Coup D’etat in Michigan: The ‘Financial Martial Law’ Bill on Way to Governor

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Place your bets now on how long it will take for Arizona's Tea-Publican Legislature to propose similar legislation in Arizona. They loves them some authoritarianism!

Reuters reports the Michigan House gave final approval on Tuesday to granting state-appointed emergency managers broad powers to break labor deals with failing schools an cities, and the plan is expected to be signed into law:

New Republican Governor Rick Snyder, who is expected to sign the draft law soon, asked for the plan to extend the powers of emergency managers appointed to save failing programs.

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House members voted 62-48 to approve an amended version of the bill Senators passed last week. Several Democratic attempts to change the bill were rejected before the final vote.

Last week, hundreds of pro-union demonstrators had jammed the Capitol in Lansing from the rotunda to the floors above to protest the plan in a scene similar to the weeks of opposition raised by workers at the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison.

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.

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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.

Detroit is the only Michigan school district now under emergency management, but more than a hundred are projected to be in deficit spending this year. Deficit spending is one factor in considering an emergency overseer.

Republican state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, a supporter, described the bill as "financial martial law." Michigan bill would impose "financial martial law" – Political Hotsheet – CBS News.

Does this sound like "small government" conservatives to you? Sounds like authoritarian tyranny to me.