Basking in the thrill of victory and wanting to avoid the agony of
defeat, Team Dillon is hoping to make it two wins in a row on health
care.
House Speaker Andy Dillon was getting high marks for making a deal
that the Michigan Education Association did not like. Some how it felt
teachers were tossed under the bus visa vie the Granholm-Dillon-Bishop
plan to lure 29,000 school workers into retirement.
Dillon wasted little time posting the "win" on his campaign website
as exhibit A of his ability to lead under tough circumstances.
But in a town where the mantra is, what have you done for me lately,
Dillon now confronts an even steeper hill to mount i.e. his state
operated health care scheme that he unveiled last September to not
exactly raved reviews.
On this one it was not only the MEA that was aghast, but other
labor leaders climbed all over the democratic speaker who took a
pounding but never tossed in the towel.
Which is why he was back last week with a revision of his original
concept.
"We listened to the complaints and made some changes," he offered
after his re launch before a special house committee.
Dillon figures local governments and the state can squeeze
$700-800 million in savings out of the health care system by getting
state government into the act.
Let's be charitable, Plan B did not have them standing in the
aisles either.
But with Dillon in full campaign mode for governor, the very last
thing he wants is another shellacking at the hands of all those
democratic special interest groups.
His opponent, the feisty and rambunctious Mayor of Lansing Virg
Benero, can hardly wait to run an attack ad that says, "When my
opponent said he could lead on health care, he produced a goose egg
instead."
So once more Mr. Dillon must motivate his fractured caucus to win
one more for the Gipper. (Tons of democrats refused to give him a yes
vote on the teacher plan.)
Having just walked the plank on teacher retirement, the 16
Democrats who supported the Speaker may not be so eager to walk it
again, just so he can post another glowing report about his leadership
prowess on his website.
After all many of those 16 are also running for office, too.