| Quick refresher of history here ... what was the first bill that benevolent overlord Rick Michigan veto? The bill prohibiting state agencies from establishing regulations more stringent than federal laws. The reason? He said it unfairly tied the hands of the executive branch from carrying out its duties under the state constitution. Keep that in mind while reading Very Serious Person Phil Power's latest column on how to fill the vacancy on the state supreme court following Diane Hathaway's resignation. The Michigan Constitution gives a sitting governor the sole power to appoint vacancies on the court. Past governors routinely have exploited the opportunity to make essentially partisan appointments to Michigan’s highest court. Indeed, Gov. Snyder could easily increase the Republican-nominated majority on the court to 5-2 by making a purely partisan appointment this time around. But he could also do something far more important by choosing his nominee from a short list of candidates vetted by a panel of legal experts and private citizens.
What planet do these people live on where they think a chief executive is going to give up authority willingly because it's the right thing to do? |
