While we were venting our outrage at shenanigans in Wisconsin politics, in fact while Republicans were planning last night’s attempted coup, the Michigan state legislature quietly passed a bill giving the Governor of Michigan martial control over the state. Except instead of using actual military, the Governor is more likely to use private security. But make no mistake–rights would be suspended.
Here’s how it works:
The governor, on his own initiative, can declare an economic emergency in any town and appoint an administrator. The administrator can be any person, including a corporate person.
The administrator has the power to do anything in the name of economic stability, including void contracts, void collective bargaining agreements, dissolve the town council, dissolve the school board, fire anyone including elected officials, hire private security, unincorporate the town, and sell off public property.
The people of the town have no say in this. They can neither demand nor turn away the administrator. That is because this provision is meant to be used against the people.
Politicususa
2
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The quality of this is so bad that I could not watch any further than the first 30 seconds. the 5th grader that produced it deserves a “D-” in his TV Production class.
The real Repuke agenda:
Barrington Republican Martin Harty told Sharon Omand, a Strafford resident who manages a community mental health program, that “the world is too populated” and there are “too many defective people,” according to an e-mail account of the conversation by Omand. […]
Harty confirmed to the Monitor that he made the comments to Omand. […]
Omand says Harty then stated, “I wish we had a Siberia so we could ship them all off to freeze to death and die and clean up the population.” Omand said Harty appeared to be serious. After Omand responded that his idea sounded like what Adolf Hitler did in World War II, Omand said Harty responded, “Hitler did something right, and I agree with (it).”
can’t believe you people fall for this liberal fear mongering
I’ve believed for a long time that the biggest threat to democracy in this country comes from the Republicans. Current republican leadership is Fascist at heart, and doesn’t trust the people to govern. Better to put solid intellectuals like Sarah Palin in charge!
Keeping fear alive it seems! Good job!
Time to remind the Republisheep not to take freedoms for granted. That warm corporate blanket you feel safe in is bad news for your sheeple offspring.
Here is a reminder from the great Thomas Jefferson..
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good fortune to remain silent.
It’s funny the Republicans are always calling the Democrats “communists”, but in reality every measure being passed by Republicans recently is bringing the country closer to communism.
You got a problem with that?
No worker being paid with tax dollars should ever be able to unionize. Private companies cannot force you to buy thier product (unless Obama forces you to I guess). Governments do. If you want to unionize, find a private corporation to exploit, not my tax dollars. Greedy bastards.
Derek you’re right, private companies cannot force you to buy thier [sic] product if you want to live without power, water, home phone service, cable TV (what the fuck, you got no electricity, right?)
And what’s all this about your having the right to sue anybody…
Its ignorant people like you who keep the powers that be in power (and no I’m not talking about the scum you vote into office, I’m talking about who pays for them to shut you up.)
shock doctrine
google it
What the??? its just a bunch of clips put together not even time synced and out of context … The scary thing is the bunch of nut bars that believe the dark days of trial are here booo , eeek who who whohahahah…
“economic disaster”? The conservatives are great at creating those!
So, with martial law and mercenaries, this is a win, win, win for conservatives.
Hopper: “The people of the town have no say in this”
Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how many guns there are in Michigan? How many “hunting” scopes on high power rifles? Oh, I think they’d have something to say.
# 3 jamiepullman said, “What a wonderful country you live in.” Oh? And you lucky Brits who can’t even take a piss without a camera measuring your prick, where the cops can make you pay an on-the-spot fine for antisocial behavior – er – behaviour, you’ve got it a lot better than us poor ‘Mericans?
# 10 msbpodcast said, “Look at GitMo. Started by Shrub…” Poop! Gitmo was NOT started by Bush. It was started in 1903 by Theo Roosevelt. Oh. You meant the detention camp? Started in 1970 by LBJ. Yes, a Bush thought to incarcerate captured terrorists there (appropriately in a military prison) in 1992 but I think you’ll find the majority were placed there under Clinton (still appropriately) starting in 2002. So, take your ignorant claptrap and go away.
I worked in the old Camp X-Ray (briefly) in 1993. The facility was primitive but comfortable. I’ve seen (not worked at) the new Camp X-Ray and it’s quite pleasant – for a jail. It’s a hell of a lot better than ANY prison in Afghanistan or Pakistan.
As for the point of the article? A lot of FUD in the wake of the Wisconsin problems.
When the spend money like government funds/tax dollars are unlimited liberals run a place into the ground this is how it goes bankrupt.
Is this a good thing? NO!
What does Dallas want done with these failed progressive utopias? Wait for the tooth fairy to bail them out? Move everybody out and plow them under?
If something isn’t done to fix them they’re going to turn into third world h##ll holes. Some of them are getting there fast.
How about we leave it up to the locals to actually decide?
Last year Michigan took over the city of Benton Harbor. Scandal after scandal and even a riot showed how inept the city was. And it was inept.
The State appointed a Financial Manager to run the city. The council refused to work with him at first and there is still a lot of resentment. The locals were very upset their representatives were being supplanted.
HOWEVER, the Financial Manager just released a report covering the last few years. The Council’s response was “How did things get this bad?” http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/Audit_finds_City_of_Benton_Harbor_6_million_in_debt_117564384.html
Was this necessary? You bet. Do I support the action taken by Governor Granholm(D) last year? You bet. Should someone be facing jail time? You bet. Does this equal a power grab? Not in my book. This is a clarification to ease the State to do its job to supervise municipal governments. How soon we forget Bell California. http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-21/justice/california.bell.arrests_1_luis-artiga-misappropriation-victor-bello?_s=PM:CRIME
Really, Fusion? That’s your stance? Calm, logical and accurate? Don’t you know the sky is falling? Run Awaaaayy!
The grim reality is that it is the age of the taxpayers because …
1) There are less taxpayers in this bad economy, you can’t tax them more.
2) Government got bloated and overpaid, but that excess cannot be sustained — all the crying and whining in the world does not change that dire economic truth.
I’m sure we’ll see more crying/whining/bitching but at the end of the days it is a bit childish and pointless — you can’t write checks with $$$ you don’t have.
They need to expand it to the state whenever the minority party runs away from its job.
You guys are so fucked….lol
Lots of Alex Jones footage in this video….too much “troof” my friends!
To all you Republicans out there – how do you fteeul about the Michigan Governor preventing the voters from deciding on his new tax plan that makes a sweeping change in EVERYTHING in Michigan, from Farmers to low income people to businesses. How did he do that? Put in a $100 appropriation into the bill.
http://freep.com/article/20110310/NEWS06/110310038/1008/news06/Michigan-Gov-Rick-Snyder-s-new-tax-plan-could-immune-from-voter-repeal
AC
oops, I meant feel – I’ve never fteeuled in my life.
AC
Everytime John C. Dvorak mentions Alex Jones he groans in agony; so, it’s okay for John to embrace him now?
John, we need some hubris first.
All very amusing. How long before even the average PUKE voter figures out they are being used as tools by the Koch Brothers and their ilk? Sadly, I say it will take another 3-5 years before it will finally sink in. And maybe not even then with a shameless shift to “cultural values.”
One man – one vote. Doesn’t work when half the men are idiots.
Voting to eliminate the death tax on estates over $3Million dollars resulting in defunding of local services.—etc down the line.
“Shift” increase taxes on the poor, middle, rich class and decrease by same amount the taxes on the super rich. Now look for more cuts to address the deficit.
Brilliant!
#45 Sure. Keep chanting the mantram of cost-cutting in the namee of market forces regardless of consequences.
Little do you seem to care is the world you’re enabling for your children is one where people are expendable – except in their role as consumer of goods.
#62–Dallas==I think you are mischaracterizing Dereks comment at #45.
There is “something wrong” with government unions negotiating with political candidates/encumbents that they give money to. Its a direct conflict of interest not normally allowed except in the totally corrupt world of politics.
I assume its true that Federal Unions, if there are any, cannot collectively negotiate/strike? Thats what is said on the tube anyway.
This whole PUKE based coordinated surprise attack on unions is NOT a move against the average worker/middle class as so much of what they do is, rather it is primarily an attack against Dumbocrat Political Funding Mechanisms.
Just another good reason for public funding of elections. Get the corrupt money out, at least, as much as possible.
Corruption: always present, always to be expected, always to be fought against. What is surprising is how many tools/fools/dupes support cutting their own throat–ie PUKES who gain nothing from what they vote for and in fact hurt themselves either immediately, or the generation coming.
Silly hoomans.
Welcome to Barack Obama’s America. Where Gitmo is still open, US citizens are routinely tortured, war continues in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new undeclared war in Pakistan, travelers are molested by out-of-control government agents, massive unemployment and budget deficits never before seen. That’s Change We Can Believe In.
AGreed. What do you recommend in counter balancing the unlimited money corporations funnel to politicians?
Choose one:
> Push the rope for “public only funding of elections”? Good luck with that. When thru with that we can go after a law for peace on earth.
> Convince the Supreme Court to “reconsider” the allowance of unlimited corporate money to politicians?
> Allow individual workers a meaningful seat at the table?
I saw at another site where someone coined the term Regressives for the republicans. An opposite to the label progressives of course, but so frighteningly true in regards to social and economic policy and even more frighteningly an ideology that is blindly embraced by those who are told to do so. Can you imagine if your average regressive were forced to live by the same polices they vote for, it would be fun to watch.