The Michigan legislature certainly has been busy during their lame-duck session, though I wonder what their hurry is because in January the state House and Senate will still be GOP controlled and the GOP governor isn't going anywhere. But it was dispiriting to listen to the Michigan news from the NPR station in Ann Arbor on my way home from teaching.
The House passed a Right-to-Work bill this afternoon and the Senate followed this evening. All during the fall campaign while a state amendment requiring union bargaining was on the ballot Gov. Snyder played coy and said he wouldn't give his position on a Right-to-Work bill though he would rather the legislators would not touch something so divisive. But now that the election is over and the lawmakers are in the process of passing it the Gov. is all, "Bring it on! I'll sign it!"
For those who are wondering, the name of the bill is a euphemism. What they mean is "the right to work without being forced to pay union dues." And that translates to gutting unions. What GOP lawmaker isn't for that? This is a bill that benefits only the 1%.
In the comments Howie says it quite well (in part):
"Right to work" = right to low wages.I add: Right to work = be lucky you have a freakin job.
"Right to work" = right to no benefits.
"Right to work" = right to unsafe workplace environment.
"Right to work" = right to no job security.
It is good to see union people put up a good fight at the Capitol today, though they were working alongside Tea Party people working for what the unions were working against. Huffington Post has pictures of the protestors who have been in the Capitol ever since the GOP leadership announced the bill was on a fast track. The protests were unruly enough that the police closed the building. But the Dems got a judge to reverse that order and the protesters streamed back in.
Oh, the GOP was just getting started.
Also likely to pass (and already through the Senate) is a bill to allow health providers, facilities (hotels?), and insurers to refuse to serve based on religious objections. Any guess on a big target? Yup, gay people. And those who want an abortion.
To make that second part perfectly clear the Senate passed a separate series of bills to prohibit the upcoming health care exchanges of the Affordable Care Act from including coverage of abortion in basic policies, meaning such coverage must be purchased separately. And this is after the same state GOP refused to set up a state-run exchange, telling the feds to run it for us. Yup, they're saying we don't want to run the exchange, but any exchange in Michigan must play by our rules.
And they still aren't done.
Next up is a series of bills on education. Over the last year the state set up a "statewide" school district and took over the 15 worst schools in Detroit. I can see -- sort of -- why this might be necessary. But suddenly the GOP wants to expand that concept, even though it has been functioning only since September and results are unproven. A big problem with the system is that there is no local school board for parents to complain to. There are other bills in the package and I don't understand them all. I'll only say that if the GOP is backing them the intended goal is to gut the quality of education in the state (except for their kids). Gut education? Peasants don't need no stinkin education!
Union busting. Denial of service for religious reasons. Education busting. Busy session indeed.
I wonder if the GOP in Michigan saw the results of the last election (though the state Senate wasn't up for election and the GOP in the House lost seats, but not their majority) and began to panic. Perhaps they are thinking: How much of our agenda can we impose on the state before they boot us from office? And you can be sure what's left of the unions will work hard to make that happen.
On the national scene: Boehner is being blasted for giving away too much in his opening offer to avoid the fiscal bluff.
I just want them to grow up or go away. At least consider someone (anyone!) beyond the 1%. Yeah, I know, not likely, not soon.
And to finish off the day…
A bullied gay teen committed suicide in Fenton, a town I drive past when I visit my parents. School officials say there were no reports of bullying. Commenters say there had to be at least someone on the faculty or administration who knew about it. And did nothing.
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