(Michigan's) EM referendum won't be on November ballot (due to font size on the petitions)
Source: Detroit News
April 26, 2012 at 1:17 pm
EM referendum won't be on November ballot
By Karen Bouffard and Chad Livengood
Detroit News Lansing Bureau
Lansing The Board of State Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 along party lines Thursday on whether Michiganians will get to vote in November on a repeal of the controversial emergency manager law sparking angry shouts of "shame" and "fascists" from the audience.
The vote means the question won't appear on the general election ballot unless supporters of the repeal ask a court to intervene.
Democrats Julie Matuzak and James Water voted to approve the petitions while Republicans Jeffrey Timmer and Norman Shinkle voted against it.
More than 140 supporters of repealing Public Act 4 began chanting "Shame, Shame, Shame" and shouting down the board members as "fascists" as they tried to exit the heated meeting.
Read more: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120426/POLITICS02/204260440#ixzz1tAWqDEkl
This is democracy, GOP style!
ProfessionalLeftist
(4,982 posts)That's what concerns me.
sakabatou
(42,152 posts)This is sickening!
catbyte
(34,402 posts)complaint to the Board of Canvassers and didn't recuse himself. Crooked fucking bastards. I live in a totalitarian state.
Diane
Anishinaabe in MI & mom to Leo, Sophie, Taz & Nigel, members of Dogs Against Romney, Cat Division
"We ride inside--HISS!
Smilo
(1,944 posts)Republicans cited the wrong font size on the title of the petitions circulated by Stand Up For Democracy, a coalition of groups that launched the petition campaign, as the reason for not approving the initiative for the ballot. Opponents gathered 203,238 signatures, roughly 40,000 more than needed to get a repeal question on the ballot.
And why if it is a 2-2 vote - does it not proceed so the people can decide?
catbyte
(34,402 posts)member is a member of not only the group that brought the complaint but also works for a GOP public relations firm that represents the group that filed the font complaint. Confused yet? It's just about as crooked and corrupted as you can get.
Michigan is being run like a two-bit Banana Republic. It's shocking and the only person nationally who is raising alarm bells is Rachel Maddow. I think what's happening in Michigan is far worse than in Ohio, Indiana, Florida or Wisconsin. We are seeing a systematic dismantling of representative government and it's being replaced with a dictatorship. I know that sounds melodramatic and an exaggeration, but it's not. The EM has absolute control over everything. The EM in Benton Harbor shut down the public access radio and tried to sell it--FCC license included--on eBay. It didn't sell only because it's illegal to sell an FCC license. Now that Detroit is succumbing to EM, 1/2 of the African Americans in the state of Michigan no longer have a representative government. Who's net? It's shocking. They MUST TRY to take this to court.
Diane
Anishinaabe in MI & mom to Leo, Sophie, Taz & Nigel, members of Dogs Against Romney, Cat Division
"We ride inside--HISS!
ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)Anything beneath the state government exists at the will of the state government and has no Constitutional standing. The EM law serves the people by protecting them from incompetent or crooked local governments or agencies. Benton Harbor was totally FUBAR. The prior DEMOCRATIC governor recognized that and in her words "reluctantly" appointed an EM after an investigation started at the request of the city manager. It was that bad.
I am not happy with all facets of the EM law, but the nucleus has been around for quite some time. When towns and other agencies are failing in their obligations to citizens through incompetence and/or malfeasance. There needs to be tools to address that and protect the people.
MichiganVote
(21,086 posts)ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)The EM serves at the pleasure of the Governor. If the EM is being excessive they can be stopped by the peoples' elected chief executive. Benton Harbor was in meltdown. Something had to be done.
In California we do not have an EM like law. When there was clear malfeasance, the State AG had a bit of trouble finding laws to deal with the situation.
Bjorn Against
(12,041 posts)You should change your screen name, there is absolutely nothing progressive about allowing a governor the power to get rid of elected officials who he does not like.
ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)The recent changes need to be modified, but the concept is sound. The state has a requirement to protect its citizens when the town or agency is failing. You might want to look at the process and requirements before you make such uninformed statements.
Your position would be that those elected should be untouchable no matter what they do...that does not fly either.
Take a look at the disaster that was Benton Hills before you start name calling. The DEMOCRATIC governor appointed the EM after a review triggered by the city manager.
Bjorn Against
(12,041 posts)We have elections for a reason, if the local officials are not performing people should be able to vote them out. What I am opposed to is a governor being able to unilateraly throw the city's elected government out of office and replace them with his hand picked servant.
I never said Granholm was right to use an Emergency Financial Manager either, but the fact remains that Snyder greatly expanded the power of financial managers so what he is doing goes far beyond what Granholm did. The law that this petition would repeal has only been in effect since 2011 and it was signed by the current Republican Governor, no Democratic Governor has ever unilaterally fired local elected officials.
And by the way I never called you any names despite your claim to the contrary.
ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)understood. It is the state's responsibility to keep its sub-agents solvent and functional. The city exists at the whim of the state. From a constitutional perspective cites do not exist.
The Benton Harbor EFM was clearly needed and Granholm reluctantly agreed to it since things were that bad, and it was indeed the equivalent of firing the elected officials of Benton Harbor. You might want to read up on some of it. The only good news is that it seems to be gross mismanagement vice graft. It will decades to recover.
Saying that post #25 was not name calling is specious
Bjorn Against
(12,041 posts)But the fact is that the law this petition relates to is a bill signed by Rick Snyder.
And no, I reread post 25 and I never called you any name. If you want to accuse me of name calling then tell me what name I called you, you won't be able to because I never called you anything.
ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)so yes a Democratic govenor did effectively relieve local officials to protect the citizens
MichiganVote
(21,086 posts)next fascist "policy" that will eliminate any form of democracy in the state. The Mi. AG is completely corrupt.
Benton Harbor and Flint have been in meltdown for 30 years. Muskegon Heights schools have spent money like water--and gee, much of it was to pay administrators and a sports program completely out of control.
So an entire new law, eliminate voter choice b/c of inflated salaries and a posh sports program. That's bullshit.
ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)While I do not agree with all of it, the concept is sound. The people have to be protected.
Bozita
(26,955 posts)RC
(25,592 posts)If not too broken, this might be the route to go. How many laws got broken by not having this referendum on the ballot, regardless of the excuse?
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)at least the House or Senate in 2012, I can't imagine what this place will be like by our next chance in 2014.
It is going to get 'ugly out there' and I fear sooner rather than later.
Depressing...indeed!
MichiganVote
(21,086 posts)Bozita
(26,955 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Is this the kind of government you want? If it is, keep voting for Republicans. If it isn't, then vote for someone else.
In reading the account, I find it curious that the printer who printed the petitions certified that he used the 14 point font specified in the statute, but the Board apparently overrode that certification on grounds I couldn't discern from the story.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Trajan
(19,089 posts)That seems a little easier to read ....
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)And have tampered with the font size deliberately?
Bozita
(26,955 posts)LiberalFighter
(50,943 posts)Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)eyewall
(674 posts)sounds like the sort of thing an emergency manager would do.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)HeiressofBickworth
(2,682 posts)If it wasn't the font size, it would have been the grade of paper or some other triviality -- the main thing is that they have succeeded in keeping the measure off the ballot. Now be good little drones and go back to your hovels until it's time to provide labor for your overloards.
ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)Last edited Fri Apr 27, 2012, 12:01 AM - Edit history (1)
They also get to DQ your measure if they do not like the name of the initiative. This kind of hubris is not just limited to MI