Ralph Waldo Emerson once
said “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” For last several
years Michigan Democrats have not seen the creation of plush and healthy
forest.
Mark Brewer has been the chair of the Michigan Democratic
Party for the last 18 years. His ability to win elections in Michigan has been
at best unimpressive. While it is
important that Mark Brewer has been able to deliver all of Michigan's electoral
votes in the last four presidential contests, he is not been able to deliver meaningful
victories in state government elections.
During the last
decade Jennifer Granholm (former Michigan Gov.) was able to win her 2 bids for Governor.
Unfortunately, her party was not able to take full control of the state legislature during her tenure in office. The only real majority that Democrats had in the state legislature at the time was a short-lived 4 year, when Democrats had control of the Michigan House of Representatives.
Unfortunately, her party was not able to take full control of the state legislature during her tenure in office. The only real majority that Democrats had in the state legislature at the time was a short-lived 4 year, when Democrats had control of the Michigan House of Representatives.
With the way politics
are in Michigan unless a governor has control of both chambers the state
legislature, it is next to impossible to move your policy or political agenda
forward. Things are even worse if your
party is not in control of the much politicized Michigan Supreme Court.
In 2012, Michigan
Democratic Party nominated three very highly qualified women to run for the Michigan
Supreme Court. This was a year where Republicans all over the country were busy
trying to place more restrictions on women. Unfortunately, on election night only
one of those three candidates was successfully elected to the state's highest
court.
With Mark
Brewer in charge this has become a trained they have all too familiar. In years
where the Democrats should be able to run the board they don't. Mark has been unable to create a sustainable
path of victory for Michigan Democrats.
Sometimes change is
necessary in order to achieve the kind of results that you are looking for.
When former Gov. Howard Dean took over as the
head of the Democratic National Committee he implemented the new strategy with
at the time was coined as his “50 state strategy.” His new idea was a complete success, when in
2006 Democrats being able to win control of Congress. Then again in 2008
Democrats won the White House and Congress. It was simply icing on the cake
when a few months later Democrats had a filibuster proof majority in the U.S.
Senate.
After the 2010
election Chairman Tim Kane stepped down from leadership after Democrats suffered
a blow in the house and much smaller majority in the Senate. With new
leadership and Congressman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida Democrats were
able to pull out a major win for President Obama in 2012.
It is safe to say
that if that change did not happen in leadership inside the DNC it would be
much more difficult for President Obama to be reelected with over 300 electoral
votes.
Just like any job if
you are not producing your asked to step down.
We have not seen the kind victories by Mark Brewer to justify his
continued leadership of state party.
That is what is
needed is the Michigan Democratic Party new leadership that can potentially
lead to the election day victories for Democrats. Politics is just like sports in that no
matter who you are or what you've done the only thing that matters on at the
end is that win and loss column.
If we expect to be
able to pass the kind of agenda that is needed for the future growth of the Michigan
is don't require that we take bold action to elect new leadership for our party.
“A real leader faces
the music, even when he doesn't like the tune.” Anon
