Let's BRAC Michigan: Creating a Structure for the Future

BRAC:  Base Closing and Realignment Commission

Increasingly, the dimmest of the lights in Michigan is coming to believe that our current ills are anchored in an industrial society that has little in common with the new emerging techno-economic paradigm.  That is to say, our economic plunges in the past have been tied to cycles within the economy, particularly, the automotive economy.  The current economic plunge is more tied to structures, processes, and organizations that worked well forty years ago, but do not work today, thus inhibiting our ability to ever recover.

Changing structures, processes, and organizations is a horse of a different color because somebody benefits from the structural status quo.  And that somebody is willing to fight about changes to the structural status quo.  It is clear that the will to change Michigan has not yet attained the level of strength and courage where these constituencies can be confronted and forced to accept change.

So I have an idea as to how we might go about the process of forcing change.  Although Governor Rick Snyder has accomplished significant change in his short tenure, there is a model in existence that might be the pathway to shaping a new Michigan.

Twice in my professional career, I have had to confront the military base closing process.  While I was at the wrong end of the base closing process, I could not help but develop a grudging admiration for how well designed the base closing process of the government really was.

The mission of the Base Closing and Realignment process is clearly stated and restated. A data call goes out to the various branches of the Defense Department to provide any and all information about functions, processes, and costs.  The information is fed to a central point where analysts, planners, and supervisors construct a list of bases to be closed, to be realigned, and to be strengthened.

The Defense Department then publishes the list, allowing impacted groups to sift through the findings and to provide more information to the process.  Information coming back may be significant enough as to force changes in the draft list.

The list is presented to a panel of distinguished individuals who make up the Base Closing and Realignment Commission.

The list of changes is, in turn, submitted to the Congress and the President.  Both entities have one choice:  accept the list as it is or reject it.  They are not allowed to tinker with the list or make changes.  Accept it as it is or reject it.

In Michigan, a similar process could be instituted that could blaze the trail of change and adaptation to new realities.  The process would have to be sweeping and comprehensive review of state government.  That includes all offices, functions, departments, revenue, expenses, and anything else relevant to the operations of the State of Michigan..  At the same time, it is understood that there will be certain non-negotiables in the process due to mandates from the state constitution, and from the federal government, funded and otherwise.

An independent institute could be hired to oversee the process.  That institute would issue the data call and would construct the beginnings of a list of state functions that would be eliminated, kept, or realigned.

A commission of citizens would be empanelled to preside over the information gathering and steps leading to the formulation of a final list.  Each commissioner would be assigned a region of Michigan to visit and assess the impacts of the proposed list on that particular region. 

At the end of the information gathering phase, the Commission would be taken through a groupware decision making process to construct the final list.  Groupware consists of strategic planning through a computer process that assures anonymity and encourages input.  Changes would go on the list through majority rule.

The final list containing changes to state government would then be presented to the Michigan legislature which has only the option to accept or reject—no tinkering or changes.  Assuming approval, the list is then presented to the Governor where the same rules apply. 

 

The new list, once accepted, would have the force of law in state government.  The Legislature and the Governor would have the responsibility for enacting enabling legislation and public policy to implement the changes.

Local governments could be encouraged to go through similar processes in order to impact the final statewide list.  In fact, due to the unitary structure of state government, local governments may have no choice.

Since this has most likely never been done before at the state and local level, the process is likely to be problematic, but we have had enough experience with the base closing processes that we should be in good position to anticipate problems with carrying out a similar process in a different set of circumstances.  There are plenty of people with BRAC experience, both staff and otherwise, that can craft an application of the process for Michigan.

Do we use Michigan residents or people from the outside or both?  Are there enough untainted bright people out there that could take on this task, thinking of Michigan first and their constituencies later?

A time limit would be imposed on the entire process.  The commission should work privately in the development of recommendations, thus, it should be advisory in nature.

Our economy has in the tank; our credit rating is a little below junk bond status, people all over the country are looking down their noses at us; and our citizens and residents are suffering.  What do we have to lose?

Besides our rustbelt chains.