Essay: Total Recall - 5/2/2008

I live in Huntington Woods, a small older suburb two miles north of Detroit. Now, under the free speech rights granted to me by the Constitution, I have every right to suggest that my city be turned into a collective farm. I can campaign incessantly for the council to buy up everyone’s house, demolish it and plant okra.

All six thousand Huntington Woods residents would be welcome to become agricultural workers and share equally in the profits. This brilliant idea has two minor flaws. First of all, it would be completely unworkable, and second, it would be crazy.

However, as far as democracy is concerned, trying to turn my town into an okra collective would be less bad than trying to recall Andy Dillon. And here’s why. Our democracy depends on representative government. I can’t possibly know how to solve every problem the State of Michigan has to face, and neither can you.

That’s why we have legislators. Last year, Dillon voted to raise taxes, as did a majority of his colleagues. He knew that would be politically difficult. But he did so because the state legally had to balance its budget, and there was no other way, No way, that is, except crippling our great universities, and damaging our state‘s ability to compete in the economy of the future.

Now, I’ve heard people say, “well, of course Dillon was willing to raise taxes. He’s a politician. He has never had to meet a payroll."

Except that he has had to meet many payrolls. Dillon is a businessman and a lawyer. He was a guy who took over struggling companies, including the former McLouth steel, and turned them around. He has fought to save manufacturing jobs.

But the man leading the fight to get him recalled, Leon Drolet, has never met a payroll. In fact, except once working in a clothing store, Drolet has never had anything other than a government job. He was a state legislator till term limits threw him out.

Now he is a Macomb County Commissioner. He doesn’t even live in Dillon’s county. Here is how much money, by the way, those promoting recalls have raised in Dillon’s district: Five dollars.

Now, there is nothing wrong with trying to defeat Andy Dillon if you think he did the wrong thing. That’s the American way. You have two regularly scheduled opportunities to beat him this year. One in the August primary, one in the November general election.

But those who have trouble reading the calendar are trying to recall him in August. That means Dillon could be removed from office and nominated for a new term the same day.

If he then wins in November, the recall effort will have succeeded in removing him for … five months.

The real problem with recalls is that they undermine representative democracy. The more we use them, the less likely it is that our elected leaders will make difficult decisions.

They will just rely on the howling of the mob. Which is the last thing any state, especially Michigan, needs today.

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Comments

[Jeff Jenks]

Dear Jack,

Thank you for not being silent on the recall issue.

The State can't run on hot air alone. Dillon did the right thing in his vote to increase revenues - after the Legislature cut out the Single Business Tax which was a major chunk on the revenue side of the budget. Maybe the initial substitute wasn't the best but it was corrected by the final majority vote in both Houses.

There is something wrong with the very small number needed to initiate a recall petition over a vote, as oppossed to an illegal behavior by an individual. Using Michigan's current recall system it's easy to overturn majority votes in the Legislature. And something smells when the funding for the recall acounts to $5 from the legislator's district and is led by an elected official from another county.

I hope the public will financially support Mr. Dillon as he fights this recall attempt. We need to send a clear message that Michigan stands for a democratic system of voting, not minority tyranny.

And by the way Jack, I'm not sure if okra could be grown, under Huntington Woods' existing zoning ordinance. I don't think we have any agricultural area left. But good luck in that area. I'm sure if you come to a Commission meeting that we will give it careful consideration.

City Commissioner Jeff Jenks
Huntington Woods

[Thrasher]

The notion that recalls undermine democracy is pure nonsense. Recalls, Ballot initiatives and the like are sound fundamental alternatives and appropriate options of a representative democracy.

Politicians and those with vested interests can be of course make government an ugly proposition but such is life.

I support public schools but I also support the other alternatives such as charter, private and religious schools, even appropriate home schooling options.

Measures such as recalls, ballot proposals, term limits, special elections all have value in this construct we call democracy..

I would take these options over assasinations,overthows,invasions, wars.....

[Jose Santiago]

Jack:

Andy Dillon responsible for the McLouth Steel turnaround? Is this before or after the new management disenfranchised the United Steel Workers and reduced mill workers by 60% How about that underfunded defined benefit plan that was "transfered" to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. At the time of transfer I believe the unfunded obligations were 100 million plus. Be careful with your definition of "turnaround". Andy and his rehabilitation team pursued a scorched earth policy with all the modern techniques that ultimately leave the taxpayer holding the bag. Perhaps Andy should think about the same recission of public sector benefit plans? Ouch-that hurts doesn't it Jack?

[Thrasher]

Jose Santiago,

Nobody pays attention to the posts of an intellectual coward who hides behind his keyboard and posts impotent nonsense and tired rants..

What you do best is obessed over me now run along and think of some of some more postal attacks on me... I need a good laugh this sunday morning....

[Jose Santiago]

Please Greg run along and post your vitriol and leave the real analysis to people with an education and the credentials. Jack simply doesn't know(and you certainly don't) the world of bankruptcy, ERISA and proper funding of defined benefit plans. Dillon dumped the liabilities and abrogated labor agreements as part of his rehab plan for McLouth. But you wouldn't understand any of the detail or legal motivations because your skills are similar to Sharpton, Jackson et al. Mildly articulate, incendiary but in the end just another affirmative action product that's trying real hard to be Malcolm incarnate. One difference only-Malcolm had brains.

[Thrasher]

Jose,

Get over me your obession is making me blush...

I may need to call Homeland Security if you keep stalking me..