Martial Law Now a Reality in Michigan

Submitted by Jennifer Page on

The week of April 10-16 saw the layoff of every public school teacher in Detroit, and the initial fruition of the highly-contested bill that allows emergency financial managers to have unconditional control over a city in a financial emergency. The city of Benton Harbor, Michigan, declared to be in a financial emergency by Governor Rick Snyder, now knows that, according the Snyder, the voter's voice doesn't really matter anymore.

Map of Benton Harbor, MIJoseph Harris, the city's new Emergency Financial Manager (EFM), dismantled the entire government, only allowing city boards and commissions to call a meeting to order, approve of meeting minutes and adjourn a meeting.

The law that allows Harris to "exercise any power or authority of any office, employee, department, board, commission, or similar entity of the City, whether elected or appointed," was passed in March after the urging of Governor Snyder, and despite thousands of protesters who came to the Lansing capitol throughout February and March.

The Michigan AFL-CIO released a press release in response to Benton Harbor: "This is sad news for democracy in Michigan. It comes after the announcement of Robert Bobb in Detroit ordering layoff of every single public school teacher in the Detroit Public School system," says Mark Gaffney, President of Michigan AFL-CIO. "With the stripping of all power of duly elected officials in Benton harbor and the attack on Detroit school teachers, we can now see the true nature of the Emergency Manager system."

Earlier in the week, TMP Muckraker reported that the Detroit Public Schools' EFM, Robert Bobb, sent 5,466 unionized teachers layoff notices "in anticipation of a workforce reduction to match the district's declining student enrollment." The notices are a part of the Detroit Teachers Federation collective-bargaining contract. TPM also reported that "Non-Renewal notices have also been sent to 248 administrators, and the layoffs would go into effect by July 29."

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Comments

Corey Mondello replied on

what was that saying the Bushits used to say to me about Bush admin stepping into our privacy? oh yeah: "If u arent doing anything wrong stop complaining". Funny, I told the same people that when the next Dem steps into office, they would be the ones most against it....and ofcourse it has happened. So part of me is horrified and the other part of me hopes the Obama admin abuses his power just as Bush did, but this time, the Repubs/Conserves/Tbaggers will hopefull suffer. whenever a Dem is in majority, all the white trash, conservative christian, militants dildos come out against them. i wish they would all just get to it and start going after the capital so I can see their bloody bodies when the US military defends itself against gun totting wackos and not just peaceful demonstrators which is what they do whenever their is a RNC and non-Repubs get jailed for no reason. noone on the "right" seemed to complain than.

Jerry Alles replied on

I am a 63 year old VietNam vet that fought for our right to vote...and I refuse to have anyone take it away from me. I went to lansing last week to protest and I ready to go again. When it time to recall the nerd I will be more that willing to take recall pittions around. If anyone knows or has knowledge of these please feel free to contact me. Jerry

Anonymous replied on

Web site: firericksnyder.org.........has updates, and volunteer sign-up...........Advise you to check daily. Thanks very much for any help you can give..........

Arlene replied on

The call should go out to all who don't have jobs, or who have the ability to attend all rallies. I commend you for your willingness to participate! It is going to be time for our trained military to start to defend our own democracy here at home... I guess there will be one plus for when the majority of us lose everything we have worked for. At that point, when we have nothing left, we can head to the nearest place of protest and help out. I know I will go on the road as a radical, agitator, and protester if I lose my job, then my home, then my possessions. We all need more Mother Joneses, Che Gueveras, Joe Hills, in our midst. POWER TO THE PEOPLE. These people, via the now bought and paid for republican party, have come out of the closet and publicly declared war on the American people.

ricoenchilada replied on

Since states are the "incubators of democracy" for the federal governmentI think it's time for the president to declare financial martial law in Michigan and appoint a new "emergency manager" to replace our elected officials. Start with Synder and see how far we have to go from there.

Anonymous replied on

I'll keep this short and sweet. Trying to fight this in court will never work. Politicians and judges are all in each other's pockets. The answer to this will not come from anything to do with "AMERICA". There is a point where the average citizen has to disregard what is or isn't against "the law", and do what is right. If you are a citizen of this poor town and you see one of the filthy rich devils that are causing this mess in your city. Simply let them know they are not welcome and need to leave. If they don't, simply grab their right arm, twist it behind their back and walk them to the edge of your city and then push them out of your city. If the government tries to escalate this any further after that, fight them with everything you have. Libya and Egypt have plenty of heroes now. America could use a few. I am as much for non-violence as anyone, but i have realized that ALL of these rich bastards are not giving up on a game they have been winning for a long time now, unless they get smacked in the mouth every now and then to remind them that nobody gives a shit about their continued prosperity.

Carol Marsh replied on

I think the corporations have decided to just eliminate the illusory trappings of democracy and run things directly for their shareholders' profit. For example, I understand there's a large public park in Benton Harbor which has now been closed to the public by the city's new corporate dictator. The land has been turned over to a developer who will develop it as an expensive and exclusive golf course. I hope the people of Michigan look to the people of the Middle East for guidance about how to respond.

Anonymous replied on

The results of free trade or slavery, where the goods are made by slaves, in slave countries, and sold by virtual slaves, under the right to work act, an attack against people who work under work contracts tp protect their human rights, a country who took down the import taxation barrier that discouraged slavery and was proamerican independence. Michigan, a manufacturing state, saw and end to our manufacturing infrastructure, whose slave stores ended the small family business sector, and the loss of our jobs-------many countries in the world do not have free trade, like japan, who make in japan what japan consumes, and exports to the world. the avg jap family has 70,000 in the bank the interest rate has been 1 % for a decade, they have no federal reserve bank who steals their tresury then lends it back to them at whatever interest they want. Japan puts their criminaliy in government in jail.

Anonymous replied on

YOU ARE VERY IGNORANT AND VERY UNHAPPY AND I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU. BUT YOU VOTED FOR THE DEMOCRATS AND MAYBE EVEN SOME OF THE REPUBLICANS THAT DID THIS TO YOU. By your votes at the holy ballot box you did this so stop complaining. You are getting exactly what you deserve.

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