramer Mellen.
President Bill Clinton
appointed him Ambassador to Canada, a position he held from 1993 to 1996. In 2002 Blanchard again ran for governor but lost his primary bid to Jennifer Granholm
. , he is a partner in the Washington D.C. law firm of DLA Piper U.S. and resides in Pleasant Ridge
. He serves as Chairman of Meridian International Center and on the Advisory Board About | Politics, Law & Economics Blog of the Institute for Law and Politics
at the University of Minnesota Law School
.
Blanchard served as a member of the Debt Reduction Task Force at the Bipartisan Policy Center
.
's 1989 film, Roger & Me
regarding the plant closures in Flint.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Blanchard has served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, as the 45th Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
, and as United States Ambassador to Canada.
Blanchard attended the public schools in Ferndale
Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
. He received a B.A. from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1964 and an MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
from the same school in 1965. He received a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Minnesota Law School
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...
in 1968 and was admitted to the Michigan bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in the same year. He commenced practice in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
and served as legal advisor to the Michigan Secretary of State
Michigan Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is the third-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. As the name implies, the officeholder was originally responsible for much of state government, but now the duties are similar to those of the other 47 secretaries of states...
, 1968–1969. He was Assistant Attorney General of Michigan, 1969–1974, administrative assistant to the attorney general, 1970–1971, and assistant deputy attorney general, 1971–1972. In 1974 he joined the law firm of Beer and Boltz, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
United States Representative
Blanchard was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Michigan's 18th District for the Ninety-fourth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 1, 1983. During that time, despite being a relatively junior member of Congress, he was responsible for legislation providing federal loan guarantees for Chrysler Corporation which saved the company from a likely bankruptcy.
Governor of Michigan
He was not a candidate for reelection in 1982 but was elected Governor of Michigan, defeating RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Richard Headlee
Richard Headlee
Richard Harold Headlee was the author of the Headlee Amendment, a Michigan law that places restrictions on tax increases without voter approval. He was also the 1982 Republican candidate for Governor of Michigan...
, a Farmington Hills insurance company executive. Blanchard served two terms as governor (1983–1991) until his defeat by Republican state senator John Engler
John Engler
John Mathias Engler is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003....
in 1990. Blanchard was the first Democratic governor to serve in 20 years since John Swainson
John Swainson
John Burley Swainson was a politician from the US state of Michigan, as well as the 42nd Governor of Michigan....
who left office in 1963.
Blanchard became embroiled in a bitter partisan dispute over an appointment to the Michigan Supreme Court. On December 9, 1982, outgoing Republican Governor William Milliken
William Milliken
William Grawn Milliken , is an American politician and served as the 44th Governor of Michigan from January 1969 to January 1983.-Biography:...
appointed Dorothy Comstock Riley
Dorothy Comstock Riley
Dorothy Comstock Riley was a lawyer and judge from the U.S. state of Michigan, serving on the Michigan Supreme Court and the first woman to serve on the Michigan Court of Appeals...
to the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Justice Blair Moody
Blair Moody
Arthur Edson Blair Moody , known as Blair Moody, was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.-Early life:...
on November 26.
Since Milliken was leaving office in less than a month, the governor-elect Blanchard argued he should have made the appointment to replace Moody rather than Milliken. Further complicating the matter, Riley had run for election to the Supreme Court in the 1982 general election and had been defeated. In February 1983, the other Supreme Court Justices voted 4–2 to remove Riley from the court. Blanchard replaced her with U.S. District Court Judge Patricia Boyle. However, Riley won election to the Supreme Court in 1984.
Post-Political Career
After losing the gubernatorial election to John Engler in 1990, he became Of CounselOf counsel
Of counsel is often the title of an attorney who is employed by a law firm or an organization, but is not an associate or a partner. Some firms use titles like "counsel," "special counsel," and "senior counsel" for the same concept...
to the Southfield, Michigan
Southfield, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which 0.04% is water. The main branch of the River Rouge runs through Southfield. The city is bounded to the south by Eight Mile Road, its western border is Inkster Road, and to the east it is bounded by Greenfield Road...
law firm of Kramer Mellen.
President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
appointed him Ambassador to Canada, a position he held from 1993 to 1996. In 2002 Blanchard again ran for governor but lost his primary bid to Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm is a Canadian-born American politician, educator, and author who served as Attorney General and 47th Governor of the U.S. state of Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor...
. , he is a partner in the Washington D.C. law firm of DLA Piper U.S. and resides in Pleasant Ridge
Pleasant Ridge, Michigan
Pleasant Ridge is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.-History:...
. He serves as Chairman of Meridian International Center and on the Advisory Board About | Politics, Law & Economics Blog of the Institute for Law and Politics
Institute for Law and Politics
The Institute for Law and Politics is an interdisciplinary research institute based at the University of Minnesota Law School. The Institute for Law and Politics brings together faculty from the Law School and the University of Minnesota Political Science department to study national and...
at the University of Minnesota Law School
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...
.
Blanchard served as a member of the Debt Reduction Task Force at the Bipartisan Policy Center
Bipartisan Policy Center
The is a non-profit organization that "drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation, and respectful dialogue." Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell, "BPC combines politically-balanced policymaking...
.
Legacy
As Governor of Michigan, Blanchard played a role in Michael MooreMichael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
's 1989 film, Roger & Me
Roger & Me
Roger & Me is a 1989 American documentary film directed by Michael Moore. Moore portrays the regional negative economic impact of General Motors CEO Roger Smith's summary action of closing several auto plants in Flint, Michigan, costing 30,000 people their jobs at the time and economically...
regarding the plant closures in Flint.