Cover Story

Lessons Still Worth Learning – Even for Conservatives

by Paul Welday
February 21, 2012

Politics are generally a reflection of society at any given point in time, and the evolution of the Republican Party in Michigan follows suit. As times have changed so have Michigan Republicans, becoming a much more conservative bunch than they were 30 years ago.

However, while some argue the state GOP has come full circle since the end of the Bill Milliken era with the election of the so-called “moderate” Governor Rick Snyder, the ideological epicenter of the Michigan Republican Party is light-years from where it was in 1982. Nevertheless, there are similarities.

The history of the Republican Party has been dominated by a leading school of thought that has shifted dramatically since the end of the Milliken era. From the 1930s to the 1970s, America as a whole was largely Democratic and the centrist wing of the GOP held the most sway. These elements within the party were known as “Rockefeller Republicans,” after Gov. Nelson Rockefeller of New York. Gov. Milliken was a product of that era and a vocal proponent of the philosophical underpinnings of a middle-of-the-road approach to politics.

The Milliken brand of Republican politics was standard operating procedure in Michigan until the ascent of Ronald Reagan, beginning first in 1976 and culminating with his election as the first true conservative president of the modern era in 1980. During the final two years of the Milliken Administration, the middle-of-the-road philosophy in the state GOP came to a crashing halt with the nomination of conservative Richard Headlee for governor in 1982, much to the chagrin of Milliken and his hand-picked successor, Lt. Gov. Jim Brickley.

Like other GOP leaders in the pre-Reagan era, Gov. Milliken combined the traditional Chamber of Commerce friendliness to business with the championing of an activist government as an instrument of economic planning, race relations and environmental management. Nevertheless, as Reagan-style conservatism swept the nation it also took root in Michigan during the final days of the Milliken Administration. And Michigan Republicans have not looked back since.

Conservatives long chafed under the yoke of the Milliken-led GOP during his tenure in office. Along with his wife, Helen, Milliken had little use for social conservatives who felt passionately about issues like abortion and welfare reform. Milliken’s approach to economic policy was decidedly Keynesian, placing an emphasis on regulatory interventionism and public sector investments. Then, as now, Milliken was a committed and dedicated political moderate who took pride in his progressive state government and his personal battles with those to his political right, regardless of party.

Unlike the mainstream of Milliken’s Michigan Republican Party, today’s GOP comes from an altogether different perspective. Milliken often advocated the restrain of economic market forces through the power of government and used his considerable political skills to advance that approach to his policy objectives. Some 30 years later, a central tenet of today’s GOP is the reverse. Now, restraint of government – not the private sector – is widely accepted Republican orthodoxy, and for a GOP leader to suggest otherwise would quickly brand that politician as a RINO (Republican In Name Only).

In today’s Michigan GOP there are few, if any, true “Milliken Moderates” remaining. To be labeled as such would be a one-way ticket to political obscurity, as the term is synonymous with a pro-spending, pro-regulation, pro-choice politician who would just as easily support a Democrat as a Republican.

It is difficult to imagine Bill Milliken being any more supportive now of lower taxes, drastic curbs in state spending or a reversal of the policies of feminization than he was during the days when John Engler, Dick Posthumus or Dick DeVos were the Republican gubernatorial standard bearers. The fact is that today’s Republican Party in Michigan is much more aligned with the Ronald Reagan/John Engler brand of conservative politics than the middle-of-the-road approach practiced by Gerald Ford and William G. Milliken.

However, with the election of Gov. Rick Snyder, the citizens of Michigan may be witnessing the coming together of two important aspects of the approach to politics – style and substance.

Generally speaking, the Snyder Administration has put forth a decidedly conservative policy agenda, particularly in the area of economics. Taxes have been cut. Spending has been curtailed. Regulations have come under scrutiny and review.

But conservatives haven’t gotten everything they’ve wanted. Right-to-work, the Detroit River international bridge crossing and adolescent body-mass index (BMI) reporting are issues where the right is less than satisfied with this administration. Regardless, Gov. Snyder is committed to advancing a pragmatic approach to governing and “relentless positive action” focused more on solving problems than in advancing any sort of political ideology, be it from the left, right or center.

In addition to a non-ideological approach to governing that is neither “mushy moderate” nor “crazy conservative,” Gov. Snyder is impacting the Republican Party by the tenor and tone of his style of leadership. Much like Bill Milliken, and to his credit, Gov. Snyder does not feel the need to score political points to move his agenda forward. When Gov. Snyder says it doesn’t matter who gets the credit for success, he means it. And that’s good politics.

Gov. Snyder is changing the way Lansing works through a Millikenesqe style and approach to personal politics not seen in the Michigan Republican Party in recent years. This method of leadership is consistent with private sector management styles practiced by the most effective business gurus – and Michigan has always appreciated great CEOs.

While the Michigan GOP of 2012 is a long way from the Republican Party built by Gov. William Milliken, there are some lessons to be learned.

If we are willing to look past the very real policy differences that separate Republicans then from Republicans now, we might just find some very real human elements to the art of politics at which Bill Milliken could show us a thing or two. Rick Snyder has learned that lesson, and all Michigan Republicans as well could benefit by emulating Bill Milliken in that regard.

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Paul F. Welday of Farmington Hills is president of Superior Capitol Consulting, LLC, a Lansing-based government affairs firm. He has been a business executive and served as a staff member and political consultant for federal, state and local officials and candidates, including chief of staff for former Congressman Joe Knollenberg of Michigan.