Back in the days of the Old West when a lawbreaking varmint was on the loose, the sheriff would assemble a posse and then search relentlessly for the scoundrel. Often times the excitement of a capture disregarded all elements of the law and the posse exacted its own form of justice.

Return us now to those days of yesteryear but enter a new sheriff AKA Cowpoke John Conyers. Despite the fact that President Obama has indicated that “petty grievances” should be abandoned, Conyers, the delusional Capital Cowboy has decided to saddle up and ride with his band of overzealous ranch hands until varmints Bush and Cheney are apprehended and brought to justice or perhaps just forced to be a part of Conyers western style of justice where emotions take the place of facts.

Before Conyers rides too far on this misguided mission, he would do well to first rein in his wife, Monica who has been creating her own style of havoc in Detroit as President of the Detroit City Council. Her memorable tirade of calling the then Council President, now Mayor Ken Cockrel, “Shrek” has become a You Tube classic. Referring to her $80,000 plus council position as a part-time job certainly didn’t endear her to colleagues. And a seven-day study mission to Israel to learn how to achieve peace in the Middle East seemed a bit of a stretch; and of course having two members of the Executive Protection staff accompany her on a domestic trip seemed excessive considering the Mayor only has one person protecting him. Her meltdown in Denver during the Democratic Convention over the assignment of a room again brought her national attention and a dispute over travel funds from the city’s General Retirement System brought further attention to Buckaroo Monica.

So before Cowboy Conyers and his merry band of cowpokes beat a trail to Bush and Cheney, he may want to get his own house in order first. Hopefully once this is accomplished he and his buckaroo can ride off into the sunset to the relative obscurity both so richly deserve while strains of “Happy Trails To You” linger in the background!

Bill Kalmar
Former Director of the Michigan Quality Council