Even Michigan Democrats are beginning to recognize the shameful nature of Reform Michigan Government Now! In late July, Michigan’s congressional Democrats canceled a Washington, D.C., fundraiser for the state party over concern about the propriety of the RMGN ballot measure — that measure would use legislative redistricting to disenfranchise minority Democrat candidates and Republicans alike, while targeting Republican judges for removal the bench.

One Democrat State Senator, Tupak Hunter, called RMGN “irresponsible” in proposing such a sweeping revision of the state constitution in one measure. “Certain groups in the Democratic Party have egg on their face,” he said.

Make that an omelet. Governor Jennifer Granholm has held firm, serenely presiding over the fracturing of her party by refusing to repudiate the measure. She has been joined in this profile in cowardice by Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry.

Now the Michigan House Speaker, Andy Dillon, has weaseled his way out of repudiating a measure that has drawn the universal condemnation of the press, Republicans, Independents, minority lawmakers and many Democrats. Michigan Information and Research Service (subscription required) reports: “Still refusing to take an up-or-down stance on the controversial and far-reaching proposal, Dillon said he prefers to wait until the legal maneuvering is over before he settles on a stance.”

There you have it, principles will all the firmness of a mound of jello.

The Democrat leaders of Michigan are straddling on an issue of basic civil rights. The ironic fact is that Granholm, Cherry and Dillon are likely to discover that straddling on a fence is the least comfortable place to sit.