Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Where Is the Tea Party on Snyder's Taxation Without Representation?

The Emergency Financial Manager bill scheduled to be voted on in the Michigan Senate Wednesday (March 9, 2011) strikes a blow at unions. You've probably read that. But it also eliminates democracy and that whole "no taxation without representation" thing, all in the name of responding to a "crisis." If the tea baggers really cared about their rights as citizens, they'd be all over this.

Snyder's bill would virtually set up dictators, appointed by his administration, who could abolish school districts and cities if they chose. That's right. Eliminate them, force them to merge without regard to whether that's what the public wants. This Emergency Financial Manager would not be accountable to the local people in any way. In fact, the manager wouldn't even have to be a person. It could even be a corporation, under the House version of the bill. In that case, the phrase "corporate master" would be literally correct.

And that's on top of the manager having the power to rip up any union contract, whether or not it contributed to the financial emergency. And how do you think a corporation would come down on that one?

This is not a hypothetical situation for Livingston County. The Brighton Area School District has been struggling to get off the state's deficit district list. Rick Snyder's deep and foolish cut in school aid will push it farther into deficit. It's not too much of a stretch to fear that Snyder would take over the district.

Rachel Maddow brought this bill to the nation's attention last night and links Snyder to the same radical agenda Republicans like Scott Walker is pushing in Wisconsin.

Here's video from Maddow's show explaining what Snyder is up to.

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