McCarthyism Returns

by Leo Sell, Chair, Legislative Committee

Interesting isn’t it that for certain people at the Michigan Legislature local control ends whenever they disagree with the local entity or wish to force their narrow perspective onto all regardless of the law. Witness what’s happened here and there with contract extensions by a number of school districts, universities, and colleges. Some didn’t like the idea that LOCAL people found it MUTUALLY agreeable and beneficial to extend their contract in advance of the implementation of Right to Work (for less!!!). Leadership from those institutions were recently called on the carpet with a demand to “explain yourselves!!” and ornery statements about trying to circumvent the legislature’s will.

Not to mention threats to cut appropriations. Bullying and intimidation tactics that would make Joe McCarthy proud. And there are those who took the coward’s way out and refused to stand up to the bullying.

It is so very important that we working people work hard between now and the 2014 election to make it possible to throw these people out.

Let me be frank. The voters need to punish the Republican party. Because of their right wing extremist policies and long ago discredited economic approaches, our institutions, cities, safety nets, higher ed, K-12 ed, roads, environment, economic opportunity, health care system, are all crumbling around our ears. This must not continue.

Voting rights, women’s rights, economic rights, human rights, and so much more, are at greater risk than ever.

We must change that.  If WE don’t vote differently, WE may not be allowed to vote AT ALL in the not too distant future. It just would not be hard for this country to go back to “free, white, male, and property-owning” as the requirements to cast a ballot. Not hard at all.

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