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In and outs of the political campaigns, focusing on Michigan and Lansing, Tim Skubick will report regularly throughout the primary and then general election campaigns.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Missed Opportunity

Close but no cigar.
No scratch that. Not even close.
Gov. Rick Snyder had a rare opportunity to lower the anxiety level in
the City of Detroit concerning an Emergency Manager and he whiffed.
Everybody knows, including the governor, that in many segments of
that community, the angst is palpable. Residents don't want the state
to send in somebody who will fire their elected officials and run the
city like a dictator. Benevolent or not, many don't want it and they
want the governor to keep his GOP nose out it.
Mr. Snyder, being who is is, is not about to ignore the challenge but
he had this chance, with a statewide TV audience tuned in, to look
directly in the camera and talk to the residents in Detroit.
"I know you are worried about someone coming in to run your city and
I'm worried, too. I don't want to appoint an EM and I fully understand
why you don't want me to do it. And I won't if at all humanly
possible. That's why I urge you to tell your Mayor and City Council
they need to make some tough decisions. They didn't create this mess,
but they have the power, right here and right now, to fix it once and
for all. And I promise you tonight I will do everything I can to help
you save your city and our city, too. There is too much are risk for
all of us if we fail."
He didn't even come close. Sure he talked about supporting the
city, but the support he is offering, many don't want.
So you are left to ponder why he squandered the opportunity.
Wasn't there somebody in the inner circle with enough political
savvy to help this non-career politician get this one right?
Actually, he is smart enough to have figured it out on his own, but
he didn't.
Points off.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr. Skubick. As you say, "points off" for your lack of deductive reasoning. In order for the Governor to risk his reputationan and make such a bold statement, he would have to believe that the current leaders of the city of Detroit have the moral turpitude to make the tough changes. Given their lack of willingness in the past, and yes many have been on the council for years and years, he did not see those qualities in the current Mayor and Council members. Therefore, why would he make such a ridiculous comment. Please remember, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.

January 19, 2012 at 3:51 AM 

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