Michigan, Meet Martial Law

[ExRetailDrone]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_1...99-503544.html

It is looking like a new bill is about to be passed in this waste of a state of mine. It will allow the state legislature to declare "financial emergencies" in municipalities and school districts as they see fit. In doing so, they will be allowed to remove the governing bodies for said municipalities and school districts and replace them with "emergency managers" selected by the legislature. Basically, they are able to remove our elected officials without the permission of those who elected them.

Under the legislation, the Michigan Messenger reports, the governor could declare a "financial emergency" in towns or school districts. He could then appoint a manager to fire local elected officials, break contracts, seize and sell assets, eliminate services - and even eliminate whole cities or school districts without any public input.

The governor says an emergency manager will only be put in place as a last resort, but I don't trust the guy in the least to keep his promises. I don't trust any politician to do that, especially when large amounts of power are involved like in this situation.

A couple of other gems from the article:

As the "emergency manager" bill nears final passage, state lawmakers are also considering Snyder's proposed budget, which would cut spending on schools, universities, prisons and communities, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Snyder has also proposed eliminating $1.7 billion in tax breaks for individuals while cutting $1.8 billion in taxes for businesses to spur job growth. Much of the $1.7 billion in new tax revenue would be "coming from retirees, senior citizens and the working poor," the Free Press wrote in an editorial.

So, he's basically taking from the poor and giving to the rich. Gee, how unusual

Things are not looking good for Michigan residents if this goes as it sounds. Our state is in shambles enough without all of this added bullshit.

[Rageaholic]

This is why I don't trust CEOs to wield political power. They only care about benefiting those at the top (who are already million and billionaires to begin with!) while cutting benefits from those already struggling. But I guess that's the American way! Right?

This can not be good for Michigan.

[Hyena Dandy]

That's really totalitarian, but I don't think its MARTIAL law. He's not enforcing it with the army.

[ExRetailDrone]

That's really totalitarian, but I don't think its MARTIAL law. He's not enforcing it with the army.

Fair enough, poor wording on my part and my fault for not including the 'financial' at the front like the article did, but that doesn't make the actual facts any less scary to me *shrug*

[Greenday]

You mean if a council isn't doing their job, something could actually be done about it? What's the problem with that part?

[lordlundar]

You mean if a council isn't doing their job, something could actually be done about it? What's the problem with that part?

Think of it this way Greenday.

Picture a company that is not doing so hot and they have a particular location that is performing even comparatively terrible. To save the rest of the company, that location is shut down and everyone is laid off or fired so the company can divert funds into more important and better running locations with the "promise" that that location will be reopened when the company stabilizes.

That is the type of authority that is being given to this "manager"., and those layoffs and firings are emergency and educational services with absolutely no oversight or requiring any permission. So if your part of the state is, in their minds, not doing well, you could find yourself without fire, police, medical services, schools, etc. and all the state has to say is "tough shit." That's the problem.

[draco664]

You mean if a council isn't doing their job, something could actually be done about it? What's the problem with that part?

Isn't there already a mechanism in place for that? Elections, I think they're called.

[Greenday]

Isn't there already a mechanism in place for that? Elections, I think they're called.

Yes, but you have to wait for those. This gives people power to solve a problem now, not a year or two later.

[MadMike]

Isn't there already a mechanism in place for that? Elections, I think they're called.

Unfortunately, elections happen only once every four years. And the voters seem to have very short attention spans. That's why our elected officials straighten up and fly right in election years, but screw the public every which way during other years. As long as it's not an election year, the taxpayers will piss and moan for a short time, but then forget all about it by the time election year rolls around, and re-elect those same corrupt, lying bastards.

[smileyeagle1021]

Yes, but you have to wait for those. This gives people power to solve a problem now, not a year or two later.

*cough* recalls *cough*
They can and have been done sucessfully in very short amounts of time.
Hell, change the law to say if a municipality is failing the state will force an immediate recall and election, but having someone appointed by the governor isn't just sidestepping the democratic process, it is completely ignoring that the process exists. For all it's weaknesses, the democratic process has served us (and those before us) quite well for millenia, now is not the time to go mucking about with it because it is convenient.

[Tanasi]

Unfortunately, elections happen only once every four years. And the voters seem to have very short attention spans. That's why our elected officials straighten up and fly right in election years, but screw the public every which way during other years. As long as it's not an election year, the taxpayers will piss and moan for a short time, but then forget all about it by the time election year rolls around, and re-elect those same corrupt, lying bastards.

Those people have no one to blame but themselves for their short memories.
I think too many people are comfortable with the evils they know instead of the evils they don't.

[Tanasi]

*cough* recalls *cough*
They can and have been done sucessfully in very short amounts of time.
Hell, change the law to say if a municipality is failing the state will force an immediate recall and election, but having someone appointed by the governor isn't just sidestepping the democratic process, it is completely ignoring that the process exists. For all it's weaknesses, the democratic process has served us (and those before us) quite well for millenia, now is not the time to go mucking about with it because it is convenient.

Not all offices are subject to nor all municipalities have recall elections. In my fair city the recall has been used on several occasions against the city coucil and the county commission. Oddly neither the city mayor or county mayor are subject to recall. Also the rules to recall can be changed. In the last election using a referendum we voted to change the number of valid signitures required for a recall.
In my AO we have also voted in term limits, two full elected terms and you're out.

[MadMike]

Those people have no one to blame but themselves for their short memories.

No argument there, but it sucks for the few of us who actually do remember and vote accordingly. We seem to be greatly outnumbered by the people who vote and don't put any thought into it.

Not all offices are subject to nor all municipalities have recall elections.

The city of Harrisbug, which is where I work and is located just across the river from me, is unfortunately one place that does not have recall elections. They recently elected a new mayor, who turned out to be a complete and total whackjob. Crime is way up, the city is broke, and she can't seem to work well with others. Quite a few people who had to work with her, including four or five spokespeople, quit their jobs, which were fairly high-paying jobs, because she was impossible to deal with. Most people want her gone, but unless she does something blatantly illegal, they're stuck with her for four years.

I think politics should be like any other job -- if you can't do it properly, you get shitcanned.

[FArchivist]

I think politics should be like any other job -- if you can't do it properly, you get shitcanned.

While I can understand the sentiment, my problem with the bill is how wide the powers given are. In it, emergency financial managers:

- may unilaterally cancel contracts
- suspend collective bargaining indefinitely
- dismiss elected officials at will without reason
- are granted total authority over academics and curriculum.
- disincorporate cities and towns entirely at will

Worse, the triggers to send in an emergency financial manager are extremely broad. Paychecks are late a day due to a problem with the bank? That's cause to declare a crisis and send in an emergency financial manager. You can't protest, if you're a citizen, because no one is allowed to disagree with the financial manager's decisions; they have immunity from lawsuits.

I find this bill disturbing because, if this bill passed in GA, you'd get shit like this:

- The City of Decatur, a liberal bastion in GA, is late with their paychecks one day.
- Nathan Deal, R-Gov of GA, declares a crisis and appoints an emergency financial manager.
- EMF immediately dismisses all Democratic elected officials.
- The independent City of Decatur school system has its collective bargaining suspended, the EMF changes the curriculum to one approved by the Republican Party of GA, fires all teachers who disagree.
- All contracts with non-Republican-affiliated companies are canceled, to be replaced with contracts with party-approved companies.
- Towards election time, it looks like the citizenry is going to vote in more Democrats. The EMF disincorporates the city, making it part of DeKalb County. The city cannot incorporate again without approval from the State Legislature and the Governor.

Improbable? Perhaps. Perfectly legal? According to the bill, yes. I don't care how improbable something is, I'm not interested it having it made legal if it can be abused like that. Considering that the "Miscarriage Police" bill has a chance of passing here in GA, abuse like that wouldn't surprise me.

[Greenday]

What I just read was an event that probably has a 0.0000000000000000000001% chance of ever happening. It's like people assume that as soon as someone gets some power, they will blatently abuse it left and right.