Finally, after 18 years, the Michigan Democratic Party may see a new leader. Democrats should be rejoicing at this possibility. The one person who has been about as effective of a leader as a captain of a toddler tee-ball team may soon be history. It is a long time coming and there are some heavyweights throwing their support behind someone else to lead the organization.
Here in Michigan, the Democratic Party was commonly being referred to as the ‘Dumbocrats,” due in large part to the perceived ineffectiveness of Mark Brewer. Over the last 10 years or so years, any character from the Disney lineup could have done a better job of leading than him.
I met the guy while attending the 2006 Michigan Democratic Party shindig down at Cobo Center, when he allowed for the hijacking of the attorney general spot by some nefarious individuals. To see how M. Scott Bowen was pushed aside for the candidacy of Amos Williams was absurd. And since that time, Mark Brewer has only shown himself to be someone lacking the tools to get anything accomplished within his party.
Not being overly engaged with the Michigan Democratic Party, I have no idea who Lon Johnson is. Good luck to him, since it appears that he is the prohibitive favorite to replace Brewer. However, the fact that those endorsing him include the likes of John Conyers, John Dingell, Gary Peters, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow is somewhat bothersome, since they are just as responsible for the ineffectiveness of Mr. Brewer as he is himself.
It comes as no surprise that labor has jumped on the bandwagon, considering their close ties with the Democratic Party. Interesting enough, though, is the fact that this guy has been able to lead so ineffectively a group for 18 years. Why now is the question.
The Michigan Democratic Party has been faltering for quite some time, and to have allowed Mark Brewer to lead them for so long goes to show that they too have been clueless for about 18 years. In a little more than two weeks, on Saturday, February 23, 2013, what will emerge from the party’s convention at Cobo Center will be some necessary and much-needed new leadership.
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