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It’s really a downright shame that some fancy-smancy foundation has not cough up the cash to establish a Nobel Peace Prize-like award for political players who make a good faith effort to deliver to the citizens something they are begging for now even more. That would be more sincere attempts at bipartisan cooperation whereby the participants realize they sometimes have to set aside strongly held beliefs, get in the room with folks from the other side who feel the same way, and pledge to do the people’s business by finding common ground to solve pressing issues.
And in case you think somebody is making this stuff up, a recent Michigan poll found that a ridiculously and astronomically high 90% of you out there want this to happen.
As you are about to read,the list of nominees for such recognition is a little longer than you might think.
Let’s begin with a quartet of four seasoned politicians who are working gratis to reassure state voters that, despite what they might hear elsewhere, Michigan elections are not rigged, not inundated with dead voters or tons of non-residents showing up at the polls.
Reacquaint yourself with Mssrgs Jim Blanchard, John Engler, John Cherry and Mike Bishop. The first two guys are former governors and some would say former aggressive opponents in the political arena. The contest between incumbent Democratic Gov. Blanchard and challenge GOP candidate Engler was one of the most fiercely fought battles in recent state history. If there was not bad blood between the two after Mr. Engler’s come from behind shocking victory, that certainly was the attitude among many D’s and R’s many of whom still to this day can’t believe Mr. Engler pulled it off.
But in recent years, the two have demonstrated one of the most noteworthy displays of bipartisanship one has ever seen. Prior to this current gig as part of the Democracy Defense Fund effort to combat public distrust of the election process, the two recently combined efforts with others to convince the MSU President to chuck a new job at Clemson and stay put on the banks of the Red Cedar. They toiled long and hard behind the scenes and in public to bring their joint credibility into play as they talked privately with President Guskiewicz on how important it was for him to stay put. You know the outcome of that effort combined with countless others who were also in the stay-game strategy.
Which brings us to John Cherry, former Lt. Governor for Gov. Jennifer Granholm and former senate GOP leader Mike Bishop. Let’s just say they were not soul mates as Mr. Cherry from his perch from the rostrum in the state senate watched Mr. Bishop go hammer and nail against the Granholm legislative agenda without event a hint of bipartisanship through it all. Suffice it to say, it was Ugly with that capital “U.”
But there they were this week, comrades in arms, touring the Hillsdale local clerk’s office preaching the gospel of fair elections, dedicated public servants who run clean voting efforts and batting away any other notions to the contrary.
The four of them united in this bi-partisan effort should serve as a role model for others who are more interested in scoring political points against the other guys than focusing on the job they were hired to do.
Other nominees would have to include, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and House GOP Speaker Matt Hall who do not share a common political philosophy on lots of things but on the most important one, writing the new state budget, they made compromises, gave a little to get a little, were not confrontational in public although it is certain they had significant disagreements.
And this next one drives some diehard Democrats wacky because Gov. Whitmer, unlike other governors, early on decide she would seek to cooperate with President Donald Trump when the two could agree on stuff. “He was elected president,” she explained when she first disclosed this strategy, “and I have to do the best I can for the citizens of Michigan.” And it has born fruit on numerous occasions.
Now some names you might not be familiar with.
Rep. Tyrone Carter (D) Detroit and Rep. Mark Tisdel (R) Oakland county. Each in his own way have walked the extra mile, that gap between the GOP and Democratic sides of the Michigan House divided by the center aisle in that body. For many members that aisle is the DMZ never to be crossed for fear it would damage one’s partisan standing with other died-in-the-wool folks who, in even their worst nightmares, would never work with the “enemy” from the other side. In talks with these two they will readily admit they have “friends” from the other team. They don’t always agree but at least they have an open door to see if they can. Take a bow gentleman and all the others who do the same thing. Unfortunately they are not the majority of members.
Going back a host of years, one is reminded of a mild-mannered optometrist from Owosso who paid the price for his illustrative efforts to work with others regardless of the letter after their name.
GOP Rep. Richard Ball was ostracized by his less-enlightened GOP colleagues who were not bashful about berating him for the way he conducted himself. It hurt because everyone want to be respected and liked by those around you, but it was a price he was willing to pay for doing it his way and he went to his premature grave knowing he had done the right thing.
Fortunately this listing here only scratches the surface as many others have stood-up to the system that teaches non-cooperation for the good of the party which of course turns out to be good for the party but not so hot for you.