EDITORIAL: Governor-elect Snyder’s transition team suggests partisan bias, permanent hires suggest otherwise
As Governor-elect Rick Snyder builds his team for his transition to office, there are two schools of thought: Snyder is succeeding in bipartisanship or he is deepening the rift.
Although he is being criticized for his transition team of Doug Rothwell, Sharon Rothwell and Mark Murray, all veterans of former Gov. John Engler’s administration, he is taking steps that show he is dedicated to crossing the aisle and working with Lansing Democrats.
The obvious argument toward this is the hiring of Democrat Andy Dillon, currently speaker of the state House, as treasurer. Dillon, like Snyder, has private-sector business experience, in his case with GE Capital and as president of Detroit Steel Company.
Dillon’s business sense makes him a good fit for Snyder’s administration, where his voting record and reputation with legislators may make the Democrats in the House and Senate more willing to work with him.
Furthermore, there is Snyder’s other permanent staff pick — Dick Posthumus as Snyder’s senior legislative adviser.
Posthumus, Engler’s former lieutenant governor, may seem like a partisan choice, and as Snyder’s term unfolds, he may prove to be. It is likely, however, that he will be a key link to Michigan’s legislators.
Before he was lieutenant governor, Posthumus was the Senate majority leader with a reputation for compromise and working with both parties. In a role as Snyder’s legislative adviser, it is likely that he will advise the next governor to similar compromises.
Snyder’s appointments to permanent positions are likely more indicative than his appointments to his transition team because, logically, those are the people who will be there for his entire term.
While Murray and the Rothwells will likely have some measure of influence, it is more likely they were appointed to the transition team for their experience with the political process, and their ability to get things done and produce results.
While Snyder has promised bipartisanship, it is too soon to dismiss this promise, or praise him for keeping it. At this point, however, Snyder is giving Michigan less reason to worry than many media outlets are leading consumers to believe.
