FeedsAt the seat of the problem
There was a conspicuous empty chair at a roundtable discussion on education funding Monday afternoon.
The discussion took place in the board meeting room at the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools administration office. Gov. Jennifer Granholm was front and center, surrounded by several school officials, teachers, parents and State Rep. Marc Corriveau (D-Northville) and State Rep. Dian Slavens (D-Canton). The empty chair, on Granholm’s left, had State Sen. Bruce Patterson’s (R-Canton) name in front of it.
Pretty slick move, that. By not showing up for the discussion, Patterson became the local face of a Republican Party reluctant to increase taxes in order to solve the budget crisis in the state. He is painted as not caring about the educational system, of putting party preferences ahead of what is good for Michigan.
In this, he faced a no-win situation. Had he shown up, he would’ve been chastised for breaking with party politics or catering to the tactics of Democrats. He loses, too, if he says he had somewhere else to be at the time the meeting took place, because this is the future of our children, for heaven’s sake. What could be more important?
Let’s be clear here. Patterson is not the problem. He has a history of breaking with party politics to support his district, which includes Canton, Plymouth and Northville. Only about a year or so ago, he broke ranks with Republicans-notably, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop-in an attempt to protect Northville Township and all townships across the state from the threat of annexation.
His political career suffered for that attempted coup and he knew it would going into it. He still did it because he felt it was the right thing to do.
If voters want to point the blame at any one Republican, Bishop is the place to start and they should remember that next year, when he is term-limited out of office and will most likely try to secure the nomination for attorney general.
This roundtable on Monday was designed as a political rallying cry. It was set up in hopes of getting more parents and teachers involved in the fight over school funding, to push for a grass roots effort that will theoretically be more successful than other attempts.
I have no problem with that; it’s always good when people get involved in causes they are passionate about.
Part of this, though, is misguided sentiment. Everyone should remember that Republicans are parents too; they care about their children’s education and what it means for the State of Michigan now and in the future. They just have a different philosophy about spending public money.
As for the spirit of cooperation, it’s hard to see how events like the roundtable will foster better relationships across the aisles and between the legislative chambers.
