Sunday, April 29, 2012

No EFM Vote? No New Bridge

first published as No EFM Vote? No Bridge on Blogcritics.

Michigan took another hit on April 26 when the State Board of Canvassers, in a split 2-2 vote, struck down the petition to bring Public Act 4 (The Emergency Financial Manager Law) to the November ballot. The people of Michigan had gathered 203,238 signatures; 40,000 more than were needed. The signatures were all approved as legal. The board is made up of two Democrats and two Republicans. All four are appointed by the governor. A winning vote can only come from crossing party lines. There was no way either side was willing to budge on Public Act 4. Republicans Jeffrey Timmer and Norman Shinkle voted against the petition. Democrats Julie Matuzak and James Water were in favor of bringing the issue to the people.

The reason the Republicans denied it? Font size. Printer Bruce Hack, of the Inland Press, said he certified the type size met legal requirements before printing the petitions.

Public Act 4 is an unconstitutional law. This law gives Emergency Financial Managers sole power and control over the city they are appointed to. They can cancel all contracts, oust city council, and leave a mayor without merit. They can sell property to the private sector. They are granted exectutive power, too much power, and they answer to nobody but Governor Rick Snyder.

Of course, it is all a part of privatization. Snyder isn’t going to crawl out of the Koch Brothers' or Waltons' pocket without a fight. I have an idea: lets see how much power Snyder really is willing to take from the voters and the people of Michigan.

The same board that denied allowing Public Act 4 the vote in November did push through the vote on Snyder’s pet project: The New Bridge. He is going to try to sell it to the people as a boost to the jobs market and our economy. He will say Canada is willing to give us $550 million toward building the new bridge. The truth is Canada is willing to loan us $550 million on a project that is going to cost how much? Oh yeah, $3.6 billion!

The voters haven't forgotten that the elderly and education paid for the cuts to Michigan’s richest at $1.8 billion. Where is Rick going to pull $3.6 billion? Who is going to pay for that? I got it, the teachers, or maybe the hungry and the poor, or the EFM savings from sold land and cut services.

But I have a brilliant idea. I say we turn out, in record numbers for the vote. I say we should cast our vote against the new Detroit to Canada Bridge. It would infuriate Rick almost as much as he has insulted the residents of Michigan. Maybe then Mr. Snyder will understand the meaning and the message in the power of the vote!

He has robbed the people of their vote with EFM's. If we refuse the new bridge through voting, maybe, just maybe, he'll get the picture. Vote no on the new bridge in November!


2 comments:

  1. Hi Pam, Good reserch. If vote a vote fails our Govenators most wanted bridge. He would probably and simply use his appointed management teams,in the fuhrer ( OPPS.I ment future) Deroit, to simply make ordinance of its requirement. Please continue your good works and keep us informed. BOB P.O.F :-)

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  2. Oh and another small thought.A song by Johny Cash.
    I feel a bridge a comin.(OPPS AGAIN, a train a comin) Please excuse my most illiterate self. Well least its not a bridge to no-where :-) Its another bridge to Canada.This definitely will improve our economy with a more efficently flow of foriegn products from most beloved friends in this new world order( OPPS there I go again with my bad grammer I ment economy) Dont think for one minute that our elected Board of Directors(DARN IT officails)whom we the people (as far as you know)are not out for thier(SHOOT--Our) best interest. They also no (not misspelled) and interpret the meaning of "WE THE PEOPLE" most properly. ( we may not include all of us! )This we idea may be a nessassary for revision to the Constitution. HMMMM....WE AND ALL US THE PEOPLE AND NOT CORPORATIONS OR NON HUMAN ENTITIES THAT ARE PROVISIONED BY LAW. PUT THIS BEFORE VOTE,and no absenty ballots, hanging chads,Or redistricted or lost districts and allowed to go uncounted. You would think Diebolds corp. would have a higher standard.(REALLY) BOB P.O.F :-0

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