The priority needs to be fixing Detroit, by any means necessary, as soon as possible. Gov. Snyder should wait till the city is officially out of cash, and appoint an emergency manager.

Former city auditor Joe Harris would be the best choice, but what matters is getting someone compassionate, competent and sane. Such a person probably won't get along with Krystal Crittendon.

They certainly won't get along with much of City Council.

But what may not have dawned on those people is this:

They won't have to.

Infantile rhetoric at its finest: Frequent readers of this column know I have consistently opposed any effort to recall Rick Snyder. That's partly because, while I strongly disagree with some of his programs, he was legitimately elected, hasn't been fraudulent or criminal, and has not, in my judgment, done anything to justify removing him before his term is complete.

However, even if you disagree with all that, it is practically impossible to recall a sitting governor in this state. Unless you have something like $10 million to spend, there's no way you can get the signatures you need in the time allowed. (If you have that much to blow, you are a member of the 1 percent, and probably think he's doing just fine.) Last week, here's how a character named Bruce Fealk, press spokesman for the recall attempt, announced the failure of the second futile recall attempt:

"Effort to Recall Governor Snyder Enters New Phase as Recall Effort Ends."

George Orwell couldn't have done better. I imagine Brucie would have put this headline on the last election, assuming he ignored the minor parties: 

"Bernero Finishes Strong Second as Snyder Comes in Next to Last."

Gratified by the honor: I was surprised and deeply honored last week, when the Association of Alternative Newsmedia chose P&P as the nation's best political column. It was even more gratifying to see my colleague Larry Gabriel's "Stir It Up" win for the best general interest column. In my case, I probably had an unfair advantage, given Michigan's native fauna of bizarre politicians.

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