Michigan's Gov. Rick Snyder is no Bill Milliken

 

Also, newly elected Gov. Rick Snyder made clear during his campaign he believes Detroit and other large cities in the state must succeed if Michigan is to prosper.

via www.mlive.com

How many of you remember former Michigan Gov. Bill Milliken? He had an impeccable reputation as a leader of a very diverse state who could take warring sides and bring them together to work for a commonly-held vision. He was a leader who had people behind him.

What about the present governor? Rick Snyder was elected after extreme fatigue and dissatisfaction with former Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Voters was somebody different.

Snyder ran a campaign where he touted cliches and vague notions of what he would do. He had a collection of townhall meetings. But he was never visible out in the neighborhoods, at their meetings, festivals, going door-to-door. He was never perceived as trying to get to know the common person in our state.

Now in the above quote he's quoted as saying large cities in the state must succeed if Michigan is to prosper. His words ring hollow. There's no consensus among residents because they're not clear about his vision if he has one.

I remember Bill Milliken talking at length with real people. He did this all the time. He listened and he shared and he led.

Rick Snyder seems to continue being a CEO and not a political leader. Will we meet the same fate as his old company Gateway?