On November 6, Michigan voters rejected their state's emergency manager law. By a margin of 52 to 48, they repealed the statute that allowed Michigan state government to take over struggling towns with a single appointed overseer. That person can then uproot the local democracy, firing elected officials, canceling union contracts, selling off the town's assets and even moving to dissolve the town itself. The day after voters repealed that law, Governor Rick Snyder signaled that he was ready to pass a new one.
Today, he signed it. The press release from his office includes this:
"This legislation demonstrates that we clearly heard, recognized and respected the will of the voters," Snyder said.
Michigan's new emergency manager law does give towns more choices about the deal with being broken, though until some of them go through the process, there's no way to know if those choices are really just "choices." The new law also opens the possibility for the town firing the emergency manager after a year. And the new law is much harder for citizens to repeal than the old one, because Republicans including spending in the measure -- much the way they wrote spending into the anti-union legislation passed earlier this month.
Michigan Republicans are trying to push the replacement emergency manager law as more democratic, so long as that democracy doesn't extend to citizens voting it down. (Image: Governor Snyder's approval rating before and after passing so-called Right to Work.)
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Snyder, and the tea party Legislature are destroying MICHissippi.
RTW: right to work,.....part-time, with no benefits, at WALMART.
I've moved away, and am happy I did. MI makes NC, my new home, seem almost progressive!
Democracy, Egyptian style. Very, very unAmerican Gov. Snyder. Your masters in Koch land will be pleased.
Republicans have long argued that "This is a Republic, not a Democracy!"
Since wingers know that only they know The True Truth, they must save the rest of us from ourselves. Such selfless dedication to The American Way!
/snark
It appears to me that the GOP are dead set on establishing and creating Karl Rove's Permanent Republican Majority. I hope Democrats are smart enough to stop them before it's too late.
You're spot-on regarding Rove's intent, Alva. He has a plan to put his machine in place while no one is looking, and then--voila!--there's no going back and we're all stuck with it.
It's a pretend grassroots movement, certainly beginning with state and local politics, to create a solid foundation for the national level. From there, they progress through governors to congressmen and senators. The President is just the "finishing touch."
For instance, it's why Rove was pouring money into the Montana senatorial race this year, from people who had no interest whatsoever in Montana. They were simply going for another vote for their caucus. Talk a complete and utter perversion of the political system!
Hmm. I hear what you're saying, Laura: it's gone... and this is how it happened.
FTFY, Gov.
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.
- Arnold H. Glasow
;-)
On the other hand, friend Pretzel, do not the rich n' greedy vote too? Snyder didn't specify WHICH voters were "respected".
The link is last year, but I'm positive the parties in question have grown consciences and philanthropic feelings for their fellow man since then...cough, cough. Sorry, almost choked typing that....
I think right now the National Republican Party is waiting for the state party scouts to come back and tell them what the Rubicon looks like.
They have effectively already formed a government in exile and have their troops ready to march on Washington backed by their own financing and propaganda machines. 2014 may well be when they decide if it is time to cast the die
Put more succinctly: we're watching a slow-motion putsch taking place.
I hope the Michigan Democratic Party is going to court to challenge the inclusion of faux-spending clauses in these measures. Such phony spending clauses are nothing more than diversions around a part of the law the Republicans find inconvenient.
Courts often do something similar when they "pierce the corporate veil," in cases where individuals try to hide assets behind a largely illusory corporate facade.
Senator Maddow has a nice ring to it, doesn't it. Let her know! Go to and like: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elect-Rachel-Maddow-to-replace-John-Kerry/455307911184522. Leave a comment telling her why you want her to consider running to fill John Kerry's soon to be vacant Senate seat. Share the page with your friends on your FB newsfeed to spread the word. Maybe she would be interested if enough people let her know! Thanks.
I voted for Snyder as the least objectionable choice. He has lived up to everything I expect from today's CEO governors - being equally abhorrent to a wide variety of constituents. He is neither a good leader nor a good follower. He gets most of his ideas from the front page of the Wall Street Journal. And he has neither the guts nor the political capital to stand up to a legislature that is continuously inexperienced - due to term limits - and ideological in the extreme. Those in Michigan, like myself, who voted for Snyder, literally cringe every time he opens his mouth. He will not be getting our vote again.
Government for the Snyder, of the Snyder, and by the Snyder, shall not perish from the Michigan?
republicans are truly frightening. They've gone beyond authoritarian to become tyrants.
Next step, single party rule...or as is known in social circles, Permanent Republican Majority.
Those who worked on the repealing the EFM, public act four were excited for a job well done, despite challenges at every turn.
Some may recall Fontgate, which held up getting the referendum on the ballet for months in court because of a font size on the signature form, which was bogus. The delay allowed the EFM's a few more months to do business as usual and slowed the repeal campaign.
But we won anyway.
Then we win the vote to repeal the law only to get the lame duck majority to quickly pass a new version.
The way I see it in states like Michigan with currently a one party rule referendums are the only option for the minority to have a voice.
For anyone who has worked on referendums, it is not an easy process.
After all, if the majority wanted to pass something they will do it despite public opinion like the ramming threw right-to-work legislation.
But if a majority lame duck congress can simply pass basically the same law a referendum just repeal there is no option.
Welcome to 21st century democracy in Michigan.
This is what makes makes me want to bang my head against the wall, or stop paying attention altogether. This legislation has been extremely controversial since the day it was passed, and when enough signatures were gathered to get it on the ballot where it was eventually repealed, it seemed like a victory. The people had spoken.
Not so fast. You'd think Governor Snyder would have at least given the black eye he earned in the recent Right to Work fiasco time to heal before he stuck his chin out for another whack.
"We'll get him in 2014", we say. What do we do until then? What do we, as voting constituients do when our collective voices are so blatently ignored by those we elected to serve? Or is it that the whimper of the every day man can't be heard through the roar of campaign donors and special interests filling the ears of our legislators?
Before our legislative culture declines much further it might be time to consider getting rid of them completely. Wouldn't it be possible for 8 or 10 people, hired with the approval of the people, with an adequate support staff and some common sense to run a state and write the minimal amount of legislation actually required if all the political wrangling was removed from the system.
Let the people decide the issues through a simple system of online voting instead of paying politicians to argue incessantly over issues of little significance, while ignoring us completely. The power and influence that lobbys and special interest groups with money would be reduced, or eliminated if legislation was based on common sense instead of political pressure.
I know, it's a dream based in the bizarro world, where things make sense.