The Michigan Legislature will reconvene tomorrow for the first of several “lame duck” session days that are spread across the remainder of November and December. There is a real risk that what remains of good government in Michigan will be even further diminished. Governor Snyder should know that there is no shame in exercising the executive veto. It is exclusively his power and prerogative. Const 1963, art 4, sec 33; Const 1963, art 5, sec 19. Albeit in the context of our nascent National Government, Alexander Hamilton wrote that the power of the executive veto “furnishes an additional security against the enaction of improper laws” and “establishes a salutary check upon the legislative body, calculated to guard the community against the effects of faction, precipitancy, or of any impulse unfriendly to the public good.” Federalist No. 73. Remember social studies? Remember checks and balances? Governor Engler routinely used his bully pulpit to set the tone and agenda for Michigan’s GOP legislators. For instance, in 2000 (when both houses of the Michigan Legislature were controlled by the GOP), certain Republican members sought to amend the Michigan Constitution to reinstate the death penalty. Governor Engler, an opponent of capital punishment, spoke with the Republican legislative caucuses, invited in speakers who opposed the death penalty, and ultimately changed the legislative agenda in this regard. As a strong leader, Governor Engler set the tone for the Legislature; he did not let the Legislature set the tone for him. Now consider Governor Snyder. Snyder repeatedly claimed that right-to-work legislation was not on his agenda and that he would not pursue it. But he did nothing to dissuade GOP legislators from passing right-to-work legislation and seemingly alacritously signed the bill as soon as it was presented for his signature. In addition, he has signed other Republican-sponsored measures that he claimed to personally oppose, merely citing his alleged responsibility to do so as leader of the Republican Party. Without question, this is only one, small example. But Governor Snyder must not continue to sign personally objectionable bills on the invented ground that he has no other option as the leader of the Republican Party. This argument is simply disingenuous. At best, such behavior makes him look like an ineffective bureaucrat who lacks the leadership and charisma to persuade his fellow Republicans in the Legislature. At worst, it makes him look like a liar who secretly wanted the objectionable legislation all along. Either way, he should take a lesson from Governor Engler and speak out for what he believes to be right. My sincere hope is that Governor Snyder learns to robustly exercise the power of the executive veto when necessary in the coming days and weeks.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 00:27:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015