And Rick Snyder Is Now Dictator Of Michigan

Rachel Maddow explains while the world was worried about Japan and Bahrain and even Wisconsin, the real story is that today Republican Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law a measure that basically makes him dictator of Michigan.



Here's what Snyder can now do:

The Michigan bill allows a governor-appointed emergency manager to modify or end collective bargaining agreements. With the governor's approval, the emergency manager also could dissolve a city government or recommend consolidation.

Democrats called the bill an attack on public sector unions similar to legislation signed by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker last week and said the changes would add to pressure on cities and school districts.

Republican Rep. Al Pscholka, the bill's sponsor, said on Tuesday that the changes would give emergency managers more tools to turn around failing schools and cities.

"For years we have allowed cities and schools to be on the verge of bankruptcy without any intervention," Pscholka said. "When the state finally does arrive, in many cases we find the financial records in disarray and leave emergency managers with very few good options to balance the books."

The bill expands the powers for the state to name emergency overseers and gives them powers over academics and finances in the case of school districts. The emergency manager also could close schools and buildings.

So at this point, Gov. Snyder can appoint an "emergency manager" over a local government who has the power to remove any local or county government he wants to, eliminate all local government contracts, close schools and offices, disband state employee unions, layoff any government workers, and do all this with basically no oversight.

The best part?  Governor Snyder can pro-actively appoint an emergency manager "long before a city gets into trouble".  What's the criteria for appointing this manager and throwing out the elected city or country government?

Well, nobody seems to know, actually.  But Snyder can do it starting now.  And this is on top of Synder's idea of a budget where he actually adds $1.7 billion to the state budget facing a $1.4 billion shortfall, and makes up for it by cutting $1 billion on state corporate taxes, cutting hundreds of millions in education, and eliminating tax breaks for senior citizens on fixed income.

Yeah, on top of all that, he plans to cut taxes on businesses and make schools and the elderly pay for it.  But this is what you elected, Michigan.

Enjoy your new dictatorship.