(Don't worry, I have still been [painfully] watching my Fox News since my last post and more to come on that, but in a moment of weakness I broke down and read some real news...)
Anyone else following this Emergency Manager Law thing in Michigan?
If so, please help me understand how, in a country where the one of the few things everyone can agree upon is how important democracy is, can this happen?
Here's the gist, at least as far as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong): the Governor (Republican) passed a law that says that if he or his administration, or any company they may choose, deems a city to be in a state of "financial emergency", they can appoint an "Emergency Manager" to come in and completely take over control of every aspect of that city's local government. That includes, but is not limited to:
- suspending any or all elected officials (firing the people the town voted for)
- cancelling contracts
- stripping unions of their collective bargaining rights
- dissolving school districts and absorbing them into other districts
- dissolving entire towns
- or whatever else that person so chooses.
Supporters of the law are painting a picture straight out of a comic book - the state government flying in to save the day, to keep the town from collapsing financially; rescuing the residents from the imcompetance of their own stupid townie officials that they elected.
And as is par for the course, they're getting these types of laws passed by creating a sense of panic and taking advantage of peoples' fear. Claiming that it's the only option and something must be done immediately or else the world will implode.
Wisconsin, among other states, is also considering adopting this law.
This is just the latest example of the extreme right wing slowly but surely dismantling the country as we know it.
Thoughts?
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