Rick Snyder Governor, What Did You Expect?

[+EdwardGlen]

fyi:

 

http://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/03/column_dear_rachel_maddowwe_el.html

 

Naomi Klein, who wrote a book called "The Shock Doctrine." Klein argues that what is going on in Michigan and other states with deficit problems is an example of The Shock Doctrine or disaster capitalism at work.

 

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A reader called the other day aghast at what is going on in Michigan with Gov. Rick Snyder's budget proposal to tax retirement income. Within another day or two, Rachel Maddow lit up the Internet with her look at a new law that would give the Michigan governor more power to appoint emergency financial managers.

 

The reader wants a full investigation into the budget proposals and believes everyone should write their legislators to make sure the pension tax doesn't pass. At the end of the conversation, he added, sheepishly, that he had voted for Snyder, a move he now believes was a mistake.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53BkWfyb9n0

 

Rachel Maddow, who is seen at 9 p.m. each night on MSNBC, thinks that Snyder, through this emergency financial management act, basically wants to get the power to appoint either a person (under the state Senate version of the bill) or a corporation (under the House version) to do whatever it takes to clean up a failing town or school district — including firing elected officials or voiding collective bargaining agreements — without any input from the public.

 

Of course, a version of this already exists in Michigan. That's why we have Robert Bobb, former Kalamazoo city manager, running the Detroit School District as its emergency financial manager. His latest suggestion is to convert 41 public schools into charters — which means taking public funds and letting private entities decide what to do with them with no oversight.

 

But I've got to ask, what's the big surprise here? Snyder is a smart businessman who had never held elective office. He ran a smart campaign and he easily won election. Is it any wonder that he wants to run the state like a corporation?

 

A corporation looks at all of its holdings and constantly reevaluates their success. After all, you've got to meet those quarterly goals and return a profit. If one sector or group is failing, you send in a guy to evaluate it and make some tough decisions, usually sell it off or shut it down. Looks like Bobb is in the selling it off stage with the Detroit schools.

 

Maddow, in her segment, also had on Naomi Klein, who wrote a book called "The Shock Doctrine." Klein argues that what is going on in Michigan and other states with deficit problems is an example of The Shock Doctrine or disaster capitalism at work.

 

The Shock Doctrine is the theory that free market policies get pushed into law because certain groups take advantage of upheavals or crises to push for these changes, which would be highly unpopular if citizens got to vote on them or the elected officials had to run on a platform wherein they revealed their theories and plans in advance of the election.

 

So, for example, you elect a group of people who promise to create jobs and then stand by helpless as the same group does things like dismantle collective bargaining, create powerful emergency financial managers and who knows what else, while claiming they have no choice because of the awful financial mess we're in.

 

The question is: What are you going to do about it?

 

And the second question is: Can you discuss this without using the words conservative, liberal, Democrat or Republican? Good luck.

[Timmahh]

This is a good short story that explains how the us government, and state governments have been working for the last 3 decads.

 

Time to read the book, JONNY GET YOUR GUN!

 

It's a slow day in a little East Texas town.. The sun is beating down, and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.. On this particular day a rich tourist from back east is driving through town.

 

He stops at the motel and lays a $100 bill on the desk saying he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one to spend the night.

 

As soon as the man walks upstairs, the owner grabs the bill and runs next door to pay his debt to the butcher.

 

The butcher takes the $100 and runs down the street to retire his debt to the pig farmer.

 

The pig farmer takes the $100 and heads off to pay his bill at the supplier of feed and fuel.

 

The guy at the Farmer's Co-op takes the $100 and runs to pay his debt to the local prostitute, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer her "services" on credit.

 

The hooker rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill with the hotel owner.

 

The hotel proprietor then places the $100 back on the counter so the rich traveler will not suspect anything.

 

At that moment the traveler comes down the stairs, picks up the $100 bill, states that the rooms are not satisfactory, pockets the money, and leaves town.

 

No one produced anything.. No one earned anything.

 

However, the whole town is now out of debt and now looks to the future with a lot more optimism.

 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the United States Government is conducting business today.

[tricloud]

No surprise here. I knew Snyder was big trouble for the state and the movement. It's not rocket science, Republicans work for the ultra rich.

[2d]

Sneaky Snyder is a dick.

 

>>LANSING -- One $100 bill could block voters from a chance to stop more than a billion dollars in higher taxes.

 

Whether you think it's a dirty trick or a smart move, a House bill to implement Gov. Rick Snyder's proposal to eliminate tax credits and exemptions contains a $100 appropriation -- enough to make the plan immune from a voter referendum.<<

 

more

[greenbuddha]

Sneaky Snyder is a dick.

 

>>LANSING -- One $100 bill could block voters from a chance to stop more than a billion dollars in higher taxes.

 

Whether you think it's a dirty trick or a smart move, a House bill to implement Gov. Rick Snyder's proposal to eliminate tax credits and exemptions contains a $100 appropriation -- enough to make the plan immune from a voter referendum.<<

 

more

 

 

The ONLY thing left to do... is VOTE them OUT!

 

2012 is right around the corner!

 

Be here before we know it.

[Bisharoo]

[Guest knucklehead bob]

He's got my vote !

[wolfgama]

I've been waiting for this thread!!..."OMG"...Taxing our "Pensions"..We worked or tails off for that!! & His comment that Mich. Should have been paying on it!!..All Along!!!...Hope that the "AARP".. March At the Capt. Went well today!!..I had to work to pay my "Taxes"...Or i would have been there Thank's too those that were there!!.......