COLUMN: Snyder delivering early on promise of bipartisanship
Gov.-elect Rick Snyder talked the talk, now he is starting to walk the walk.
During his campaign for governor, Snyder, a political novice, promised to bring bipartisanship back to Lansing to get Michigan back on track.
So far, he is off to a great start.
On Monday, Snyder announced that term-limited state House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford, will serve as his state treasurer when his administration takes office Jan. 1.
The move proves that Snyder is for real when talking about creating a bipartisan atmosphere when he clearly has no political reason not to.
This month’s mid-term elections were a clear mandate for the Republican Party, led with Snyder at the top of the ticket.
In an atmosphere where the state GOP has majorities in the state House, Senate, Supreme Court and control the secretary of state and attorney general offices, a more egotistical politician might try and go it alone, but not Snyder.
Snyder knows that while he does not want to have business-as-usual politics in Lansing, you will need experienced politicians on your team.
Along with his appointment of Dillon, he named former Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus as his chief legislative advisor.
With the leaders of the executive branch rather inexperienced, Snyder has no political experience and Lt. Gov.-elect Brian Calley has only served two terms in the state House.
Having a man like Posthumus, who in addition to his four years as lieutenant governor, also served 16 years in the state Senate, will be an invaluable tool that will help get legislation passed quickly and efficiently.
Snyder’s bipartisan efforts must not end with just appointing Dillon; there are plenty of capable Democrats that should be included in his administration.
Former Detroit mayors Dennis Archer and Ken Cockrell Jr. would be great advocates for Detroit in Lansing, as getting Detroit back on track should be a priority for the Snyder administration, after the issue was largely ignored by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
U.S. Rep Mark Schauer, D-Howell, is available after his Election Day defeat and with 10 years of service in the state legislature and two years in Congress, would be a great liaison for Michigan Democrats and the new Republican administration.
No matter who it is, this is no time for Snyder to close ranks and get sucked in by the trappings of partisan politics and he needs to resist the urges that will most likely come from national Republicans for him to challenge U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2012.
Politicians offering change is nothing new, but it seems as if Snyder is actually delivering on it.
