‘This was the action of a Third World dictator’

[marmar]

from the Detroit Metro Times:


Right-wing power grab
‘This was the action of a Third World dictator’

By Jack Lessenberry
Published: December 12, 2012


After years studying the oppressive regimes of Eastern Europe, I knew exactly what to call what happened with "Right to Work" in Lansing last week: fascism with a human face.

Or, perhaps, tyranny without a tie. The way legislation was rammed through in a single day would have been admired by all of those puppet regimes that used to do Hitler's and Stalin's bidding. (Democracy? Fuck that.)

"We have had more deliberative hearings on something like a new commemorative license plate," state Sen. Steve Bieda (D-Warren) told me. Bieda, one of the state's most thoughtful and creative legislators, added, "As much as I detest the legislation, what's worse is the way they did it."

"This was the action of a Third World dictator," he said. "The governor went back on his word — this governor who was posing as a moderate. This was really a right-wing power grab." .......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://metrotimes.com/columns/right-wing-power-grab-1.1415000

[lunatica]

1. Like I've said elsewhere on DU they lied to get elected

then they ram shit through knowing they'll be recalled or un-elected as soon as people can vote them out.

[Doctor_J]

3. or not

see Walker

[femrap]

13. the unions in MI

put Prop. 2 on the ballot last month. It lost badly. So in effect, the union brought up the topic.

divide and conquer.

And UAW throwing the new workers under the bus.

Unions not picking up on the trend of the great amount of women entering the work force...they didn't try to recruit them...more like the opposite.

I don't know. All workers must unite....but I don't see that.

It all just sucks.

[MessiahRp]

19. Wait so it's the Unions fault that Right Wingers rushed legislation through a lame duck session?

You have some twisted fucking logic about this.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

25. IWW (One Big Union)

http://www.IWW.org

[femrap]

30. A very

good idea.

Also...how about becoming a World Citizen as well?

[Fantastic Anarchist]

32. I'm definitely not tied down to one country.

I like to mingle.

[catbyte]

26. You've got it backwards, femrap.

We saw this coming which is why Prop 2 was put on the ballot. They pulled this shit in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana. Why not here? We had a GOP majority & governor. We aren't STUPID.

[femrap]

29. Well, your

strategy didn't work. Ohio's laws allowed us to vote on SB5 if we garnered enough signatures, which we did.

How did Prop 2 fail so badly at the polls?

As I read it, you're now stuck until 2014...from M. Moore, find Dem candidates that CAN WIN.

Would the lame duck session have acted w/o Prop 2....because after 1/1/13, the numbers were NOT in favor of the repugnants.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

I'm really sorry. I wasn't trying to insult you....just what the article said.

Workers of the world must unite....including the Chinese who are really getting horrible treatment.

You'd think Koch could be put in jail for Treason given how he undermined our Democracy....same w/ ALEC.

As Ted Kennedy asked: "What is it about working people that you hate so much?"

[xchrom]

2. Du rec. Nt

[midnight]

4. K&R

[Cha]

5. Well, now they know.

[Coyotl]

6. Correction: a Fascist Dictator

Let's not be denigrating the Third World with the likes of Michigan Republicans

[dchill]

24. Fascism: It makes all the difference in the world.

[TheAmbivalante]

8. You've nailed it.

What allows the Republicans to get in and pull these corporatist moves is gerrymandering and their target (Maddow called this out a while back) has always been unions.

Look at GOP state legislative bodies and compare the ratio of GOP & DEM seats to the Presidential vote. Red states generally show a huge difference between the two and where an imbalance exists, it always tilts in the favor of the GOP. Gerrymandering kept Walker in office. Gerrymandering made my state red, even though we came in for Claire, Governor Nixon and Obama in '08. Gerrymandering made the GOP wave of two years ago possible. Gerrymandering. It's is crippling this nation, state by state.

FYI - I believe Maddow has a piece on this coming up soon. We must educate ourselves as to where and how redistricting screwed us and fight to get state maps put up for judicial review and overturned. Dtom, I do not believe (I do hope I'm wrong on this) that the feds are going to be helpful here. They have their hands full with the voter suppression fight alone. This feels like a local battle. And as unsexy as it sounds, it must happen.

[TahitiNut]

9. And they continue with Anti-Abortion legislation ...

... that will effectively make it impossible to get an abortion in Michigan.

The fucking BASTARDS!!


I can't even come close to saying how pissed off I am at these neo-Fascist FUCKS!!!

[catbyte]

27. They rammed through 12 pieces of heinous legislation in an all-night session last night

without even reading them. I am beyond outraged. Beyond enraged. Beyond disgusted. This will not stand in my state.

[TahitiNut]

31. Those Kochroaches are funded by Koch and get orders from Koch (via ALEC).

Their "constituents" (Kochsuckers) feed on Faux Nooze filled with Koch-funded propaganda, attend tax-exempt Tealibornagain 'churches' with pastors having mail-order 'divinity degrees,' shop at Wal*Mart while hating them "godless Commies" and go out and shoot Bambi to celebrate the Holidaze ... and are so narcotized that they don't realize their "representatives" are treasonous Fascist fucks!!! Then, once every couple of years, they get pissed that them 'colored' are allowed to vote!!!

Dumfukistan.

[limpyhobbler]

10. k/r

[JDPriestly]

11. It will take time, but I have a feeling the law will be changed

back to the way it was. The right to organize is deep in our consciousness here in the US. Michigan residents will miss that right. They have no idea what it means. Even if you don't belong to a union, maybe especially if you don't belong to a union, you benefit from the tough work that unions do.

I'm stickin' to the union.

[jtuck004]

15. I wish you were correct,but I think you are wrong about

this >The right to organize is deep in our consciousness here in the US.

People here don't even remember (and many were never taught) how any why we got it.

We are living the subservient vision of Samuel Gompers instead of Eugene Debs idea of struggle until the worker no longer has to ask, i.e.freedom, and accepting their paltry amount for pay, or food stamps, or nothing on bended knee, as business wants it. Thugs are always good at beating up on people. It remains to be seen whether the people will stand up, again, and stop it.

Just my observation, anyway.

People remember things when they think about them and re-live them, and it seems virtually no one remembers who paid and what the price was to mount a successful fight against vengeful capitalism.

Now it's just arguing over which knee to bend when Mr. Charlie speaks, left or right.

[another_liberal]

12. This will not stand!

This will not stand!

[condoleeza]

16. God, I hope not

Anyone know what the options for a reversal are now?

[Stuart G]

14. K and R nt

[loudsue]

17. People need to start seeing the republican infiltration into "moderate" and "democratic" politics

for what it is...Hell yes it's a power grab. Well financed. Well coordinated. Intentional.

[Luminous Animal]

18. The U.S. fascist history of "right to work"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021968101

[bubba4249]

20. What if?

Just imagine if the Republicans had won the senate and the White House. Everything in the United states would be exactly like it is in Michigan and other republican controlled states. it would be their way or the highway. That is why I believe that the President should do exactly what the Republicans would do. We should all remember that the so called fiscal cliff was their idea in the first place. If the republican were holding the upper hand, they would simply say "agree with us or we go over the cliff." Remember when one of the republican jerks said his idea of compromise was when the democrats came around to his point of view? The President should and must use this same example.

[ReRe]

21. 3rd World 'Dick-tater....

...in a ROGUE NATION !!!! Democracy seems to be dying!

[mwb970]

22. This is going to be a difficult century for America.

Like the weather, the American Taliban gets worse and worse with each passing month. More un-American, more un-Christian, more inhuman. The level of evil on the right is becoming terrifying. Especially since they are the ones with the power, the money, and the guns.

At 63, I've seen the best of America, but that's in the past. I'm afraid it's all downhill from here, folks. I hear it's nice in Sweden.

[catbyte]

28. I'm 57, and I am afraid I have to agree, mwb. Things started going to hell when they elected Reagan.

I saw it then.

[Politicub]

23. Bingo. Perfect way to describe it.