On Gov. Snyder's Watch

For a number of reasons, I believe that Governor Snyder, while captivating the electorate in the 2010 race for governor, is an exceptionally weak leader and uses any means necessary (including skunkworks) to distract the electorate from the damage he's really doing to this state.

On his watch, almost 1 in 4 children in Michigan now lives in poverty. Child poverty rose to 24.4 percent in 2011, up from 23.1 percent in 2010 and 14.2 percent level in 2001. Michigan is in the worst third of the nation for child poverty. While he obviously wasn't in the statehouse when the decline began, he can point to none of his policies in lessening this burden. In fact, his only "anti-poverty" theme is to blame it on what he perceives (for political benefit) is a weak public education system. This not only indicates his lack of a moral platform for his leadership style but the very fact that he's lived such a shielded life from reality on the streets that he doesn't even know how to account for poverty.

I voted for Governor Snyder in 2010 because I like thousands in Michigan thought he could turn the state around. Well, he's accomplishing just that although primarily for the benefit of his corporate buddies.

In fact, he's so disconnected from the realities of poverty that he's content sitting at home, satisfied that someone else is working on "potential solutions" to the Buena Vista Schools disaster. Unfortunately, the kids are sitting at home, too. 

Incredibly weak leadership.

And for the record, he's lost my vote.