Liberty in Michigan EFM or Eff Em!

Whether we are embracing the view of liberty and freedom as that of a theorist arguing for negative liberty, positive liberty, triadic liberty or a combination of all, there is a shared concept in regards to liberty;  that being the notion that civil liberty is a concept that should be supported by government action especially when applied in a democratic society such as that of the US.

The State of Michigan is no longer a State of democracy, let alone liberty. 

Governor Rick Snyder passed Public Act 4 in March of 2011 in a very quiet manner.  Snyder introduced the bill along with his budget on February 9, 2011.  While Michigan residents were preoccupied watching their sister-state workers of Wisconsin be stripped of their rights to negotiate with unions and threatened that Michigan was next…. We patiently waited to hear from our own governor regarding his proposed budget cuts.

In the interim, Public Act 4,(then HB 4214) literally flew through both the house and the senate in less than 30 days.  Had the voters of Michigan paid attention and been aware of the implications of this proposal I don’t think it would have passed so smoothly.  Instead, we were arguing over proposed budget cut A vs. proposed budget cut B. Meanwhile, our liberty was being torn from our blistered and tired hard-working hands!

The nature of Public Act 4 is to allow the governor to appoint an emergency financial manager to a city or school district who is at or near bankruptcy status (which is a subjective definition in itself, see http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/billanalysis/Senate/pdf/2011-SFA-4214-U.pdf for details).

As noted in the documentation contained within the act, the Local Government and School District Fiscal Accountability Act would “provide for the review, management, and control of the financial and other operations of a local government (a municipal government or a school district)” more specifically the Act would “authorize an emergency manager to disincorporate or dissolve a municipal government with the approval of the Governor; or recommend consolidation with another municipal government” (Bill Analysis, p. 2). 

There are consequences to the implementation of Public Act 4 that both democrats and republicans are in moderate agreement on.  Todd Griffee, a self disclosed Republican states of Michigan PA 4: “I can appreciate Rep. Pscholka’s argument of fiscal responsibility, but the ends do not justify the means. It is my conservative belief that government should be smaller, less-intrusive, more localized, and constitutionally based, and this bill is contrary to those beliefs” (My FDL, Dear Editor, para. 1).

Currently the cities of Flint, Benton Harbor, Ecorse and Pontiac are under Emergency Financial Management which has brought the reality of a loss of democracy to their cities.  The citizens of the 4 affected municipalities have lost their right to vote for and elect officials within their community.  The cities are also responsible for paying the salaries of the emergency financial managers (EFM’s) and their staff.  Keep in mind – we are not employing local financial firms, rather firms that are appointed by the governor.  So, who exactly is Michigan employing? Well – in the city of Flint alone, the new city manager, (also a former mayor), Michael Brown, has fired the majority of the city employees including the current mayor and city council.   

Michael Brown, EFM for Flint has appointed unnamed persons to his EFM team.  Where is the transparency in that?

Finally, the major issue relating to liberty (as if the aforementioned facts aren’t enough) statistically, the majority of persons losing their right to vote for local officials are African American.  Needless to say, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was a wonderful platform for PA 4 protestors to stand upon.  Here we are, half a century post-civil rights movement and we are imposing dictatorship upon a democracy. 

Republicans, democrats and TEA’s – there is no room for party affiliation arguments.  Democracy is the very foundation of our US government and without it, we lose our liberty.

Michigan PA 4 has been termed “The New Jim Crow” because of its exercise in predominantly black cities.  Let alone, cities run by African American officials.  Michigan’s PA 4 is an attack on our civil liberties, freedoms and essentially – our Justice for All. 

To that I say, Eff Em!

References:

Carter, I.  2008.  Positive and Negative Liberty.   The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved on January 24, 2012 from:  http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2008/entries/liberty-positive-negative/

MI Senate  Fiscal Agency. 2011.  Bill Analysis. Retrieved on January 24, 2012 from: www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa hb4214-4218/1112

My FDL.  (2011)  An Eloquent Takedown of Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law from a TEA Party Candidate.  Dear Editor.  Retrieved on January 24, 2012 from: http://my.firedoglake.com/eclectablog/2011/06/29/an-eloquent-takedown-of-michigans-emergency-manager-law-from-a-tea-party-candidate/

Scrimping on Etiquette - Even Strippers Get PAID!

 Your boss informs you that everyone at your company will be taking a 2% pay cut in order for the firm to balance their budget.  Remembering that Bob in the cubicle next to you was laid off last year and never returned to claim his desk (still sitting empty save for his dusty clock radio that never saw daylight savings time)  you kindly tell your boss that “you understand... and look forward to serving your firm for another year.”

Whether you mean it or not, you KNOW that you don’t have the luxury of choice in the matter.  So, you wait for your boss to leave the room and immediately text everyone you know!  Pissing and moaning about the pay cut, gas prices, etc.  While simultaneously changing your status update to read  “FML!”

Why, just this morning you spent $75.00 to replenish the liquid-gold in your 2010 Jeep Commander, which moved the gas gauge needle from bare-bones empty to ¾ of a tank. Saturday you lovingly opted to handle the grocery shopping task for the week and headed to your neighborhood grocery store with your wife’s VERY specific list.  As you made your way through the aisles, you calculated the cost of the specified items… thus deciding against the surplus gallon of milk @ $4.50 per gallon and swapped your laundry detergent from Tide to its knock off competitor Tyde and very covertly overlooked the five dollar-per 5oz. Tofu listed under Hamburger.  All of which you hoped would go unnoticed by your wife.

Let’s face it, you’ve really been “taking it” lately; taking it from everyone.  Taking it at the pump, taking it at the grocery store and NOW…. Taking it from your BOSS?!?

Let’s mosey 2 months down the road, where we find you on a Friday evening…. you plop down in the easy chair, thankful to be done with the work week as you enjoy your Cup of Jo and ponder your life.  In pondering, you realize that you and your family are adjusting fairly well to your pay cut and to the rise in prices of just about everything essential to your means of living.  Smiling, you think how great it is that you’re managing to still make your mortgage payment and “Thank GOD!” you’re keeping that Jeep Commander (provided you walk to work 2 days per week, in order to save a little on petro). 

So, Wifey comes home and you begin discussing the wonders of your adequacy in the art of thriftiness and penny-pinching – and your ego just soars!  “Wifey” you say, “Let’s take the kids out to Marsha’s Meatball Mish-Mash for dinner tonight!” 

“Oh, I don’t know honey… Can we afford it?”  She sighs.

“Wifey…. My calculations say that we CAN! For once let’s just throw caution to the wind and enjoy ourselves!” You say as you lovingly scoop her up and yell for the kids to “Load Up – We’re Going to Marsha’s!”

Ahhhhhhh – the smell of the mish-mash buffet, perfectly buttered side dishes and that cold mug of beer. “Now This…”. You think to yourself, “is JUST what the doctor ordered.”  As you watch your family laughing, sharing and teasing each other; everyone smiling as they offer you their quiet praise,  for being the world’s BEST Dad!

You’re done with your face-feeding & beer drinking and Annie, your friendly and ever-so-cheerful waitress drops off your bill; As she diligently picks up your 5^th round of dirty plates and crumpled up “mystery-napkins” all under her left arm while holding a tray of what-not’s under the right.  You carefully decipher her post-baccalaureate handwriting, scouring the tab for errors and over-chargings and you come to the determination that it is in fact CORRECT! 

Annie quickly returns to cash you out, once she sees that facial expression that tells her you are finished second-guessing her calculations and she offers to “take your bill up for you.”  You carefully count out three twenty’s and two one’s to cover the $61.98 food and drink bill that she has delivered.  You hand her the money while looking up at her with the warmest smile.  Annie returns moments later with your 2 pennies and sweetly tells you to “have a great night, enjoy your weekend – And COME BACK SOON!”  “You too dear, and thank you.” you exclaim as you plop down two – one dollar bills and scoot on out the door.  Knowing that per your budget…. You might be back in two weeks if your penny-pinching goes as well as you hope!  At this point, you’re pretty sure it will – as your status update now reads “Life is good!”

Humor me as we re-cap.

Your pay has been cut.  The price of gas is just plain ludicrous. Your heating, electric and other utilities seem to be rising as fast as your income is shrinking. Quite frankly, you find this all very depressing.  However, a night out with your family – eating something other than Wifey’s mystery meat is somehow rewarding and makes you feel like a member of society.  It sort of takes the sting out of your lifestyle adjustments; and rightfully so.  But skimping on Annie’s tip…. Not cool!  

You see, Annie is more than likely feeling a financial pinch too.  She does live in the same community, RIGHT?  So why do you choose to cut HER pay. 
 If you’re claiming you don’t know proper tip-etiquette… I suggest you run out to your Jeep and quickly open the TipAdvisor App on your Iphone and figure it out. 
In this case – Annie took a 12% pay cut.  Shame, shame. 
Rest assured however, that Annie will probably be your server the next time you come back.
So Indeed, Have a great night! And please do….COME BACK SOON!  J