Why Liberals Should Support Michigan Governor Rick Snyder

Liberals do not like Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.  In fact, he is the topic of conversation for many segments on the Rachel Maddow Show.  His policies, which include teacher tenure reform, huge budget cuts, cuts to education at all levels, and changing arbitration rules for public employee unions, have infuriated many liberals. 

Yet non-partisan political pundits recognize that Snyder is quite different than his fellow Republican governors across the country.  Instead of antagonizing liberals with a partisan agenda he has consistently ignored the contentious wedge issues that usually divide voters into partisan armies. 

Snyder has even ignored or challenged Republicans on a number of issues.   Pleas from fellow Republicans to pass a “Right to Work” law have been ignored; the Governor admonished anti-abortion legislators who tried to create new reporting requirements on universities that conduct stem cell research; and he snubbed Republican legislators’ pleas to freeze state implementation of Obamacare.

As columnist Brian Dickerson noted in the Detroit Free Press, “Among the things that distinguished Rick Snyder from his party's other governor wannabes in 2010 was the voters' impression that Snyder had little interest in, or patience for, the ideological crusades in which many conservative Republicans are so heavily invested.” 

But that hasn’t stopped liberals from attacking Snyder.  He has become a piñata for liberal activists around the country including Rachel Maddow. 

Nevertheless, liberals should take another look at what Snyder is actually trying to achieve.  Through his agenda he has fought to make government financially stable, effective, and thus credible.

A debt ridden government is neither effective nor credible.  A government that can’t control its own finances loses the public’s confidence and support.   So Snyder confronted the enormous structural deficiencies facing the state finances by passing a balanced budget in record time.  In doing so he set Michigan on a path to financial stability and government credibility. 

Snyder also enticed local governments to be fiscally responsible and more effective.  State funds used to be given to cities and towns with no questions asked.  The Governor changed the process by challenging local governments to create and or use “best practices” by collaborating or consolidating with neighboring municipalities. 

One “best practice” Snyder demanded was that state and local governments set up “dash boards.”  Any Michigan taxpayer can find these information centers on their local and Michigan state governments’ websites.  As Governor Snyder said, “When we ask you for a dollar of revenue, instead of taking your money and spending your money, we show you value for your money, that we’re making a difference in real people’s lives.  That’s the government you deserve and that’s the government you’re going to get.”

According to Michigan.gov, the dash boards are metrics of “performance in five key areas that affect you and your family: economic strength; health and education; value for money government; quality of life; and public safety.”  (Check out Michigan’s dashboard)

Each category has subcategories.  Under “Health and Education” metrics are listed for infant mortality, obesity in the population, 3rd graders reading at grade level, and population with bachelor’s degree or higher. 

Now compare that to the agendas and rhetoric from conservatives around the country.  The anti-government ideology dominating modern conservatism has no room for government activism let alone tackling societal problems like infant mortality and obesity. But according to Rick Snyder, that is what government is supposed to do. 

Liberals point to Snyder’s budget cuts and government reforms to say he is an anti-government conservative who sides with big business over the people.  However, the reality is much more complex. 

Snyder’s reforms are not ruining government, they are reinventing government.  No longer can we afford the government of the past.  We need a new form of government to confront the economic and societal challenges of the 21st century.  Snyder’s creative destruction is helping to build that new form of government.  And in doing so he is repairing the public’s confidence in government and giving it credibility.  That is why liberals should support Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. 

Other essays you may be interested in… 

“Rick Snyder is Reinventing Government”

“Why is Rick Snyder still considered a moderate?

“The Moderate Brand of Rick Snyder”

“The Definitive Centrist Candidate”

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