MI Privatizes Democracy: Congress Unprivatizes Women

While Governor Snyder and his posse are busy privatizing Michigan schools and cities, the 112th Congress is busy unprivatizing women's bodies. Is it a coincidence that Michigan representatives play a prominent role in this outrage? The House Ways and Means Committee is chaired by bought and paid for Dave Camp (R-MI4) and is now holding subcommittee hearings to advance H.R.3, the "Stupak on Steroids" bill introduced by yet another Michigan troglodyte, gone but still invading women's lives. H.R. 358 has just been advanced to the floor by the Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Fred Upton (R-MI6) who are been turned completely by his contributors on both women and the environment. This co-opted by campaign contributions legislator is from Benton Harbor, a city now being victimized by Emergency Financial Manager Joe Harris. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called Michigan "Ground Zero" in education reform. Rachel Maddow called Benton Harbor "Ground Zero" in the hostile takeover of democracy in America. And Michigan is "Ground Zero" in the war to keep our bodies, our lives, our healthcare private. Privatize this!

Recall Snyder Ballot Language Approved

A petition to recall Governor Rick Snyder was approved for language by the Washtenaw County Election Commission on Friday. The petition was filed by Michigan Citizens United (an unfortunate name!) and the firericksnyder site claims that online petitions currently appearing are not valid, and those signing will be removed from the actual petition when signatures are reviewed, so don't sign any electronic petitions. I signed a paper petition to put Snyder on the election ballot, and I will find a paper recall petition to sign. Getting 800,000 signatures by July 1, 2011 will be an effort, Tim Kramer of Michigan Citizens United acknowledged.

Michigan EFM Opportunities

ProgressMichigan has a densely populated google map of emergency financial manager job opportunities in Michigan. Perhaps this is Snyder's plan for creating high paying jobs in Michigan. Must be, as we've heard no other job creation plans from the governor. Read it, and weep.

DPS EFM Bobb Paid Privately to Privatize Schools

Detroit Public Schools Emergency Finance Manager Robert Bobb gets paid $280,000 by the State of Michigan. Bobb also gets paid $145,000 by the Kellogg Foundation with the Broad Foundation. Bobb is a 2005 graduate of the Broad Foundation Superintendent Academy. The Broad Foundation's mission is school choice and the privatization of schools. Is there anyone else who thinks this is a serious conflict of interest? Stay tuned. Czar Snyder has targeted 23 school districts to get their very own czar. 18 of these districts are in southeast Michigan, including my home town. Snyder is cutting per pupil spending, enough to throw other school districts into candidacy for an EFM. How have other people thrown out their autocrats and dictators? How can we?

Benton Harbor EFM Joe Harris as Cardinal Woolsey

Eclectablog has an audio recording of Benton Harbor EFM Joe Harris, who fired everyone and made himself Cardinal Woolsey to Governor Snyder's Henry VIII, explaining how he made himself Woolsey. Don't miss The World According to Joe Harris. And please note the laughter about firing police officers and fire fighters, and EPW workers. Somebody please save Michigan from these Great Lakes potentates.

Detroit Public Schools Training Volunteer School Boards

DPS is training volunteer school board members for one day each. 50 will train this Saturday. Volunteer school board members do not have to reside in Detroit and there are no specific qualifications required. DPS wants 225 volunteers to work 6 to 10 hours a week, with a 3-year contract to a for-profit private charter operator for free. One volunteer board of 5-9 members will meet once a month for every charter school; number to be determined by successful charter operator applicants. Applications now being taken for charter operators through May 2. DPS hired the National Association of School Charter Authorizers to review applications. Charter school operators will be chosen by June. Schools need to be opened by September. Greatschools.org defines the mission of school boards. School boards establish the vision for education in the community. School board members must be committed to, and live in, the city wherein the school functions. Will one day of training create vision? Charter schools are for-profit. Can somebody tell me where the money comes from? NACSA's work will be privately funded, according to a DPS spokesperson. Who is privately funding this activity? Why is that not public knowledge? Does this feel as grim and desperate to you as it does to me? Where are the proven indicators of success and how soon will the school children of Detroit feel the positive difference these plans promise?

Democracy Being Murdered in Michigan

This is WXYZ's coverage of people being taken from Catherine Ferguson Academy. Steve Wasko, PR spokesmodel for EFM Robert Bobb managed to be on the scene when police sirens drowned out the voices of teen-aged girls being hauled away in handcuffs. Who called whom to show up? Does a major city's police chief show up to handle a dozen pregnant teenagers? Our Michigan legislature handed dictatorial power to Governor Snyder, and enabled Robert Bobb, EFM DPS to overturn elected government, and throw out democracy. Catherine Ferguson Academy has a 90% graduation rate, and 100% acceptance rate for its graduates at the college level. Catherine Ferguson Academy is on Bobb's list of schools to be closed. It is a model for urban agriculture, and has received international attention. But this most successful school in Michigan will close if a charter operator will not or cannot take it over right now. This is Michigan today. These are Michigan cities, Michigan schools. Michigan girls. And a handful of legislators can take it all away in handcuffs. Rachel Maddow Show is covering Catherine Ferguson Academy's struggle to stay. A petition can be signed at change.org. We can do better than this. We must.

GOP Has Its Roots in Michigan: Can We Unroot It?

There is a grand tradition of the Grand Old Party in Michigan. The name was launched by Horace Greeley. A Republican was someone who cherished liberty, and didn't want to be called a Whig for opposing slavery. In 1854, the first Republicans took the state of Michigan, and by 1855 held a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The majority we have in the House of Representatives today is not the same Republican Party we found forming "Under the Oaks" in Jackson, Michigan. The demonstration - and arrests - in Lansing today bear that sad news. Republicans value local and state government, less centralized, less federal government and yet, in Wisconsin and Michigan and Ohio, there has been a hostile takeover legislated of cities, municipalities, townships and school districts. This is not the Republican Party I knew, the candidates the party fielded that I voted for, or the party that held the finest goals of the United States first in their hearts.

112th Congress H.R.554: Worker Rights Certification

When last posted, H.R.554 introduced by Thaddeus McCotter (R-M11) of our beleaguered State of Michigan, didn't have full text published. Now H.R.554 has text, and as union busting has broken out all over America, it's a bizarre twist. Freedom Trade Act: to withdraw normal trade relations treatment from the products of foreign countries that do not maintain acceptable standards of religious freedom and worker rights. Mr. McCotter requires the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor to certify to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that the foreign country is not restricting the freedom of workers to associate and the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively. Further, the rights of workers to organize include SEC.442(c)(1)(C) to be protected against dissolution or suspension of such organizations, confederations, or affiliations by any governmental authority. Workers rights include being allowed to strike, except in cases of acute national emergency. This is hot. What about American worker rights? Does Rep. Peter King know about renegade religious freedom legislation in his House? McCotter doesn't abandon his party tether, so what fresh devilment is afoot with H.R.554? Could this actually be a good piece of legislation from the 112th Congress?

Michigan Legislature Grants Governor Dictatorial Power

The Michigan Senate passed legislation today allowing government-appointed emergency finance managers with no salary restriction, and no guidelines for behavior, to take over municipal government and school districts in financially distressed cities and towns. This bill mimics the House bill passed in February. With budget cuts across the state, reduced tax base due to unemployment, dismal sales figures, and corporate desertion, there is no municipality in Michigan that is entirely solvent. Emergency finance managers will have absolute power to repeal union contracts, reverse local ordinances, dissolve school boards and city councils. Finance managers will be given power over curriculum and staff in school districts. When an amendment was introduced to cap the finance managers' salary at the wage allowed Governor Snyder ($177,000), the Republicans turned it down, with Lt. Gov. Calley casting the tie-breaking vote. The cuts being made in school funding and revenue sharing will push many cities into bankruptcy, neatly creating plum targets to appoint more dictators. This is a hostile takeover of the State of Michigan. Any bets on whether Governor Snyder will sign this travesty?