DeVos DeMagoguery--Henry Payne
Detroit News blogger and political cartoonist Henry Payne makes a great point about Dick DeVos' recent radio ad protesting the high price of gas, the high profits made by oil companies, and disingenuously claiming something should be done about it.
Mr. Payne's article speaks for itself and doesn't need further contributions here to improve its point.
The point that should be considered here is how quickly DeVos has abandoned reason and insulted the intelligence of Michigan voters by towing the left's gas crisis propaganda. This is not the kind of leadership Michigan needs. We already have Democrats crying, "Woe is us," we don't need Republicans crying with them.
The best thing Dick DeVos can do about the ad is abandon it and hope people forget about it. Already we know that despite all the complaints about $3/gallon gas and news stories about how people can't afford to shop, gas usage has increased already this spring and boaters are proclaiming they'll not let gas prices change their favorite summer activity.
DeVos has also come out against the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative.
On both these issues DeVos has the same position as Granholm. They're also both in favor of ridding the state of the Single Business Tax, though Granholm seems a late-comer. Is their only difference their political party? If that affiliation accounts only for the state's color on some nighttime news map then that's all we're voting for--our favorite color.
If that's what the governor's race has become we're little better off than Sir Galahad approaching the Bridge of Death (November's elections) in Monty Python's Holy Grail. No matter how we answer, blue or red, we may be cast into the Gorge of Eternal Peril, or economic backwaters--unless one of our candidates differentiates themselves with honest dialog. We're adults. We can take it.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
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I'm a plaid kinda guy myself . . .
ReplyDeleteYou say that we're adults and we can take it. I wish that were true. Methinks that we've been coddled so long that the idea of a true leader is scary. How do we re-introduce the idea of "visionary as leader" to the general population?
Ronald Reagan was perhaps the last "visionary" leader I remember, but I don't think Michigan ever voted for him. He had a vision of America's greatness, proposed an economic model (trickle-down) that withstood the acusations of voodoo economics, and ultimately busted us out of a minor recession. In fact, economically the country did so well the press labeled the 80s the "decade of greed." Of course, when Clinton's economy did well the media found no greed, it just continued its lovefest.
ReplyDeleteMichigan took some bitter medicine with Engler's welfare programs, so maybe we can take bad news.
What I find insulting is how DeVos' political consultants are "handling" me--advising him to avoid specifics and positions until after, well, after they say it's OK. Whenever that is.
His wealth may make him independent from lobbyists and corruption, but apparently he can't manage independence from his political advisors.
The "Gorge of Eternal Peril." That's an interesting way of putting it. I didn't take you for one of those extremists, Thomas. ;-)
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