Tim Skubick: Why Snyder plans to leave legislature out of bridge decision
Posted:
Updated:
By Tim Skubick, Fox 2 News -
LANSING, Mich. (WJBK) -
State lawmakers get paid a hefty salary to make tough decisions, but Gov. Rick Snyder has concluded he doesn't want them to make a decision on that proposed second span between Detroit and Windsor. And he has a good reason for concluding that: He can't get the votes.
So armed with what they call an Interlocal agreement that he will announce with Canadian officials on Friday, the governor launches into phase two of his bridge odyssey which on Friday will reach day No. 513. He first proposed this thing in January of 2011.
"I wish he wouldn't do it," laments Macomb County Republican Sen. Jack Brandenburg adding, "I think it sends the signal to the legislature that what we feel, doesn't count."
Ya think.
Sen. Roger Kahn picks up where Mr. Brandenburg leaves off saying, "We don't need a bridge" but reminded that the governor forges ahead anyway, he adds, "And the governor like any human being can be wrong from time to time."
The legislative end run was not the governor's first option as he has studiously tried to work hand in hand with lawmakers on his issues, but when his own party stiffed him and refused to put up the bridge votes, the head-strong governor had no choice but to go it alone. It is Rick Snyder being Rick Snyder.
The senate GOP leader, Sen. Randy Richardville, favors the bridge but he couldn't get his troops in line because they fear somewhere down the road the state will have to cough up your tax dollars to build the thing.
The governor has promised no state dollars are involved.
But Richardville, who is not attending his first rodeo, wonders what happens when the bridge is half way to Canada and the money dries up?
He worries future legislators will get stuck with the tab.
The other option is to simply leave it unfinished making it a true bridge to nowhere.
Monday, June 17 2013 7:25 AM EDT2013-06-17 11:25:47 GMT
Since the Tea Party is such an amorphous group with no political center of gravity, it's hard to get your arms around how much support Gov. Rick Snyder had the first time he ran.
Since the Tea Party is such an amorphous group with no political center of gravity, it's hard to get your arms around how much support Gov. Rick Snyder had the first time he ran.
Thursday, June 13 2013 10:35 PM EDT2013-06-14 02:35:56 GMT
The Republican-led Michigan House late Thursday voted to make hundreds of thousands of more low-income adults eligible for Medicaid.
The Republican-led Michigan House late Thursday voted to make hundreds of thousands of more low-income adults eligible for Medicaid, sending the legislation across the Capitol to a chamber where its future may be less uncertain.
Thursday, June 13 2013 6:15 PM EDT2013-06-13 22:15:19 GMT
Michigan's attorney general says the collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts is not vulnerable to being sold to pay off any of the city's debt during a municipal bankruptcy.
Michigan's attorney general says the collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts is not vulnerable to being sold to pay off any of the city's debt during a municipal bankruptcy.
Tuesday, June 11 2013 8:27 AM EDT2013-06-11 12:27:49 GMT
One can only wonder what might have happened had all these White House messes unfolded as Mitt Romney and Barack Obama dashed for the finish line last November.
One can only wonder what might have happened had all these White House messes unfolded as Mitt Romney and Barack Obama dashed for the finish line last November.
Monday, June 10 2013 8:07 AM EDT2013-06-10 12:07:34 GMT
For obvious reasons nobody in the capitol press corps would ever admit this publicly. But if you applied a little truth serum, some would begrudgingly concede that Gov. Rick Snyder is a master at staying on message.
For obvious reasons nobody in the capitol press corps would ever admit this publicly. But if you applied a little truth serum, some would begrudgingly concede that Gov. Rick Snyder is a master at staying on message.
