"Emergency Manager" Replaces Elected Officials in Michigan

reply to post by Xcathdra

The argument people are making that there is a difference between the 2 Govenors actions is funny. They both did the same thing. The actions the finance manager took under the new Govenor had that same ability when Granholm was Govenor.

Expect that they didn't do the same thing. When Granholm was governor democratically elected councilman had votes

By the way Governor is spelled with an "r" in the middle

Arguing with you is like racing a 6 month old.

there is nothing in Benton Harbor of value for the government to take. I live here I'm sitting here right now. The place is a whole that money has disappeared into for years now they want some accounting and people welcome it.

FEMA?????

reply to post by mikellmikell


Fema has nothing to do with it, I was just correcting another member (again), so ignore that it wasn't to you.

I don't care if there is nothing there is "nothing of value for the government to take." it's not an excuse to override the government!!! EVER!

If it is so bad there, let the entire town fail, turn off the lights, close the schools. the people will either start paying attention or leaving.

That is how these things naturally go, we dont need dictator-like financial intervention. Not now, not ever

They didn't send him in to over ride they sent Harris in to help and they refused to work with him to get things under control. totally refused to work with a professional to get their problems under control. Another town three oaks had a helper for less than 3 month because they worked with him.

They are millions in the hole so what do they want to do build an new office building because the one they are in is too old.

Harris is the best thing to happen to this place.

reply to post by mikellmikell


I would refuse to give power to an un-elected official too if hes going to make decisions affecting the people of the city. If the emergency manager really thinks he can make a difference, he can run for office.

Here is a question I posed to another user (that he didn't answer):

If President Obama said "congress is a mess and cannot get it's house in order, so I am appointing a committee to take care of all legislative issues" would you support him?

Your answer has to be yes, because it is the very same thing as the Benton Harbor situation just on a larger scale.

I look forward to seeing you try to weasel out of this question

reply to post by Skerrako


My answer would be no because the US Constitution specifically prohibits that from occuring, where as in Michigan the law allows it, and there are currently no laws on the books in the cities to specifically prevent it. Not to mention that, also like the Federal Constitution, State laws will have supremacy over local laws if their is a conflict.

Also, managers for cities are not elected (unless they have that particular hybrid style of government, but I have yet to see one). The City Manager is an appointed poisition by city council, who are acting on behalf of the people who voted them into office.

As I said before in many other threads - If people dont like the law, then change it. Either get involved or quit bitching.. It really is that simple.

reply to post by Xcathdra


The U.S. constitution prohibits many things that go on now a days. So you only say no to my question because the constitution prohibits it? Meaning that if the constitution didn't prohibit it you would be all for it?
You my friend need a moral compass

If people dont like the law, then change it. Either get involved or quit bitching.. It really is that simple.

Riiiiight. Oh I am involved, but if you haven't noticed politicians don't listen to you unless your giving them money, sex or favors.

If it were that easy the holocaust would have never happened.

You can't simply tell someone "well if you don't like it change it" when it comes to issues like these. They are set up in a way that you cannot change them without going through the person that it would effect!

Tell me: How are they supposed to change the law WHEN THEY CAN NO LONGER VOTE ON IT?

Your argument is absolutely infantile and lacks any true understanding of the scope of this situation

reply to post by Skerrako


These are usually the cia plants the the goverment uses to spy on city govenrments and when the # hits the fan along gcomes the EMERGENCY MANAGER. What the hell is a EMERGENCY manager anyway. Let me do a search for the job description on a job search site.

reply to post by Skerrako


WOW. CIA plant indeed. Look at the description. OMFG


en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by Rocky Black

WOW. CIA plant indeed. Look at the description. OMFG


en.wikipedia.org...

Yeah that sounds about right.

......No can I go to college to become a mini dictator or can I go right out of high school?

I wonder if this is happening because Detroit is filled with poor people, people without the voice to put an end to this?

What is happening is pretty clear:

The US is in the process of collapse, and the Republicans are staking out personal fiefdoms and dictatorships, while accelerating it for their own benefit.

I've yet to meet a Republican who actually believed in the democratic process. They have little to no experience with it, since all corporations and small businesses are essentially run as dictatorships, that's pretty much what their mindset is when entering government: THEY are now in charge and will brook no dissent or questioning; if you do, you're fired, as witness Benton Harbor.

So far as I can see, the upper levels of the Republican Party are filled with traitors, and the upper levels of Democrats are filled with supine collaborationists, too gutless to stand up to the spreading rot.

USA, meet USSR in the dustbin of history.

Can we please build a crappy nuke plant in DC and on Wall Street and let them both meltdown?

reply to post by Skerrako


Moral Compass... Dont think so.. You asked a question and I answered it. If you are going to attempt to draw a paralell then maybe you should have used an example that is at the same level as the situation in Michigan, and not use a Federal comparison that is not a comparison at all.

The Constitution is open to interpretation and change.. If it werent black people would still count as only a partial person.

In Michigan its a law.. The law does not violate the State Constitution, and until the people repeal the law, it is what it is.

Its been there for some time... its nothing new....


And so I understand your argument, you are saying that because politicians dont listen to the people, that we should just not vote or get involved? How exactly does that solve anyhting?

The only thing infantile in this is the manner in which you twist the situation in order to fear monger. Please explain how you come to the conclusion about voting out the law if they cant vote? You do understand how basic politics work right? In this case, the people of the STATE would need to vote to repeal the law, since its a STATE law. City Council would not be able to vote on trepealing the law because they are LOCAL and not STATE.

See the difference there?


and as I said since post 1 for me.. Your title is misleading as they are finance managers and not city managers. There is a difference contrary to your thought process.

reply to post by antar


In Detroit, its the Public School district who has the finance manager. In the other cities, including Benton Harbor, its the city themsleves that have a Finance Manager.

Todays installmentTodays installment

Jesssie came town WOOOHOOO!! Everythings good now just march and join his club for a mere $35 a year

Jessie Day

A couple of mopre bits of information that may be useful to those that oppose the EM in Benton Harbor

And the editor fills in a few more details


Business investment and background

Mr. Colbert sees it as many of us here do.

Except for the government mouthpiece xchathdra of course.....

hulu