A Kinder, Gentler Union Bust

Thousands of union members and union supporters are converging on Lansing, They're there to show their disapproval of a proposed bill that would give Emergency Financial Managers more powers. The bill would also make it easier for the State to appoint EFMs.

March 8th, Associate Press.

...protesters are at the Capitol objecting to bills that would give broad new powers to emergency financial managers appointed by the state to run struggling cities and schools.

The Senate plans to vote on the measures Tuesday. The House passed the bills two weeks ago.
Groups opposed to legislation they consider anti-union are holding the morning rally and also are chanting inside the Capitol.

Municipalities across Michigan are facing tight budgets and this is before the state revenue sharing checks are drastically reduced. Up to 75 communities could have EFMs within the year. Many also have contracts with unions that are locked in. This makes it harder to implement cost-cutting measures. If the bill passes an Emergency Financial Manager would have the power to void contracts, essentially ending collective bargaining rights.

Our Great Lakes neighbor Wisconsin is facing similar problems. Their Republican governor decided to attack the issue much like the (in)famous Michigan General. George Armstrong Custer; charge right in and to hell with the consequences.

Michigan Republican Governor Rick Snyder is much more pragmatic and is using a tactical maneuver. Michigan, arguably, is the birth place for labor rights in the United States. A head-on assault on union rights in Michigan could be disastrous politically and could potentially log jam the Governor and the legislature.


It makes sense, politically, to have a hired gun (some might say mercenary) to come in on the local level and be the bad guy. Since Emergency Financial Managers are supposedly apolitical positions, they shield the GOP from direct attacks. It's the classic good cop, bad cop routine.

Of course, the whole situation could be avoided. However, anyone who advocates raising revenue (ie taxes) is treated by conservatives with the same scorn as the Catholic Church put upon those those who pointed out the world is round, not flat, during the middle ages. How dare you say the world is round/raise taxes when everyone knows the world is flat/taxes are bad.... no matter what.

The proposed bill being debated in the Senate today is about the power of Emergency Financial Managers. But the real debate is really, is civilization and Michigan worth paying for?

If this is the richest country in the world, why is there no money?