Hey, look! Indiana passed an Emergency Dictator law too! Seems like a trend! Which majority-black

[HiPointDem]

city will be next to be ruled by a dictator? Because so far, it's all majority-black cities getting this treatment. Before Michigan's law was repealed, half the black citizens in the state were under dictatorship during the administration of our first black president. How ironic! Never fear, though, Rick Snyder is fast tracking Emergency Dictator v. 2.0, this time with a provision so the citizenry can't repeal. Yay, democracy!!!


*****

As I wrote about in January, the Indiana Senate decisively passed an Emergency Manager bill similar to but different than Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law. The vote was 48-1. Last Friday, the Indiana House passed the Emergency Manager bill unanimously, 96-0.

It’s interesting that, like in Michigan, the state government is strangling local municipalities by either taking away revenue sharing or by limiting how much they can collect in taxes, putting many of them, particularly those in areas hard hit by the recession and a fleeing manufacturing base, in an emergency situation. All that’s left to do now is blame the unions.

As I wrote about before, this legislation more closely resembles the prior iteration of Michigan’s Public Act 4. However, all it took was for GOP majorities on both houses of the legislature and in the governor’s office to make it more anti-democratic, anti-union, and pro-privatization...

That said, Michigan’s Emergency Manager law went through two previous incarnations before it ended up where it is today. If you are in Indiana, I highly suggest you follow this closely. It’s a very slippery slope that can lead to anti-democratic disenfranchisement of your poorest residents.

http://www.eclectablog.com/2012/03/indiana-house-of-representatives-passes.html

[xchrom]

1. du rec. nt

[Selatius]

2. ... So that's what a one-party dictatorship looks like. nt

[another_liberal]

3. What is it called . . .

What is it called when all State power and authority is in the hands of the wealthiest few? Oh yeah, it's called, "Republican majorities in the legislature and a Republican governor."

Now let us pray:

"Oh mighty and all wise Koch Brothers, may thy will be done here, as it is in Texas!"

[Ford_Prefect]

4. Guess what they will do when the Tea Party all the Time Nazis take their seats in North Carolina?

You can bet that not one of them said anything about doing this kind of thing during the elections. They are lying, cheating bastards who should be run out of town tomorrow if not sooner... And send Scalia and Roberts with them for good measure.

[caraher]

6. At best they're a bunch of anti-democracy cowards

Same thing with Right to Work here... in 2010 exactly zero Republicans ran for office promising to pass such legislation.

Sadly, Indiana's electorate is not savvy enough to realize how badly they're being screwed. Instead of voting the bums out, the Republicans actually gained seats in November, to the point where Democrats no longer have enough representatives to stage a quorum-killing walkout like the one that delayed the RTW law one year.

[caraher]

5. Crap!

I hadn't heard a peep about this, and I live in Indiana! Part of that may be that I live in a rural area where 1-party Republican rule is an established fact of life. Still, this is a major failure of the media.

One question, though... did Gov. Daniels sign it? My quick Google search did not indicate that he had (though I can't think of a reason he wouldn't). So did it actually become law?

[dotymed]

7. The anti-union part was the first order of business.

As I wrote about before, this legislation more closely resembles the prior iteration of Michigan’s Public Act 4. However, all it took was for GOP majorities on both houses of the legislature and in the governor’s office to make it more anti-democratic, anti-union, and pro-privatization...

The very first piece of legislation signed into law (2002 I think) when Gov. Daniels was elected, was a law requiring all state employees to resign from the Union. BTW, Gov. Daniels is Bush's ex-budget director. He refused to live in the Governors mansion and built a mansion in a gated community in the very wealthiest suburb of Indianapolis.

[HiPointDem]

9. +1

[Laelth]

8. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[hootinholler]

10. Anyone know if there is an ALEC model bill for this? n/t