The Recall Wolves Are Howling Again As They Prowl Around Our Township Hungry For Vengeance!

A wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs.  However, one day it found the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so it put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep.

The lamb that belonged to the sheep, whose skin the wolf was wearing, began to follow the wolf in the sheep's clothing;  so, leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her, and for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying hearty meals.

Moral: Appearances can be deceiving.  

Word to the wise for residents contemplating supporting a second wave of expensive and unnecessary Save Shelby recalls!
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The parable of the wolf in sheep’s clothing has been used to characterize the current rage of recalls ravaging Shelby Township.  The recall zombies, who failed when their recall was declared dead and buried, are rising from the grave to try again.   They are determined to seize power (by any means necessary).  The recall zombies are coming for us again, seeking signatures and promising to return our township to the good old days of long ago.  Appearances can be (and in this case are) deceiving.

Recalls are part of our democracy.  The concept of a recall election was borne out of a desire to give the electorate the power to remove elected officials from office who commit blatant crimes against society.  High-level corruption, neglect of duties, conviction of a felony and being mentally unfit to serve are prime examples of where recalls are justified and valid.

However, the Save Shelby recall wave does not qualify.  Trying to recall a township official because you don’t happen to like that person is pure stupidity.  Threatening a recall because you don’t approve of an elected official’s vote on a particular issue is wrong.  Pushing a recall because you want to send a “warning” may boost a petition filer’s ego, but it does nothing to help our township.  Using a recall to try and settle some kind of political score is a grave misuse of the statute.

Allowing the minority to recall someone through a special election process for personal reasons goes against the core principles of democracy.  Logic and common sense would tell you that a recall is wrong.  Unfortunately, there are some people in our township who don’t see it this way.  In fact, just days after the first Nightingale/Police Union/Save Shelby recall was declared dead, the Nightingales were back at it.

Here is a post from Marsha Nightingale that first appeared on Facebook on Wednesday, June 29th:

HERE THEY COME AGAIN.  The recall zombies are coming to get you Shelby! 

One point of interest for trivia buffs:  The first time the Nightingale group decided to try and jam their recall down our throats, they also met at Nick’s 22nd Street Steakhouse.

What we find puzzling is that a few days after bragging about the recall and trying to rally volunteers to attend her recall meeting, Mrs. Nightingale revised her Facebook post, and changed her official Facebook photo.  In doing so, she deleted the references to Save Shelby and the recall meeting.  Why would she do that?  Here is the same Facebook post as it appears today:

As Jan Brady would undoubtedly say:  “Oh Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!”

Mrs. Nightingale kept the incorrect reference to the Supervisor suing the township and removed the two promoting the recall and the recall meeting.  Why?  Is she trying to hide her family’s involvement, or was the recall meeting not as successful as she hoped?

For the record, Supervisor Stathakis did file a lawsuit against the Macomb County Clerk to stop the signature count since the intent of the 180-day expiration date for petition language was unclear.  Mr. Stathakis filed the lawsuit as part of his legal process to challenge the recall.  The Save Shelby recall zombies didn’t like it that Mr. Stathakis was fighting their recall — however, it is his right to do so.  Yes, Clerk Kowal was named, along with the County Clerk, because Kowal was involved in the signature count.

How does that old saying go?  “It’s nothing personal — it is just business.” 

It is well documented that the Save Shelby recall zombies have distributed, and continue disseminating, false information on their recall website.  They gave these incorrect talking points to their hired workers from Detroit, East Lansing, Warren, Troy, Sterling Heights, etc. so they could use them as they walked neighborhoods seeking signatures.  Facts and information didn’t matter during the first recall, and it looks as if the facts are going to take a beating once again as they recall zombies rise up for revenge.

We must stop the zombies!  They must not win, or we will all be eaten alive!!!

So what is this recall really all about?  Some say towing.  This seems to make perfect sense given the motivations and the people who are organizing it.  Some say it is about protecting entitlements. This also makes sense, given that the special interests behind it are angry about towing bids and requests from the township for union concessions during tough times.

But could there, perhaps, be another reason?

At the Tuesday, June 21st Board of Trustees meeting, resident Lewis Kramer came up to speak during Business from the Floor.  He talked about the recall and made a very interesting comment.  The people, Mr. Kramer claimed, are supporting the recall because they want “something different” for the township.

DIFFERENT?  What could Mr. Kramer possibly mean by using this word?

If, as Mr. Kramer says, the recall is because residents want something different, in order to get a full appreciation for these comments we must first consider what we currently have to see if Mr. Kramer’s assumption holds water.

Right now, our township has:
(1) A true conservative majority on the Board of Trustees that is 100 percent committed to standing up for the people.  There are five conservatives and two liberals (Clerk Kowal and Trustee Manzella).  The liberals are angry about being in the minority and so they are playing dirty political tricks.
(2) A majority of Trustees who are concerned about protecting the pocketbooks of taxpayers.
(3) A Supervisor who is committed to reducing spending instead of finding new ways to spend money, including bonding for a $50 million campus.
(4) A Board of Trustees that is committed to lower taxes and lower spending.
(5) A majority of Trustees who are asking employee unions to accept concessions, just like unions are doing across the state, to help with township finances during the economic crisis.
(6) A Supervisor, Treasurer and most Trustees who support competitive bids for township services, including towing.
(7) A Board committed to streamlining township operations and reducing costs to taxpayers.
(8) A Supervisor, Treasurer and Trustees (three Trustees anyway) who are working to reduce union employee health care costs paid for by taxpayers.
(9) A Supervisor and Treasurer who are on record of opposing previous plans to build a $50 million campus.
(10) A Board that welcomes and encourages public involvement and participation in government.
(11) A majority of Trustees who have a real-world interpretation of the financial issues impacting Shelby Township resident.
(12) A majority of Trustees who are unafraid to take the lead on tough issues in the never-ending battle between the rights of taxpayers and the demands of special interests and employee unions.

If we take Mr. Kramer’s comments seriously, then the current Shelby Township recalls are because the people pushing the recall want something different?  What could that difference be?

Here is one scenario of what the recall zombies could have in mind as their “different” Board of Trustees:
- No reductions or modifications to skyrocketing union employee health care and pension benefits.
- No competitive bids for township services, including towing.
- No attempt to reduce overall township spending.
- No reductions in township payroll or personnel.
- No attempt to streamline government operations in order to save money.
- Taking decision-making authority away from elected officials and giving it to special interests.
- A renewed effort to build a $50 million campus, including a massive and overpriced court building.
- A return to the days when township residents were belittled as a “peanut gallery.”
- A renewed plan to raise millions of dollars in new taxes through BONDS on Shelby taxpayers, paid for by taxpayers without a public vote. 
- A return to the days when resident input in helping set township priorities was minimal at best.
- A return to the days of three years ago when Shelby Township teetered on bankruptcy.  Today, thanks to prudent planning and conservative policies,  Shelby Township is maintaining essential services without layoffs or tax hikes.  No other community with a service structure like Shelby’s can say this.
- Bringing back the “good old days” when a majority of the Board was more liberal in terms of its hiring, spending and budgeting priorities.

Two different scenarios for sure.

The first group, the “old guard” (which includes Lisa Manzella, Terri Kowal and the Save Shelby recall zombies) had a motto: “The money is budgeted so we should spend it.  If we need more, we can always bond for it.”

The second group, the “Reformers”, who are in control today have a different motto: “Cut the budget, reduce spending, maintain essential services and protect taxpayers from tax or bond increases.”

Which group would you rather see in control of our township and your future?  Can you imagine what Shelby Township’s financial outlook would be today if things were DIFFERENT?

A recall for purely political reasons, as we are seeing right now in Shelby Township, violates the values of democracy.  Those individuals behind the recall claim they want to save Shelby.  Yet, if you examine their intentions and motivations, you could come away with the conclusion that these people only want to save Shelby for themselves and their own interests.

 THIS ANTI-RECALL BUMPER STICKER SAYS IT ALL!

Finally, here are some points to consider (and pass along to others) about this never-ending crusade by the Nightingale family to ram their recall down our throats:

• The expense of a recall election is not justified. Period!  The next election is soon enough that if the Nightingales want to get rid of Supervisor Stathakis, Treasurer Viar and anyone else, they should do what everyone else does: find a candidate (even a member of their own family) to run for a particular position, support that candidate with money and volunteers and let the best candidate win.

• Township elected officials may feel uneasy or unduly restrained from supporting actions or votes that are in the public interest out of fear of being targeted for recall by well-financed special interest group angry with a particular decision.

• Elected officials should be allowed to do their jobs, unless guilty of some specific provision for recall.  If not, then these political recalls undermine our township and weaken good leadership.  Claiming, as the Save Shelby people are doing, that the Supervisor and Treasurer are not doing what the people want is NOT justifiable or legitimate grounds for a recall.

• We can’t have a recall, or threat of a recall, every time our Trustees vote on something that is unpopular with someone in the township.  If so, then the task of running Shelby Township would grind to a halt.  “Pass that motion and we will recall you,” will be the word of the day.

• The recall election is a special election. There will likely be a low turnout so the view of the broader public will not prevail. Instead, a recall election will get all the people out who are in favor of recall and their vote will be driven by anger on one issue.

Another interesting fact about recalls is that in some states (including Michigan) a person didn’t even have to vote in the previous election to put his/her signature on a recall petition.  This means that someone who didn’t vote in 2008 (“I’m too busy to vote”, “I’m not interested in voting”, “my vote doesn’t matter anyway”) can sign a petition in 2011 to overturn the election that they didn’t care about in the first place.  Heck, as long as they are registered who cares if they even voted since the days of Jimmy Carter — just sign them up!

Most residents are asking why some apathetic slackers should get a second chance to be heard now?  What kind of justification can be made for this?  The process, as it now stands, is upsetting to those who believe our Trustees are making wise and prudent decisions during some of the worst economic times in recent memory.

The only possible advantage (if there is one) in advocating this type of “political” recall is that recall campaigns are a perfect way for sore losers (or defeated candidates and their family and friends) to keep busy while waiting for the next regular election.

Think of it this way: If you bet on Big Blue to win the Kentucky Derby, but he loses the race, wouldn't it be great to send around a petition demanding a re-race?

Michigan needs to reform the recall statute.  While we certainly do need a law that protects the people against abusive elected officials, we also need a law that protects the people against misuse or abuse by the malcontent minority.

We must never deter recalls.  Yet, we must make sure the threat of recalls do not deter our elected officials from making tough decisions, and doing what they must to protect our township from financial disaster, higher taxes and excessive spending.

So, BEWARE THE WOLVES in sheep’s clothing.  They pretend that they want to save Shelby, but they actually want to destroy the pasture that Shelby’s lambs call home.

Until next time...