Happy Birthday, William Milliken!

[MrScorpio]

Why am I, Mr. I-Hate-Republicans, wishing happy birthday to the former Republican Michigan governor who once served under Mitt Romney's father?

Well, I'll tell you why… Because William Milliken is a good man.

He served as a liberal Republican in a time when liberal Republicans actually existed. Before Reagan's purge, before the Teabageratti, before the entire Republican party lost their God-damned minds.

He formed an alliance with his close friend, Detroit Mayor Coleman Young, the blackest, union lovingnest, dyed in the wool Democrat that The Motor City has ever had. It was a close bond and everybody in this state knew it, whether they liked it or not.

During elections, Detroiters would split their votes between a Republican Milliken for Governor and a Democratic everything else, because they knew that they were voting for a sincere, decent, liberal minded man, who believed in good working government… Government that worked for everyone: black and white, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican.

For his efforts, the wingers of his day called him "The Ghetto Governor". But we didn't give a fuck, he was OUR man.

I dare you to find you to find one… And I mean ONE Republican on the national scene today who can fit that very description. I won't hold my breath.

He's still alive today and kicking and residing up around Traverse City. He's still a card carrying Republican and he's still a decent man.

He came from a time when Democrats and Republicans could work TOGETHER to solve the pressing issues of the day.

These days, if a Republican tried that, he or she would drawn and quartered by the Right Wingers who are currently terrorizing the entire country.

That's a shame and a half.

But we can look at the past and reflect on a better time. Hold it up as an example that we need in our future.

May it come.

Anyway, I press upon you to raise a toast with me to a decent man, a man from a bygone era, but who is still with us all in this world.

Happy Birthday, Governor Milliken... We hope to see your kind come our way again while we're still alive.

[MichiganVote]

1. only gov who could balance needs of mi people w needs of business

[longship]

2. Indeed, I agree

Millikan was cut from the same cloth as many outstanding Republicans. In my nearly 64 years I can name a few others:

* Sen. Edward Everett Dirkson (R-IL)

* Sen. Howard Baker (R-TN) most prominent in the Senate Watergate Hearings. Later married to yet another wonderful Republican,

* Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-KS) who I had the honor to vote for twice when I lived in KS, in spite of the fact that I was active in Dem politics and during one election a county Dem officer.

There have been many Republicans who have been good at governance. As a Michigander, I'd like to propose one more:

* George W. Romney -- Yup, that's Willard's papa, governor of MI from 1963-1969, just prior to Millikan's service as governor. I would suggest, although I have no data on this, that Romney's tenure set up Millikan's. Romney was also a moderate and MI at the time had gone through some pretty hairy shit. (Living in Detroit, I remember the smoke engulfing the city during the 1967 riots, with jeeps equipped with machine guns driving past my house.)

It took special kind of politicians to win in that environment. It helped that Detroit had a mayor of the caliber of Jerry Cavanagh and that the Tigers won the World Series in 1968. Millikan was part of the whole deal.

Indeed, Happy Birthday Governor Millikan.

[SpartanDem]

3. This state could use a lot more Bill Millikens

He might be the most respected former politican in this state He's been out of office for three decades, but so many people who remember him as governor speak very highy of the guy.

[Octafish]

4. Happy Birthday, Governor Bill!

The guy used the powers of government to make life better for all Michigan residents. And he was proud of it.