Nerdonomics 102: The Big Lie - "We all Benefit" Says Rick Snyder

The Big Nerdonomics Lie

Tricky Rick sez, "We all benefit" from his Proposed Budget Plan so he will "just keep pounding the positive side of why it has to get done and why we all benefit."

"We all benefit" is the BIG LIE representing the greedy/selfish wishes of pro-Snyder business and such grudging propaganda mills as The Mackinac Center (now organically close-knit to the Detroit News on its new "The Michigan View.") These trolls have ridden a decades' long bitter campaign to this now capitalize on our tragic economic "opportunity" made possible by the Great George Bush creation: Michigan's "ONE STATE DEPRESSION."

These difficult economic times are "perfect" setting the stage for Snyder-led wolf pack to take huge bite out of public sector employees.

Anti-public schools wonks are pitching woo directly to the astro-turf Teapartisans in Michigan; appealing to the baser greed of ill-informed Tea Partiers who have joined the anti-civil curmudgeon, Grover Norquist, (in dutiful service to the greedy selfish elites.)

Norquist bragged he would crudely drown the public's necessary government-shrunken down in size- in a bathtub of red ink. Snyder is helping by riding on the backs of state employees being pushed by Norquist's suggestion into red ink of Snyder's making by going too far with an 86 drop in business taxes which gut state revenue. SEE Fact Sheet on Proposed Tax Changes.

Rick Snyder's cuts in public compensation will directly result in hundreds of millions of fewer dollars making THE ALL IMPORTANT REVENUE CYCLE THAT LOCAL SALARIES AND BENEFITS PROVIDE IN VITAL SUPPORT OF A "NEEDY MICHIGAN CONSUMER ECONOMY."

New business, as projected by Snyder's plan will be a long time in start-up, meanwhile Michigan's vital local economy will actually worsen because of his flawed shaft and shift tax plan. This is a risk we should not allow Tricky Rick to impose on us.

Therefore it is not true, as Snyder proclaims, "We all will benefit." However, it's important to note Snyder believes his own BIG LIE.

Tricky Rick:

"I'm an advocate of relentless positive action. I'm not here to pick fights, I'm here to solve problems," Snyder has said. "And the way you solve a problem is just keep on pounding the positive side of why it has to get done and why we all benefit."

Tricky Rick has hidden his savage attack ("just keep pounding") upon teacher and school employees in his advocacy and support to for his H.B. 4215, 2011, which legislatively creates a bitter and acrimonious local fights with school employees-- the "BIG LOSERS"-- even before the "I'm-not-here-to-pick-fights" fight begins under passage of H.B. 4215 fast-tracked; without proper exposure, explanation, and statewide hearings. Should it pass, H.B. 4215 will given immediate effect by the Michigan Senate this week.
3.)Tricky Rick Sez: "If I can solve a problem by being proactive, constructive and working well with people, that's the approach that I'm going to take."

Nothing about Snyder's plan of covert "Cut and Scrap" empowered by H.B. 4215 is pro-active for kids or their mentoring teachers. Snyder will be empowered to act pro-negatively against unions and collective bargaining by pushing down to the individual units:

1.) Severe cuts in revenue, dictated by Rick's decision, give Michigan businesses the largest single business bonanza in tax breaks in the state's History via his Proposed Budget.

2.) Financial Default Will Happen: While forcing local units to do more with less-to the point of impossibility-as with the $470 per student cuts in education.

These cuts, mandated by Tricky Rick, coerces the local school boards to go to its employees and demand huge concessions or else. The "or else" is the imposition of a virtual DICTATOR and destruction of local civic capital-a literal sell off of neighborhood assets.

3.) Everything negotiated in "good faith" prior to the Snyder regime; under the current Michigan collective bargaining rights and agreements are at risk.

Teachers will be forced to give up salary and/or salary and benefits (health care) as the way to balance the Snyder induced shortfall or face the drastic and unprecedented step: Having an "Emergency Financial Manager" appointed by Andy Dillon or a "firm" " high fee, high profile Plunkett/Cooney-tear the district piece by piece to "steal" the desired cuts from teachers and school employees in order to "gift" business. It's Wisconsin only harsher!

Tricky Rick Snyder is starting down the same path as the much hated John Engler and loses all his ability to re-invent Michigan in any positive way, in spite of the great need he recognized for recovery and healing. How Sad!

Original Post.

Michigan School Superintendents and School Boards: JUST TURN IN YOUR KEYS.

Superintendents, just go to Any Dillon's office and turn in the keys to your schools: The ramifications of the "Emergency Finance Manager" buried in the H.B. 4215 and radical provisions coupled with Snyder's severe revenue cuts to education, the coming outcomes mean dozens of school districts will be declared "at risk" and taken over by state government, even liquidated, can be avoided: Just turn in the keys.

The correct move for a public school superintendent (under these circumstances for a school district like Cheboygan, (which will get slammed with over a million dollar shortfall when the proposed Snyder cuts of $470 hit) has a simple answer.

Cheboygan may be among the first districts to go into legislative defined and mandated default; to then be taken over and run by the Emergency Finance Manager or state assigned "Firm" (which we know is Plunkett & Cooney: with expensive attorneys in the $400 per hr. range.)

The most sensible, most efficient, fair and simple response for the district: Just turn in the keys to Dillon.

We'll call it: Keys for Crisis, in the mode of the "Keys for Cash" program associated with bank housing foreclosures.

As the State's GOP/Teapartisan majorities fast track and blitz the legislative process; inflicting this "government takeover of local schools" using serious and unprecedented dictatorial powers; we who have asked the "newbees" realize that they, as with many more experienced legislators, have no clear understanding of the "Emergency Finance Manager's Extreme Powers and the severe impacts, direct and indirect consequences, for taxpayers and school children.

These impacts will be overwhelming. Ensuing legal battles will tie the Governor and the Legislature in court for years to come. When quizzed on details, Teapublicans are confused and clueless. Perhaps this is exactly why there is the Snyder Blitz in the first place; TAKE FULL AND SUDDEN ADVANTAGE; the rush to law appears to be an attempt to reach LONG SOUGHT goal by bamboozling both the public and the greenpea Legislature using the "bum's rush."

Superintendents, the Key to ENDING YOUR CRISIS will be very simple: Just go to Dillion's Office and turn in the keys to your district; put the entire stupefying Snyder-induced financial crisis right back where it started.

Gov. Snyder, you wanted to revenue-strangle local school funding, so now our schools are yours to own. Here are the Keys!


Original Post.

Nerdonomics Equals Fairness? Duh! Kid’s & Working Families: the Retired Elderly Get Clobbered With Both Cuts & Higher Taxes

Who's Piggy Bank Gets Bashed?

Our Children, ordinary working taxpayers, certainly the elderly-especially pensioners; and oh yes; all those teapartians who brought this on us and themselves; We will ALL get hurt, but NOT business.

What In God's Name Is The Nerd Thinking? 

Low and moderate-income households and families lose the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit, seniors lose part of the homestead property tax credit and MANY WILL BE COERCED to pay taxes on what is often a meager pension: many struggling parents who will lose the $600 per child state income tax deduction.
My God, pray how can this be?

Adding salt to the open wounds: THE STUNNER - TAX INCREASES WON'T OFFSET THE "BUSINESS FIRST"-NERDONOMIC REVENUE CUTS.

SHORT FALLS PUSH A HEAD UNABATED: THAT'S $1.4 BILLION IN CUTS DESPITE A $1.7 BILLION INCREASE IN INCOME TAXES.

Check the Facts Here 
The consequences of irresponsible Snyder Budget Proposals and cuts (expanded below) are liberally drawn and expanded from the work of Senior Policy Analyst Joanne Bump, who has worked in Michigan state government for over 30 years including 9 years with the Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis coordinating the Michigan Tax Expenditure Report, the Economic Report of the Governor and the Michigan Economic Review and Outlook. She's a degreed expert in these areas.


1.) Schools are legislatively shorted $470 per pupil cut, thus robbing children of educational opportunities. This while the competing private, for-profit, Republican favored "Faux Public" academies. It would lift the present legislated "cap" on further expansion. Once lifted more tax-eating storefront and quasi-religious operators are loosed to take in millions more scarce public tax moneys with no direct public control or taxpayer accountability.

Nuts? You Bet.

2.) Universities take a meat cleaver chop at 15%, with a direct impact on students attending; hardships inflicted by Teapartisans in multiple ways; those who are on very limited allowances or work/study regimens are thrown off food coupons.

Skinflint? It's a direct blow; the way to far less graduates, fewer high-skilled/professional new hires.


3.) Local revenue sharing that helps pay for local services will be CUT AND CASH STARVED; THEN POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO THE WHIP BY PLUNKETT & COONEY'S SUITED LEGAL HOUNDS (should their unit run short on revenue)and also to be ORDERED ABOUT BY THE SHADY ANDY DILLON top-down. Local officials caught in this bind HAVE A CHOICE: they can resign now; in full anticipation of the coming impact or face the possibility of being attacked and DISENFRANCHISED FROM ELECTIVE OFFICE FOR YEARS TO COME; if their units come under "financial emergency" provisions control is out of local hands. The State takes over!

Threats to Take Over Local Units Are In H.B.4215, 2011

Is such force pro-active, the right way to recovery and bring future harmony between Lansing and the locals? NO!

IT'S A BRUTAL TEAPUBLICAN DEVISED SYSTEM OF PLANNED FAILURE, AND POLITICAL USURPATION THAT TARGETS AND UNDERMINES LOCAL CONTROL. Heads up: this situation is totally without precedent in our state's heritage and despoils our former high honor; we diligently maintained LOCAL control-where neighbors know best how to allocate and expend their tax dollars-for all the past years.

Do you find this all hard to believe?

Call your state officials or the backroom bosses at the Mackinac Center in Lansing; check this out. Ask a Teapartiasn how this can be.

4.) 12,600 of the state's poorest families MANY WITH NEWBORNS OR CHILDREN will lose what little public assistance grants they receive; Will they even survive (if at all) with out private charity? All this suffering comes at a time when jobs continue to be scarce, unemployment at very high levels.

Will there be heartbreaking consequences for an est. 14,000 additional children pushed into poverty? Wait for the 2013 and following for heart-rendering, Dickensian TV news stories to find out.

The sad, sad tag line:
All of this in Snyder's very first days as a political apprentice in a statesman's office. Snyder presses on goaded by the undermining pol trio of Gingrich, Engler, and Norquist; Knowing the state is not agreeing with him. Because, when polled, voters have three times (by upwards of 3 to 1) favored increased taxes to cover the revenue shortfall in the present state structure.

And voters again, most recently, made it clear that they the "voters do not favor this titanic shift from businesses to working families by ending the Michigan EITC."

Are you listening Rick.? Are you listening? WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE YOU LISTEN?

Original Post.

When Is Totally Insane Nerdonomics Not Totally Bonkers, Way Beyond Crazy?

Nerdonomics: Gov. Rick Snyder's wide-ranging proposals have made it shockingly evident what's at risk for citizens of this state. 

Many services and essential state functions are dangerously at stake here in Michigan.

Truth be told: Businesses will realize more than a HUMONGOUS 80% DECREASE IN TAXES.

Nerdonomics demands, not a reasonable 10 percent cut, not a generous 20 percent or even half 50% cut; nor does it call for a temporary cuts to tide the state over (WWMD-What Would Milliken Do)"but a FULL 82 PERCENT DROP IN BUSINESS TAXES.

Michigan's Business Tax now generates $2.1 billion in revenue to help pay for vital services such as education, help for abused kids, and public safety, etc. as business' share of civic responsibility.

Under NERDONOMICS THAT WILL PLUMMET to $392 MILLIONS IN FY 2013; first full year of the tax changes are in effect. House Fiscal Agency Director Mitch Bean this week used a different base in his accounting to compute an EVEN BIGGER DROP - 86 PERCENT.

THIS WILL OCCUR AT THE EXACT SAME TIME PERSONAL INCOME TAXES WILL CLIMB A WHOPPING 31 PERCENT. That will not be shared equally. In fact those at the high end of the economic ladder (THE VERY WELL OFF, THE ECONOMIC ELITES, MANY OF WHOM WILL HAVE ALSO SEEN THEIR BUSINESSES SKIM UP TO AN 86 % GIVE BACK FROM NERDOMOMICS) will see the biggest TAX REDUCTION WINDFALL as the income tax rate shrinks from 4.35 percent to 4.25 percent.


Original Post.

Gov Rick Snyder Budget Robs Corner Grocery & Stiffs Local Health Care

Snyder Tax Cuts Kill Jobs & Undermine Michigan's struggling economy!

Wrote a Michigan political observer:

"Most thinking adults understand that public spending in a mixed economy does drive economic activity. Unthinking adults instead yell and shout and demand that public institutions be torn down as a symbol of all that is evil in the world."

When applied to Michigan; this fact portends a very real negative impact. Public workers do vital work; firefighters put their lives on the line for victims of house fires. Police race to save the lives of crime victims. Corrections officers keep felons in line who sometimes attempt to kill or abuse them with unspeakable acts of subhuman abomination. School teachers do their sacred work. And there are many more services and skills included in the public sector services we all enjoy.

All these individuals, professionals, contribute to the "greater good;" their incomes purchase goods and services in the local communities, where they reside all across our state. Those benefits state and public workers receive support dentists and hospitals; doctors and medical technicians in hospitals; and accrue to balance the books helping offsetting those who have no provisions for health insurance (who cannot & do not pay), thus supporting the financial well-being of medical and health care in the farthest reaches of the state and across the U.P.

Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face The selfish wish of business and such grudging propaganda mills as The Mackinac Center (now organically close-knit to the Detroit News on its new "The Michigan View") have ridden a decades' long bitter campaign to take huge bite out of public sector employees, appealing to the baser greed of some (Teapartisans) who join the anti-civil curmudgeon (in dutiful service to the greedy selfish elites) Grover Norquist; who would crudely drown the public's necessary government-shrunken down into a bathtub of red ink.

Rick Snyder's cuts in public compensation will result directly in hundreds of millions of fewer dollars making the all important revenue cycle that local salaries and benefits provide in vital support of a "needy" Michigan consumer economy. 
__________________

Business-headed, bean-counter Rick Snyder sees his role as demanding taxpayers "gift" his business buddies with hundreds of millions, while he insists on "takings" from your neighbors who are in daily and often dangerous service to you and your children.

Small business people, who are organized in the commercial sector "union" we know as the Chamber of Commerce, are wrongheaded in seeking "enrichment" from Gov. Snyder and their "new commercial sector zealots" in the hostile and aggressive Teapartiasn majorities domineering in both the Michigan House and Senate. These "newbees" are seeking to go too far.

Teapublicans are ginned up by Newt Gingirch, darling of the hardcore ideologues, who frequently visits Michigan and who has used his wily skills to cuckold the National Republican Governor's Association into a "do or die" war with the providers of our vital services all across America.

Pray for our country. Delusion and confusion are the enemies of our future. Resist those who want to profit from massive regression and risk the real threat of a 21st Century Great Depression.

Right now unspeakable social tragedy can happen if Norquist and Gingrich prevail in their rampage & false leadership; calling out to find a slavish following in the nations' many State Houses. 

Let Michigan beware!


Original Post.

Reality is that no Cuts by Gov Rick Snyder Would Be Needed If ...

To pay for Snyder's radical, deliberate revenue shift, along with changes in Michigan's tax law that also reduced K-12 funding, Gov. Snyder's budget is proposing deep cuts in education.

Rick Snyder says that THIS WILL FORCE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT (cut supplies, and curtail all manner of instuction and programs) and lower their costs. School districts would get $300 less per student, on top of a $170 cut this year. (This us un-precidently radical, no other governor set out to do this not even Engler who found more money for education, not hundreds of millions less.

In particular, Snyder wants school boards to extract concessions from unions by getting employees to pay 20 percent of their health care premiums. The governor also asserts that schools can save through consolidation of services and improving purchasing practices. The budget cuts will also make it much more difficult for unions to negotiate pay raises.

Concessions with labor unions are unlikely to come easily. If unions balk, teacher layoffs will be imminent, leading to impacts such as larger class sizes (and statewide acrimony and unnecessary disruption of our children's vital education).

These remarks are interpolated from material presented by The Michigan Truth Squad, Project of the Center for Michigan, Governor Rick Snyder's Proposed Budget Analysis 2.24.11

Original Post.

Hank's Jaundiced View: Michigan View's Henry Payne Knows How to Spend Retirees Money

Response to Henry Payne  in “Democratic Party fundamentals at stake” in Detroit News Michigan View on February 23, 2011.

Hank Payne knows better than Michigan's public working staff and employees, and its superannuated career retirees, how they should spend their incomes. Unless you follow the hayseed myth one might not understand that: If you draw an income from taxes, taxpayers can dictate every cent you receive as-to-how it will be spent; for as the teapartisan mantra goes, "It's our money."

Hank's pretty firm. What irks him, sez Hank is the fact that union members get all that "rich pay and benefit plans" (Democratic Party fundamentals at stake, 2.23.11) and his work at the News isn't being sufficiently competitive in giving him enough. He acts as though has a god-given right to be jealous! After all he's family man, living in an elite suburb, and blessed with a Princeton U degree to boot!

Don't forget Hank's paper is in receding readership and financial decline. The folks down in the press room have made serious concessions just to keep such a highly educated talent as the News' political cartoonist supplied with red ink and a drawing pad. Nonetheless, he believes (because it helps him through his day) those pressmen are victims because "dues extracted from union members" are a waste of income.

Hank ought to think twice.

Maybe under the new Snyder "tax harvesting" of retirees pensions for give-backs to favored corporations and special businesses (represented so well by the "union" of Chamber of Commerce members), there will be fewer subscriptions and weekend buys of his rag and annual raises won't be forthcoming.

Then mayhap, the readers will figure out who brought on this "retirement income tax" down on them, and who it was who campaigned to further aggravate drops in their fixed incomes (post '08 market collapse & shortfalls).

They'll doubtless simply boycott the News altogether.

Then, shortly Hank's meager income and benefits, if any, will take a southward dive.

Original Post.

The Grover Norquist & Newt Gingrich Tag Team Goad The Nerd (Rick Snyder)

Gingrich outlined the program for the National Republican Governors which outlines the radical tack that is being pushed on states as an attempt to enact anti-union legislation nationwide. The purpose is to de-fund the unions and thus "enhance" GOP chances in the 2012.

The Nerd is swept up in this morass.

Michigan is being beset with vicious attempts to sweep unions from their ability to participate in public policy formation and retain their rights to pensions and benefits, and most significantly retain the "right to bargain"-collective bargaining as public unions.

Gov. Scott Walker implicated Snyder as part of a network of governors with whom Walker plots.

Snyder has used legislative trickery to camouflage his earnest efforts to de-certify the role of unions. Certain bills on the fast track through the Legislature contain elements which will accomplish "Walker's Wisconsin Anti-Union crusade."

How is the Gingrich mandate moving in the Nerd's Michigan?

Yesterday, the (Michigan) State House passed a bills package granting emergency financial managers the dictatorial power to toss out union contracts and summarily dismiss (fire) elected officials in cities, counties, townships and school districts operating at a deficit. And barring those officials (in this extreme economic downturn which is the real cause of their budget shortfalls) from the right to hold office for years into the future is troubling. Punitive? That's putting it far too lightly.

Dangerous to democracy? Absolutely.

Karl Rove, soon to come to Livingston Co., has reinforced the Norquist/Newt Gingrich gameplan, both as a point person and a fund raiser. Rove clearly outed his purpose in engaging the unions in "do or die." Karl revealed the GOP national campaign is targeted to undercut the Democratic Party with the unvarnished purpose of achieving partisan homogeny in 2012.

Gingrich told told both the American Enterprise Institute and the National Republican Governor's Association: "The first great laboratory (using the state legislation to attack unions) for replacing the left will not be in Washington. It will be in the states.

As the Walker remarks state: Wisconsin is "the first domino."

Can the Nerd trickery be far behind?

Original Post.

Tricky Rick (Snyder) & the Raiders of the Lost Current $500,000 Education Fund Surplus

Tricky Rick wants to burn through $500 million public education K-12 current surplus is an Omnibus Bill; big and bold.

Tricky Rick is moving in the direction of a legislative Omnibus Bill which will fast track all of the over 30 individual school funding bills; proposing various aspects of the state budget battle into an omnibus of 7 or 8 compact items. The clever trick Rick is pushing is inserting higher education into the K-12 budget so as to have a legal way; denied by the ordinary rules, siphoning by the legislature (dedicated funds) away from K-12. But Walhalla! We have a slick Tricky Rick moment.

Inserting colleges and universities into the K-12 "funding pot" as Tricky Rick is intent on doing, allows him to steal from K-12 so that by 2013 that surplus will be whittled down to zero.

Go Omnibus and our children are executively screwed again.

The proposed use of the Omnibus Bill mechanism is one of those clever bureaucratic Rube Goldberg schemes found as a tool useful in doing the nasty when nasty is desired by politicians far from the public eye.

The Pro-education Nerd has morphed to Tricky Rick.


Original Post.

Snyder Picks & Chooses: Business wins, Retirees Lose

Highly unfair, not-so simple, highly inefficient corporate-style Snyder tax plan goes for the low hanging fruit.

Those communities that have cultured a highly attractive retirement setting, cultural events, great health care, transportation, high grade housing and custodial care/end of life care (were needed), supplied with supporting volunteers and places of worship: these places in Michigan (which surprisingly, in spite of harsh winters, attract numbers of former professionals and retirees many from other states) continue to flourish. Such Michigan retirement locations are at high risk under Rick Snyder's plan to tax public and private pension income. The state income exemption is a key reason sernors chose to stay in Michigan or come from other "pension taxing" locations. This vast source of personal resources, vital to Michigan's economy and healthcare facilities will be shipping out, others are busy cancelling plans to come to Michigan. All no thanks to Snyder's giant tax mistake.

Prudent seniors invest and, if they can, secure at a minimum, in these highly volatile times, a steady, predictable 5% return on their life savings and /or have a pension-based stipend based on decades of loyal and quality public service they must protect. They now face a battery of distinct cuts (cultural programs, libraries, etc.) and new tax increases. The harshest "hit"; Snyder's new pension tax of 4.25%.

Snyder's bifurcated remarks on Channel 7, Detroit Feb. 18th reflect his callous disregard for the prudence, planning ahead, and careful husbandry of personal resources by seniors. These are citizens who have no intention to be a burden to society in their maturity.

Rick Snyder calls them out, making them "losers" saying because they have these savings and have planned well, he has political provocation to see their promised exemption cut off. Those seniors who did not save, could have laid aside, but didn't; those who didn't render public service as a policeman, fireman, judge, or teacher; must pay Michigan income taxes while they must continue to work.

Snyder insists: Pensioners should have their exemption rescinded, to be fair to those without pensions. Snyder is pitting one group of seniors against another.

Snyder fanes to "feel the pain" of those seniors who are still working past normal retirement pay and continue to pay Michigan income taxes on the pittance they earn......that's nonsense. The pensioners are being put in a highly unfair position-Snyder chooses to make them LOSERS in his scheme.

Snyder's million dollar quote to Channel 7, 2/18/11, "I still DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE" (my new $900 million tax on pensioners is a financial "hit") "It is a burden on people."

AARP calls it: "War on the elderly."

From the Snyder Interview:

Snyder: its typically Senior couple, if they have the average SS, average homestead (have) exemption, they would be making more than over $40K before they pay a dollar of MI income tax. Which again, I still DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE ( "It is a burden on people.") but the other part we have to remember is, not all seniors have a pension. And if you look at the future trends, a lot fewer people are going to have pensions, and those people who are still working after they become a senior. They are paying income the Michigan tax today so you have a real equity question between the people who worked hard and are fortunate enough to have a pension....(and those who don't have one.)

Egalitarianism is not the "real" Snyder goal, except for as he argues for his pro-tax the pension plan: Tax "Haves" and acknowledge the "no-pension Have-Nots" are still working and paying taxes but do nothing to elevate that burden on them.

In Snyder's increase sales pitch he's off the Tea Party line of defense; "NO NEW TAXES"; leastwise he also upsets the Neo-Libertarian Detroit/MacCen News that despises the thought of "total equality."
How could this paper allow new taxes by whose are advocates coercing "losers"(pensioned seniors) to bear the budget burden, while allowing the less fortunate senior "winners" to go on working and paying and not provide a state income exemption for them move ahead with such a flawed plan?

With the bulk of the make-up to cover an over-generous business tax give-away placed on the seniors and public servants, where's the statewide "shared sacrifice" so touted by Snyder? The "fairness?


Original Post.

Will Calabrese Clarify His Boast: Snyder Told the “Cold, Hard Truth” About Raising $900 Million in New Taxes From Michigan Pensioners

Response to Dan Calabrese Op-Ed “Rick Snyder: Leadership is found in thestatehouse, if not in the White House” in the Northern Star National on February 18th, 2011

Calabrese doesn't believe that he's misrepresenting Rick Snyder when he says in his recent column: Snyder is "Leading!" by the means of his honesty. "We have not had governors willing to do what Snyder did yesterday, which was to deal with cold, hard facts and tell the people of the state the cold, hard truth about where we are and where we need to go."

Dan genuinely values "the cold, hard truth."

So we ask:
Our Response (in the following parody dialog with Dan): Dan, let's see if you understand the basic facts of Snyder's budget proposal. Did Rick Snyder propose a new tax on anyone in Michigan? A simple "yes" or "no" is sufficient.

Dan: ...(Snyder) told the truth.

Our Response: Is that a "yes"

Dan: ...that's a "yes."

Our Response: Let me refresh your memory.

Here's the exact verbatim answer Snyder gave veteran reporter Tim Skubick, on FOX 2, Detroit, right after Snyder left the Senate Committee Room; having just presented his proposed budget to the state:

Skubick's Question: Some people are going to pay more to the state...Aren't they?
Snyder dodges the question: We are decreasing revenues this is not a net tax increase. When you look at all the numbers.
[Skubick stays on his question: Some people will pay more!]
(Again evasive and un-answering to Skubick's direct question concerning his proposed huge new tax increase.)
Snyder: But it's really based on the premise of a net tax decrease...
Skubick: Your pension tax is very controversial (it) raises $900m. Is that number correct?
Snyder: It's not a pension tax. It is actually removing a tax expenditure. We are actually reducing your tax rate. Our individual rate tax rate... [Skubick breaks in, still dead-on for an honest Snyder answer]
Skubick: It raises $900m? Correct?
Snyder: It generates $900m in revenue.

Our Response: Dan, there you have an honest answer given after an honest inquiry about the facts and following a lot of evasiveness and double talk from Snyder.

Snyder is raising taxes on pensioners by 9 tenths of a billion dollars and concurrently removing that amount, and more, from select businesses supporters in the state.

The "Leader" in Snyder said on the campaign trail repeatedly and very clearly to his audiences all across the state including pensioners: "My objective is not to raise revenue in the budget."

Our Response: "What part of "no new taxes" does Snyder's post-election budget proposal keep? Did he keep his pre-election promise not to "raise new revenue"? Did Snyder tell the truth about his new taxes?

Dan: If that's what Snyder's doing...could I have a moment to think over my answer?

Our Response: Take all the time you need, Dan. We all know how much you value moral absolutes like the "truth."
 
Original Post.

2/17 (February 17, 2011) will live on in Michigan History as a very dark day: The Day Gov. Snyder Robbed Kids & Grandparents

"Pensions are deferred payments for work done. 'Benefits' are pay for work, not a handout. Pensions and benefits are arranged by contract. If there is not enough money for them, it is because the contracted funds have been taken by conservative officials and given to wealthy people and corporations instead of to the people who have earned them." - George Lakoff

Simply put, Snyder has chosen to join on the Welcher Wagon. The numb nerd has bought into the "airy fairy" world of Karl Rove and William Kristol. Snyder has become the manservant of that nasty little corporate gofer , Grover Norquist and his anarchist John Bircher buddy, Saulis Anuzis.

The Back Story
Years ago, a nominal moderate (at the time), former House Speaker, now corporate officer at DTE, Paul Hillegonds, said that the local communities had been "too generous to teachers." He said that the state take-over of local schools was the way to force (that's "coerce" - a term of endearment our Tea-Publicans adore) by the "shift and shaft" mechanism that become Proposal A. That pushed costs back on the local taxpayers so that they, in Hillegonds' scheme, would have to make "hard choices."

Prop A was a clever device that gave the taxpayer a sugar coated, measured dose of arsenic, accumulative poison. The candy coating was the immediate "tax relief" in the form of a 60% annual reduction in local property taxes for "homesteaders" and hoped owners ignored the "hit" that was backloaded in the form of "state transfer taxes" at the point of sale. Prop A saw several categories of state responsibilities such as retirement costs (state obligations) drilled back to the local schools as part of the required responsibilities due under the so-called "foundation grant." That provision included what has amounted to hundreds of millions of indirect support to private and church schools.

Sen. Jack Welborn was less sophisticated in his truth and revelations, he knew exactly what was happening in 1993 and spoke up revealing how "foundation grants" were designed to undercut public schools.

The sharp decline of the Michigan economy is now a decade along. The "gifts" and "ear candy" bandied about by John Mathias Engler and cronies (many of whom are back at the state salary trough under Snyder) were illusions. The slippage following Prop A created huge loopholes for corporations who weaseled out huge tax "give-backs" from local units of government. Tens of millions of tobacco taxes were lost to cross-state-boundary smuggling, which became an industry until the tardy tax stamp was affixed.

Did Engler save the Big Three? Did Engler's Revolution insulate Michigan from recession or produce a business boom in Michigan? Decidedly NO. The structural games and devices he and cohorts peddled began to ravish the state even before he left town for a millionaire Bonus for Bonzo as chief lobbyist at NAM, aggressively promoting China over Michigan. How weird is that!

The debt Engler left Jennifer, and the many, many holes "King John" drilled in the revenue bucket did just what he designed them to do, they revenue starved Michigan. That huge "unfunded" business connected to "state obligations" to pay deferred constitutional income to superannuated public employees: That's a nasty Engler legacy.

On 2/17 we said, "Shut up we don't want to hear about history," "we want what we want" taken back from our deserving retirees. And "Oh Yes," we have the majority power to do it, "so there."

2/17 will live on in Michigan History as a very dark day; the day Snyder walked the state away from its moral obligations in order to award his business cronies and boost Karl Rove's efforts to defund unions.

This last week we have seen the final chapter of the Engler Revolution make a direct hit on our children and our seniors. Granddad and grandma are hit with the leeching effects of a decades long campaign from Engler's Willy Wonks over at the Mackinac Center. They are so proud, so happy! Just drop by their new showy headquarters near the Lansing capitol and pay them a visit, ignore the party trash in the back conference room! MacCen benefactors: Dow, Amway, Consumers, the Insurance lobby as well as a whole host of outside anti-government foundations have been paid-off big time with the proposed Snyder/Engler Redux Michigan Budget proposals.

Whoa, just a jiffy!

Snyder is imposing dramatic "new taxes." Does anyone believe all those "NO NEW TAXES" Tea Party legislators can stay true to their solemn oaths and support HUGE NEW TAXES ?

Snyder's Voo Doo vocabulary usage, neutralizing the REAL facts, notwithstanding!

Just you wait, Just you wait. The people are coming to Lansing.


Original Post.

Gov. Snyder gets beaned by the Mackinac Hardball Meanies

Snyder Budget Score Card Results

No surprises here. Hands Down: "Mac Mean" wins over "Thoughtful/Independent Nerd" 11 to 0- NOTHING !

Listed below are the items projected as possible Mackinac Center demands acquiesced to by Gov. Snyder and Snyder's actual list of "budget bombs":

1.) Mackinac Center Demand: Eliminate the Michigan Business Tax- replace the money it raises with cuts in government spending. Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminates the Michigan Business Tax and replaces it with a flat 6 percent corporate income tax on major corporations.
2.) Mackinac Center Demand :Pass Right-to-Work legislation. There may be no greater single economic development policy that Michigan could adopt.
Snyder Budget Bomb Sez:- Let's see what the Republican Majorities in the Legislature can enact as a way to bring down costs - Some things are being held for the second half of this legislative session.
3.) Mackinac Center Demand Rein in the Department of Environmental Quality. (Maintaining Michigan's high standards, means businesses) "won't be doing business or creating jobs in Michigan, period. It's a 100 percent tax rate:"
Snyder Budget Bomber Sez: Eliminate the dairy farm inspection program in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
4.) Mackinac Center Demand: (Stop) the state promising millions of dollars in targeted tax credits or subsidies to "slick operators in sexy industries" who promise to "create" jobs.
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminates business credits awarded for films, brownfield redevelopment, the Michigan Economic Growth Authority, etc., although current commitments will be honored. Sets aside $25 million for film credits from the 21st Century Jobs Fund. Cuts future credits for: battery tech & production, Green Energy including wind generation, and similar fields as these credits expire
5.) Mackinac Center Demand: Bring public sector employment benefits in line with the private sector (Using the tools honed and revised by MacCen as to that "private sector" benchmark is.):
Snyder Budget Bomb Sez: - Mandate a cut of up to $180 million from state employees through higher health care premiums and other changes. This matter is referred to the Republican controlled Legislature for immediate action.
6.) Mackinac Center Demand: Make public pay equal to "private" pay: Michigan Public vs. Private "hourly" compensation:
Snyder Budget Bomb Sez: - The "emergency" powers in proposed legislation now being fast tracked will handle this problem, schools and governmental units will be coerced into compliance with sharp reductions, or face State dictatorial take-overs.
7.) Mackinac Center Demand: Resend Gov. George Romney's signing of the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act, eliminate collective bargaining for public employees:
Snyder Budget Sez: - Let's see what the legislature will do with H.B. 4215 and its provisions in this regard
8.) Mackinac Center Demand: Cut state government work force:
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminates 300 field worker positions in the Department of Human Services. And - Closes the Shawono Center in Grayling, and cuts 20 beds in capacity at the Maxey Training School in Whitmore Lake- Reduces the number of Michigan State Police posts
9.) Mackinac Center Demand: Change state revenue-sharing formula:
Snyder's budget bomb Sez: - Eliminate statutory revenue sharing payments for cities, villages and townships in FY 2012 The change impacts 509 local units of government with cuts totaling $92.1 million. Snyder will force villages and townships t to comply with tough teapartisan rigid standards or face penalties.
10.) Mackinac Center Demand: Let private firms run some prisons:
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Close one prison to be named later this year and privatize food service and prison stores operations in Michigan prisons, then throw in downgrading resident care aide services at the Grand Rapids Veterans' Home with competitively bid workers.
11.) Mackinac Center Demand: Eliminate the earned income credit:
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminate the state Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers and take back welfare benefits and support altogether after 48 months.
12.) Mackinac Center Demand: Allowing for income tax exemptions for government retirement benefits, including pensions and proposed extension of those exemptions to private sector pensions is "unfair" as viewed by LaFaive.

Snyder's Budget Bomb: - Eliminates the state income tax exemption for pensions, Social Security benefits will continue to be exempt.

Score Card Results: The Beanie Nerd's Independence & New Re-Inventive Agenda - 0
The Mackinac Center "Meanies" -11 That's a trouncing @ (11 for 11)


Hands Down: "Mac Mean" wins over "Thoughtful/Independent/CEO Nerd."


It's very clear Rick "The Nerd" Snyder needs to learn how to play political "hardball" before he goes up to bat again !

Original Post.

Mackinac Center: Dancing On the Deck of Michigan's Titanic

It is as though the elite/high society passengers and crew on the Titanic were ideological "true believers" convinced that that ship, like Michigan's ship of state, is "unsinkable" no matter what kind dangers or sea condition the ship faces. 

The big shots announce that there is "no danger" just trust in their navigation and professional judgment, and proceed to pass around the Champagne casks and party-hardy. They play "Happy Days Are Here Again" as they arrogantly ignore the blind leadership of the Captain and believe the ship will survive any harm they or the ship can encounter. Just stick to the outline we have published sings out the Nerd, Michigan has entered the final chapter of the "Engler Revolution."

As this day unfolds the bubbly will be flowing over at the Mackinac Center. It's there unbelievable day of triumph The "againer geeks" have succeeded in bringing down Michigan.

The Party is on.
First Mate Frank Beckmann reports from the engine room: "...business leaders who have been briefed on the preliminaries call it a night-and-day difference in approaching Michigan's budget issues and economic environment. They complimented the candor and even courage of the administration to off what they termed "BOLD AND DRAMATIC" CHANGES that stand in stark contrast to what one business leader called the "anti-business" environment in Illinois.

'But these business leaders told me they're not surprised since the administration is led by Snyder (experienced CPA-CFO-CEO) and Lt. Governor Brian Calley (pro-business banker and ex-chair of Tax Policy Committee), who is taking the lead on a lot of the policy discussions.

'In the end, this will be a controversial proposal that will challenge conservatives to live up to their stated beliefs. But it's a grown up plan that's developing and has business leaders excited for the first time in recent memory over what state government is actually doing to stimulate business growth."

As this radical ignore the culture and the quality of life "navigation plan" their ideology has brought us to clash with "icebergs" of public resistance and anger.

True to the timeless tragedy: The common man, the working families, locked in steerage-the bowels of the sinking ship of state-won't be offered life boats. After all if the boat sinks, the myth goes, IT'S THEIR SOCIAL WEIGHT THAT TOOK IT DOWN.

Up on the promenade, it's Mackinac Center dancing jigs and giving high 5's all around!

Here's the MacCen score card, print it out and check off each item (hole in the hull) as the MacCen Grinch geeks pop another magnum:

1.) Eliminate the Michigan Business Tax- replace the money it raises with cuts in government spending.
2.) Pass Right-to-Work legislation. There may be no greater single economic development policy that Michigan could adopt.
3.) Rein in the Department of Environmental Quality. (Maintaining Michigan's high standards, means businesses) "won't be doing business or creating jobs in Michigan, period. It's a 100 percent tax rate."
4.) (Stop) the state promising millions of dollars in targeted tax credits or subsidies to slick operators in sexy industries who promise to "create" jobs.
5.) Bring public sector employment benefits in line with the private sector (Using the tools honed and revised by MacCen as to that "private sector" benchmark is.)
6.) Make public pay equal to "private" pay: Michigan Public vs. Private "hourly" compensation.
7.) Resend Gov. George Romney's signing of the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act, eliminate collective bargaining for public employees.
8.) Cut state government work force
9.) Change state revenue-sharing formula
10.) Let private firms run some prisons
11.) Eliminate the earned income credit
12.) Allowing for income tax exemptions for government retirement benefits, including pensions and proposed extension of those exemptions to private sector pensions is "unfair" as viewed by LaFaive.

The Mackinac Center has recommended hundreds specific ideas to save the state more than $2 billion a year. Most of them involve getting government out of certain activities, or eliminating costly privileges to certain groups. "101 Recommendations to Revitalize Michigan."

Michael D. LaFaive: "The solution to Michigan's problems is simpler than (people) are willing to admit."
Do it our way!

Interpretation: Just do as my Mackinac Center dictates you must.


Original Post.

Who guessed Snyder & TeaPublicans would brazenly put Michigan into further Depression

The "big" budget crisis in Michigan is not at all what it appears. It's capitalize on hard times, take maximum partisan advantage. There's a concerted effort across many states to achieve certain long-sought goals of the far right: Union Busting, elimination of public employee benefits & pensions, cut & shift the tax burden to ordinary people, cut welfare and unemployment, and unbridled attacks on public schools & more. Michigan has had budget deficits in the range of this one before, but never has it been mishandled as it is now! Michigan is being cut down, to achieve certain selfish objectives.

There's "big" trouble alright, it's a "big manufactured" crisis; hype piggybacked on the national crisis brought on by George W. Bush and cohorts-who singlehandedly brought down to near ruin this nation financially. TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS were ruthlessly harvested from working folk. And today much of THE LOOT sits on the sidelines UNAVAILABLE navailable to small businesses who desperately need it.

To do the kind of "blitz" legislation that is found in the current rush to pass House Bill 4215 (which literally disenfranchises communities governments and schools, puts in place DICTATORIAL CONTROL and throws out the vote of the people) and passes it on to the governor has another purpose. It's dirty politics: Revenge and Reprisals.

When the full scope of the Draconian "Cuts only" budget are announced by Rick Snyder, many of the Tea Party supporters want to know that there is in place (passage of H.B. 4215) A STRONG MECHANISM TO PICK UP THE PIECES WHEN DOZENS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS & LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT " WHICH WILL GO UNDER DUE TO SNYDER'S DRASTIC & UNPRECEDENTED CUTS having their direct debt-creating effect: A 33% cut in revenue sharing, with a harsh punishment factor to undercut pensions and benefits in units affected.

Raising taxes, if only for a short period, to get out of the state's crisis will look more than golden compared to the slaughter house/meat axe Snyder is about to apply across our state.

In the enumeration of the communities mentioned in the details of H.B. 4215 (now being steamrolled through the legislature on party-line votes) one finds these targeted "financial failures" are mainly minority/Black communities, some would say "who cares?" That's as it stands today. However, under the proposed legislation's sweeping new powers vested in Snyder Regime's complete control, by way of managers and "firms" appointed under Andy Dillon, could be bring down many other locations-both rural and urban. The axe will fall on many shocked and unsuspecting units.

Time to have more input concerning H.B. 4215 is desperately needed. The rush is the "bums rush" to mickey the public out of the entire process and achieve a Quickie: A huge partisan victory for those who ultimately favor "bankruptcy" for states.

How historically dangerous are these Know-Nothings; servants to Grover Norquist? And really who is Citizen Norquist that he should have command of our America?

Original Post.

Power-grabbing House Bill 4214: Who wrote this unbelievably revisionist & voter disenfranchising bill?

This bill is set to be rammed through the legislature at break neck speed. The new "Local Government and School District Accountability Act" in essence is radical, if not a fanatical bill. If it should become law, in its present form, the bill would "disenfranchise" certain communities, the majority being struggling minority-majority locations.

Under the unbelievably rugged provisions, many black/ethic voters would see their votes cast summarily voided, and local elected officials would be ejected from local control (disregarding the ballot box results) and excluded from public office for a long period of years.

This kind of legislation is set to be fast-tracked through to a floor vote, posthaste.

The impact on public employees, local elected government leaders, police and firefighters, teachers and other public servants would be harsh and overly severe.

Many people of color will be directly and adversely affected by such a legislative act. To remove the right to vote and void the power of the ballot box; destroying one's right to elect public officers it disenfranchises communities and reverses the intent of the voter rights struggle of the recent past.

The Law, if enacted, would:

1.) List 18 explicit events that would trigger a financial review by the state
2.) Include the director of the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget on the four-member review team (replacing the auditor general), and allow the governor to appoint more members to the team.
3.) Make explicit the differences between the municipal government and the school district review and intervention processes
4.) Set in place 12 review criteria
5.) Allow the governmental unit or school to be run by a "firm" rather than an "individual"
6.) Allow the Governor, after declaring a financial state of emergency, to "allow for appointment of emergency financial managers by the state treasurer or state school superintendent"
7.) Allow the state treasurer and state school superintendent to declare that a local government is in receivership, as they appoint an emergency financial manager
8.) Specifies that an emergency manager would be chosen on the basis of competence; need not be a resident of the local government; may be an individual or firm; and would serve at the pleasure of the state treasurer, with the concurrence of the state school superintendent
9.) Explicitly identify an emergency financial manager's extensive power and authority by listing 32 actions a manager may take, 16 of which are new
10.) Bust the unions - " Grant an appointed emergency financial manager the authority to abrogate existing labor contracts..."
11.) Remove local elected officials from office in financially distressed governments in receivership, and prohibit them from seeking office for 10 years
12.) Provide an explicit exit strategy to enable formerly struggling local governments to emerge from financial emergency status during which time local officials are prohibited from revising the emergency manager's two-year budget, labor contracts, or ordinances
13.) Suspend collective bargaining for up to five years in local governments placed in Receivership

Background:
Seven Michigan communities have had emergency financial managers appointed under Public Act 72 of 1990: Hamtramck (in 2000); Highland Park (in 2001); Flint (in 2002); Village of Three Oaks (in 2008); Ecorse (in 2009); Pontiac (in 2009); and Benton Harbor (in 2010). Additionally, a financial manager was appointed for the Detroit Public School District in 2009.

Definitions. Under the bill, the term "municipal government" is defined to mean a city, village, township, charter township, county, an authority established by law, or a public utility owned by a city, village, township or county.

The term "school district" is defined to mean a school district, an intermediate school district, or a public school academy (customarily called a charter school.) The term "state financial authority" is defined to mean (1) for a municipal government, the state treasurer, (2) for a school district, the superintendent of public instruction.

A long technical list of conditions is spelled out. Among them the item that requires the unit that is designated as in "financial emergency" to foot the bill: Employ at the expense of the local government and with approval of the state treasurer or state school superintendent, auditors and other technical personnel. Further these state appointed firms, auditors, or technical personnel are to have the power to liquidate the assets of the school or municipal unit: Power to sell, lease, or otherwise use the unit(s) public assets.

This bill goes far down the path of state dictatorial power over local government. Who wrote this terrible legislation and what was their authentic intent or must we guess?


Original Post.

Sacred Scripture Slams Dan Calabrese Thought

Responseto Dan Calabrese on the Michigan View in “Democrat observes 'money has replacedmorals' “ on February 14, 2011

Calabrese wrote:

"People the state has programmed to depend on checks from Lansing AREN'T GOING TO GET THEM ANYMORE. They're going to have to find a way to become more self-sufficient and EARN, ON THEIR OWN, EVERY DOLLAR THEY NEED."

(Here we could make a likely list of whom Dan has in mind, starting with our tens of thousands of unemployed and off unemployment and moving on to enumerate the usual pinchpenny "undeserving." Re: Calbrese 'Democrat observes money has replaced morals')

Dan goes on to justify the present rush to spun all those on his list of "undeserving": "That,(intervention to help and assist) my friends, is immoral. It's making the empty promise of money a substitute for real morality, which is the compassionate act of spurring someone to become self-sufficient."

Dan's thought is so anti-GOD !

'In case some one of your brothers becomes poor among you in one of your cities, in your land that Jehovah your God is giving you, YOU MUST NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART OR BE CLOSEFISTED TOWARD YOUR POOR BROTHER. For you should generously open your hand to him and by all means lend him on pledge as much as he needs, which he is in want of... You should by all means give to him, and your heart should not be stingy in your giving to him, because on this account Jehovah your God will bless you in every deed of yours and in every undertaking of yours. For someone poor will never cease to be in the midst of the land. That is why I AM COMMANDING you, saying, 'You should generously open up your hand to your afflicted and poor brother in your land." (Deut 15:7-11).

We have operated the state of Michigan over the years, through many cycles of downturns and recessions, but never, never did we endorse such a stoneheated attitude toward "God's poor" as yours, Calabrese.

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave everlasting comfort and good hope by means of UNDESERVED KINDNESS, comfort your hearts and make you firm in every good deed and word." (2 Thess 2:16,17).

As Abraham Lincoln said,

"God must love the poor he made so many of them."THE LORD "HAS NO FAVORITES AT THE POOR MAN'S EXPENSE, but listens to his prayer when he is wronged." (Eccus 35:13).

If there is a zoo in heaven, in the section devoted to earthly predator's section, there's a purgatory cage for AYN RAND, AUTHOR OF THE VIRTUE OF SELFISHNESS, SO BELOVED AND EMULATED BY HER UBER CONSERVATIVES, FELLOW TRAVELERS HERE ON EARTH.

God's Word says:

"My brothers, what use is it for a man to say he has faith when he does nothing to show it? Can that faith save him? Suppose a brother or a sister is in rags with not enough food for the day, and one of you says, 'GOOD LUCK TO YOU, KEEP YOURSELVES WARM, AND HAVE PLENTY TO EAT', BUT DOES NOTHING TO SUPPLY THEIR BODILY NEEDS, what is the good of that? So with faith; if it does not lead to action, it is in itself a lifeless thing." (James 2:14-17)

Other parting words from sacred scripture for Calabrese to ponder during his prayer time:

"...But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang."

Original Post.

Gov. Snyder: Stand & Deliver Your Budget Cuts LIVE & IN PERSON

Commentary on Gov Rick Snyder State of the State and Michigan Budget Cuts.

Let the Governor make his announcement of "bomb" like impact on TV, live. Let us see how much he shares in the grief and pain he is delivering to people of this state. This man who has skipped out on debates and has hidden his intentions quite nicely until now needs to be seen delivering the "pain and suffering" in person. We need to search his face and see his eyes, is he with us or is he somewhere up there over us doing what corporate bosses do all the time, handing down the edicts and the hardships and then driving off to cocktails and after glow with Neo-Engleresque advisers.

Snyder must follow his live announcement with a lengthy news conference, so that the public, who can not be there to receive Snyder's "destruction of the state message" and immediately respond, can at least read about it in greater detail the next day, or see on the 11 pm news an accounting for this historic infliction of unprecedented "pain."

Everyone should be allowed to look very, very closely at that gallery populated by the Mackinac Center operatives and be ready to see if any of their "sacred hogs" are cut or slaughtered by the cutting of the Snyder Team. If the Mackinac Center is high-five-ing that's a very negative signal. These "budget hawks" are driven not by the fear of those who elected Rick, but are totally beholden to those aggressive Corporate interests who "own them".

MacCen is in league with those TeaPublican Legislators who strode into Lansing full of rage and revenge against parts of government and society they dislike and now are bullheadedly pushing citizens out of the People's House, the state capitol; hardhearted pols locking out many: elderly, poor, unemployed, into that cold night.

Original Post.