To recap: This is America in 2011 and elected officials now have the power to make up reasons to oust other elected officials?!According to the reports, should a locality’s financial position come up short, the Walker legislation would empower the governor to insert a financial manager of his choosing into local government with the ability to cancel union contracts, push aside duly elected local government officials and school board members and take control of Wisconsin cities and towns whenever he sees fit to do so.
Snyder signed a law in March giving power to emergency managers to take over Michigan schools and communities and abrogate union contracts.
Already, Snyder’s declaration of financial martial law offers a glimpse into what Wisconsin’s future will look like if Walker gets his way:
- An emergency financial manager appointed by Snyder has taken charge of Benton Harbor, Mich., and issued an order taking away all powers of the city’s elected officials.
- Robert Bobb, head of Detroit Public Schools and an emergency financial manager, recently sent layoff notices to 5,466 school district workers, including all of its teachers.
- Detroit Mayor David Bing told the Wall Street Journal: "I'm not afraid of an emergency financial manager being named. With a financial manager on the scene, he or she almost becomes God…."
But the thought of Scott Walker appointing someone with godlike powers to step on workers’ rights...is...just....terrifying.
