Predictably, the state Democratic Party Chair fired off a smarmy news
release just after the new governor delivered this Inaugural address on
the steps of the capitol.
In essence Mark Brewer wanted to know, "Where's the beef?"
As he had done for almost a year, Gov. Rick Snyder was long on the
rhetoric but short on specifics, but fact is every governor before him
has done the same thing and Mr. Brewer knows it, but he gets paid to
swipe at the opposition and New Years Day was no exception.
Traditionally the governor's first speech of a new term is not a
chance to lay out specifics. That will come with the State of the
State message the middle of this month and then the real biggie, the
first Snyder budget, comes to town the first part of March.
Hence his first message as governor focused on many of the same
themes were heard during the campaign: "I don't want to talk about the
past", "There are no magic solutions" and "It's time to stop fighting
amongst ourselves" and get on with the job of re-inventing Michigan.
Gov. Snyder has privately confided he is aware that expectations are
off the charts. He's had citizens come up to him and say, "I didn't
vote for you, but I hope you can do this."
He made note of those desires but told the audience in the balmy 40
degree afternoon, "It's time to deliver on those high expectations."
But with what?
It is all well and good to talk about the need for all ten million
of us to do our part, but what is that part?
The new governor warns that some will have to take a "step back in
the short term in order to move forward in the long term." Read:
public employees you're on the hit list to reduce benefits and
salaries. But no sense ruining the day for those folks on the first
day in office. There's plenty of time for that later on.
All in all the new governor hit all the right symbolic buttons by
inviting the Mayor of Detroit to anchor the event and have the Grand
Rapids Mayor offer up the prayers. The governor really does want to
heal the east-west divide.
But in all honesty so has each governor before him in varying
degrees just as each talked in glowing terms about working with the
other party but eventually the harsh reality of partisan paralysis
creeps in.
Maybe this non-career politician will be different?