Gov. Rick Snyder runs a tight ship and message discipline is what
the captain demands..except the captain doesn't always get his way.
Here's the inside skinny on how the administration is speaking with
two different voices when it comes to pushing the budget through the
legislature.
In the past governors would propose budget cuts and lawmakers would
be forced to vote for each one of them. The Snyder crew has a "better"
idea: Pass a budget giving the department directors the authority to
make the cuts and then the voters back home can't blame legislators.
Actually it's a semi-ingenious concept that appeals to almost every
lawmaker: The concept is self-preservation. Lawmakers who vote for
cuts sometimes face hostile voters who don't like the cuts or the
lawmakers.
But here's the rub. While key players in the Snyder inner circle
are hawking this strategy to the career politicians, the non-career
politician in the equation is not.
During an interview last week, the governor was asked about this
approach and without missing a beat he opined, "I wouldn't do that."
Oh. Oh.
He's saying one thing and his minions are doing just the opposite.
The governor says, "I respect them (lawmakers). They are my
partners."
One of two things is in play here: Either he does not know his
lieutenants are free lancing or he did not want to admit in public that
it was going on.
The deception would be too much like former Gov. John Engler and
Mr. Snyder is no John Engler.
Or a third option, maybe he doesn't want to know so that he does
not have to confirm it is going on?
There's nothing illegal about wanting to protect lawmakers from
casting a tough vote. What the wet-behind-the-ears lawmakers don't
realize is that they are ceding to the governor the legislative
authority to decide where your tax dollars go. Citizens pay lawmakers
to do that and if citizens find out what's going on, they could be
angry with this ill-advised abdication of duty.
As well they should be.