Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Signs Laws Restricting Unions (Right To Work)

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

Dec 11 (Reuters) - Michigan's Republican Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday signed into law a pair of measures banning mandatory membership of labor unions in a state that is home to the auto industry and birthplace of the United Auto Workers union.

His signature makes Michigan the nation's 24th "right-to-work" state and only the second in the industrial Midwest.

"I have signed these bills into law," Snyder said at a press conference.

--clip
Opponents of the laws have vowed to try to overturn them in the courts or through a ballot initiative. They also could try to force recall elections of some lawmakers who supported right-to-work.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/11/usa-unions-michigan-sign-idUSL1E8NBF0B20121211

[msongs]

1. dear michigan, you voted for these people. hope you're happy with the outcomes nt

[jwirr]

3. Yes, this is one of the things I do not understand.

[earthside]

18. It is understandable.

And ... there is an important lesson here.

Democrats do not get out to vote when their leader (in this case Pres. Obama in December 2009) caves on ending the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000 a year.

Make no mistake, the reason Democrats stayed home in the 2010 elections was because Pres. Obama let go of the health care insurance reform called the 'public option' and because he caved on the tax cut question in 2009.

It is absolutely vital that we don't let Pres. Obama negotiate or compromise away the most core, fundamental values during this 'fiscal cliff' event ... or we will have a repeat of the Tea Party wave election of 2010 in 2014.

[bloomington-lib]

22. I voted, but if my dislike for republicans wasn't so strong, I would have stayed home for those

exact reasons...especially the renewal of the Bush tax cuts. I lost a lot of wind in my sail at that time.

[MichiganVote]

10. The Gov. race was 58%/40%. So roughly 40% of Mi. voters did not vote Repub.

Snyder also bankrolled his own campaign to the tune of $6mill. First Guv other than Romney who had never held elective office and took the state's top spot.

[still_one]

15. that is the problem, what did they think would happen? A lot of labor also voted for Reagan because

They were angry with Carter

I would like to believe everyone has learned a very hard lesson from this

Not only labor, but women, minorities, and those who believe in "we the people".

By the way that doesn't include corporations, they are not people

[Drunken Irishman]

19. A lot of voters are perfectly fine cutting off their noses to spite their face.

And then they get all angry and emotional when things don't turn out like they expected.

[rsmith6621]

2. General Strike Time...

Shut this country down for a day time...

[socialist_n_TN]

20. Yep. I saw this coming RE: MI a mile away..........

When I first saw there was going to be demonstrations called for THE DAY THE BILL WAS SCHEDULED TO BE SIGNED! You would think that we learned from Wisconsin that the electoral route is NOT going to work. Even CONTINUING demonstrations will not work. The only thing that has a chance of working IS strikes, the more widespread the better. Now the Kochs, their toadies like Snyder, and their apologists can say, "Well it's over with now. You're just going to have to live with it until you can repeal it. You might as well give up until the next election."

There should have been Wisconsin style demonstrations from the first time this was even mentioned coupled with a statewide general strike.

[putitinD]

34. its gotta happen!

[DinahMoeHum]

4. Methinks he just signed his political death warrant.

Let the shit fall where it may.

[michreject]

9. He has already said that he doesn't think he running

for reelection.

[marmar]

14. Of course not. He was installed to do this very thing, then high-tail it out of Lansing.

[Blue_Tires]

24. Yeah, he was only installed to rubber stamp orders from ALEC

I'm sure his puppetmasters will always have some political use for him...

[Purveyor]

16. I thought that the minute he 'flip-flopped' and allowed the fast-tracking of this legislation. Sad

day for Michigan and the American working class.

Sad, indeed.

[Doctor_J]

31. You mean like Walker did?

[Purveyor]

5. Blaming the whole damn thing on Proposition 2. Liar. eom

[BlueDemKev]

6. Liberal Michigan voters who didn't bother to vote in 2010...

...are solely to blame for this. The Rethugs are doing exactly what they promised they would do if they were elected. If we don't find a way to motivate our party base to GET OUT AND VOTE in MIDTERMS, we will continue to see assaults on over a half-century of progress.

[upaloopa]

8. Include liberals who voted repuke

People believed they were voting for a business man with a plan to create jobs.

[llmart]

36. You are correct.

I worked with people who were staunch Democrats who told me they voted for Snyder. They were hoodwinked into thinking he was a nonpolitical, centrist businessman. Many lived in Lansing or the Lansing area and said they didn't really like Bernero and I tried to convince them that Snyder would be a true Repuke, but no, they didn't listen. Shortly thereafter these same coworkers were saying, "I am so sorry I voted for him. Look what he's doing."

What do you say to people like this? These are people who are highly educated.

[upaloopa]

43. When I lived in Kalamazoo I voted for Ford

They kept telling us that as Michigan resident it was our duty because Ford would protect the auto industry. I am sorry since it is the only time I voted for a repub. So I can understand how you can go over to the dark side.

[upaloopa]

7. It doesn't effect current in place contracts

and it could be overturned in 2014.

[TForbster]

11. Spam deleted by SidDithers (MIR Team)

[markbark]

12. Organize!

Organize and get a measure on next year's ballot:
If passed it would reduce the salary of members of the legislative and executive branches to minimum wage with NO benefits. Additionally, they would be prohibited from working for any lobbying firm for a period of ten years after leaving office.

Karma's a bitch sometimes.

[Panasonic]

29. Actually, let's give then $0.01 per day.

Then the Republicans may be disinclined to run again.

ALEC needs to be exposed, indicted, and sentenced to DEATH.

[MissNostalgia]

13. What a Christmas Gift

[BE10sCoach]

17. Snyder and Michigan Republicans

These pieces of "human excrement", especially Snyder need to be removerd from office. Snyder lied and went back on his word and this Republican controlled legislature didn't have the guts to wait till the next legislature is sworn in in January or to put it to a vote by the citizens of the state. They had to force and rush it through ASAP, SHAME. Bottom line is in 2010 Democrats and Independents sat home and allowed a small turnout of "Right Wing Nutbags" to take controll of Michigan and many other states and the country is now paying the price (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio) to point out a few states. Organize and vote this "Pond Scum" out in 2014!

[warrprayer]

21. Kochsucker

if unions take this lying down it's all over. We have been sold into servitude.

[SoapBox]

23. wow...I can hardly believe

that this filthy bastard had the balls to do this.

I hope the state comes to a grinding halt over this.

[Coyotl]

25. The hashtag to follow is #righttowork

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23righttowork&src=typd

[Coyotl]

26. DU these: Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Senate Democrats, Michigan House Democrats

On Facebook:

Michigan House Democrats
5,855 likes
http://www.facebook.com/MIHouseDems

=============================
Michigan Democratic Party
14,050 likes
http://www.facebook.com/michigandems

=============================
Michigan Senate Democrats
5,945 likes
http://www.facebook.com/MichiganSenateDemocrats

[Panasonic]

27. Time for the feds to step in and cancel all federal monies to both Wisconsin and Michigan until

the laws are repealed and permanently buried.

Snyder is a snake, and CAN BE subject to a recall, and I hope it happens - fast.

[jehop61]

38. Wait a minute

There are a lot of good progressive DUers in Mi. who voted for Democrats. We should not be punished or tarnished with those who are idiots in this state.

[Panasonic]

40. Wait a minute, nothing. Snyder lied to you, and it's time to take action - and it's time for a

massive recall effort - every single Republican that is subject to recall needs to be recalled NOW.

Elections can be kicked in tomorrow, if forced to do so.

[joeglow3]

44. That would set a great precedent

[Coyotl]

28. DU this LATimes poll:Do you support "right-to-work" legislation?

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mo-michigan-right-to-work-20121211,0,7036554.story

[Panasonic]

30. I voted FUCK NO. and it is at 42%. Rate it up

Why are there morons that think it's good idea to work for less money?

Union STRONG.

[Doctor_J]

32. As seen here and in WI, organizing and protesting

are USELESS. Time to think big, messy thoughts to get the country back

[kimbutgar]

33. People should harass and protest wherever he goes in the state.

If he's in restaurant tweet where he is. Make his life miserable. The "F"er needs to feel the wrath of the people.

[llmart]

37. He's a 1%er.....

He doesn't exactly hang out at places you or I frequent. He rubs elbows only with the elite in Ann Arbor or Lansing. It's not likely you'll see him shopping in a K-Mart or the mall.

[Coyotl]

35. Time to organize a massive low wage workers union nationwide and economy wide

workers united - the LLWU

[muntrv]

39. We in Michigan need to do the same thing Ohio did in response

to John Kasich's anti-worker law.

[randome]

41. I thought this was a lame duck legislature.

Don't Democrats have the majority starting next year? If so, can't they overturn this?

[question everything]

42. Snyder for 2016?

I suppose he will be the "fresh face" the Republicans will be looking for. And busting unions will be a good introductory card.

Still having hard time to understand how can someone like that succeed Jennifer Granholm.

And Romney lost Michigan because he wanted Detroit to fail so how can so many vote for Republicans? OK, so Michiganders are stuck with Snyder until 2014, but what about the House and the Senate?

Jon Stewart, again, had a good take on this. And he had a fair imitation of M&M, er.. Eminem.