(Michigan's) EM referendum won't be on November ballot (due to font size on the petitions)

[Bozita]

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

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This is democracy, GOP style!

[ProfessionalLeftist]

1. This is hideous - what state is next?

That's what concerns me.

[sakabatou]

2. OFFS!

This is sickening!

[catbyte]

3. I knew this would happen. One member of the Board of Canvassers brought the

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]

4. What a disgusting excuse........

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]

7. It's so sickening. One bagger Board of Canvassers

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]

18. Everyone in Michigan has representative government, its called the state government.

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. A jackhammer is a tool. So Mi. citizens should have jackhammer governance?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

23. Its not jack hammer governance

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]

25. So you believe a fascist governor should be able to overthrow democratically elected local officials

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]

26. No, and that is not what the original EM law does

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]

27. I never said that local officials should be untouchable

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]

28. You might want to take a better look at the original EM law...it was more sweeping than many

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]

29. Just because Granholm did it that does not make it OK

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]

30. What Granholm did was more than OK, its was necessary, even overdue

so yes a Democratic govenor did effectively relieve local officials to protect the citizens

[MichiganVote]

31. Oh riiiiiiiightttt...this Governor and the Legislature salivate for the

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]

32. What entirely new law?

While I do not agree with all of it, the concept is sound. The people have to be protected.

[Bozita]

5. link to video...

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/04/deadlocked_vote_on_petitions_a.html

[RC]

6. What condition is Michigan's Supreme Court in?

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]

8. Stacked with Repukes. No hope there. Michigan gov't is in a world of hurt and if we don't take

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]

22. Riots comin'

[Bozita]

13. Local newscast said petitioners would head to the state's Court of Appeals, bypassing circuit courts

[gratuitous]

9. The question, Michigan voters, is this

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]

10. How's this font size?

[font size=7] FUCK YOU GOP FASCISTS!!!![font size=1]

[Trajan]

19. LOL ....

That seems a little easier to read ....

[KamaAina]

11. Could the printer be a repuke?

And have tampered with the font size deliberately?

[Bozita]

12. Printer swears he used 14pt. type.

[LiberalFighter]

17. Don't print reduce in size when copied on copiers?

[Posteritatis]

14. Even by the standards that is astoundingly petty. (nt)

[eyewall]

15. This decision is just as dictatorial as the law the petition is intended to help repeal.

sounds like the sort of thing an emergency manager would do.

[freshwest]

16. Rethugs are putting it all out there for all to see. The gloves off now. Get to court, Michigan!

[HeiressofBickworth]

20. Ah, the system is working just as the Koch Bros. intended

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]

24. California Sec State has used damn near the same tactics previously

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