My friends and I, along with many dedicated democracy lovers in the statewide coalition Stand Up for Democracy, have spent over a year and a half campaigning and fighting for our basic right to home rule in the state of Michigan. We ran an honest and earnest
petition drive with great integrity, and that is why we prevailed. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it, and with plenty more hard work and a bit of luck, we will enjoy success in the good fight in November.
Yet, after battling so hard, and for so long, to get the referendum to repeal Public Act 4 –the Emergency Manager Law on the Michigan ballot, you’d think I’d sympathize with the struggles of all other such campaigns for ballot initiatives, right?
Wrong! — Dead wrong!
There are six proposals on the Michigan ballot this Fall. Four are legitimate ballot questions that deserve electoral consideration….. but not Proposal 6.
It’s Prop 6 that really gets my goat — and for good reason, or I should say reasons.
If you live in Michigan and own a functioning TV set, you know all about Prop 6, and you probably have exercised use of the mute function on your remote more than usual these past few months.
Prop 6 is the ballot proposal initiated on behalf of the Moroun family, owners of the aged
Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. The proposal requires a statewide election to approve any future bridges or tunnels to Canada where state funds are involved. Just to be clear, even if the bulk of the funding were from other sources, MDOT would still have to, by law, weigh-in on the project –because,duh…that’s their job. So, Prop 6 would effectively challenge ALL international infrastructure projects to electoral consideration.
Here are three solid reasons to be disgusted with Prop 6 (in no particular order):
1. The ads themselves are just plain annoying in their sheer frequency — I mean, really, hasen’t it been fucking enough already people? – like a political Chinese water torture?
2. The ads are more than fact-challenged — they are unabashedly based on complete lies. (And yes, this is the most important reason.) Just today my mailbox contained an 11.5 x 6 glossy piece of steaming horseshit claiming the bridge will cost Michigan taxpayers $3.5 billion dollars at the expense of kids, even though in truth it is fully funded by the Canadian government, because they (unlike the myopic money-grubbing morons in our state legislature) understand the long-term importance of infrastructure to our recovering economy. The Truth Squad at The Center for Michigan gave a “Flagrant Foul” rating for inaccuracy to the group producing these flights of fancy who call themselves “The People Should Decide Ballot Committee”.
The latest angle they’ve taken is to attempt to scare voters into thinking the bridge will rob money from schools and firefighters leaving working class families even more vulnerable in our unsteady economy. But what’s truly wobbly here are their arguments against the bridge…and possibly the Ambassador Bridge itself.
3. This ballot question is waaaay too specific for a constitutional amendment to begin with. Even if they hadn’t pulled wildly fabricated reasons out of their asses, the question is simply inappropriate for constitutional inclusion. It’s the equivalent of putting local zoning ordinances to a statewide vote. If any municipality wishes to build a bridge across a river to Canada they should enjoy the autonomy of home rule and answer the question within their community. The residents of Ishpeming or Washtenaw should not have any say on a bridge in Detroit — and if they want to weigh-in, then they should move to Detroit. The real estate is a bargain I hear.
Prop 6 is nothing more than a bunch of rich asshole friends of the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, the Moroun family, pooling their millions to attempt to hijack and re-purpose the on-going progressive movement to protect education, public services, and our teachers and firefighters.
Tell your friends not to be fooled.
We busted our asses on the referendum to repeal PA-4 — it earned its rightful place on the ballot this November through the integrity of process and the weight of the matter, but to see Prop 6 on the same ballot — as if it carries the same gravitas, is a disgrace.
Vote NO on proposal six!
Amy Kerr Hardin
The legislation for the bridge was defeated twice by the State Legislature. Snyder used the equivelant of executive fiat to finance the bridge after elminating business taxes in Michigan. Now think about that. If we have been deceived by Snyder and end up paying (some form of expenses) for the bridge, that will impact the people of the State but not the business’s because they don’t pay any tax in Michigan. Combine this with another insideous ballot proposal that would require a 75% approval to increase taxes in the State and we have a major problem. Ford, GM, Amway and Chrysler are the major benefactors of the new bridge but won’t be held accountable for its potential cost. I think it is time to rethink your position and while you are at it do a article on that tax proposal. Until we get business to pay their share of taxes in Michigan, we shouldn’t lock in a restriction on our ability to generate income for the State.
I wish I could repost this on my facebook but the naughty language will prevent me from doing so. I have MANY students, former students, and parents connected to my facebook and I can’t afford to offend them with the language. Can you post a cleaner version since I agree with everything you say here?
I am a shameless potty-mouthed progressive, but I will try to clean-up my language now and again. Thanks for the input Robert!
I also agree that prop 5 will tie the hands of government in ways that will never benefit “the people” as it will affect the lowering of taxes for those who need tax relief as well as increasing taxes for those who have been taking unfair advantage of the state by paying no taxes. Giving a small group (13 or 16 – can’t recall exactly at the moment) legislators power to block any tax legislation is asking for big trouble. I had understood that the Mulroon’s were also the initiators of prop 5, but whether they are or not, it is a dangerous proposition, that has some appeal – until you consider the ramifications. I totally agree with you about prop 6 and could add a few more reasons to object to it, as I’m sure you could. My vote this year will be NO on 1,5,6 and YES on 2,3,4.
I am hoping that people for a saner government will win back a few legislative seats, but most of that will happen in two years, when hopefully we will also get to outlaw Fracking and protect our most vital resource. I personally think another international crossing could be an important benefit to the state, especially as the economy recovers, but it should be self-supporting and not present an additional burden on at tax base that at present simply cannot afford it. Decisions of this nature should be decided by the legislature, not by a public vote or Governor’s edict as it would effect the state economy much more than local economies, except at the actual point of entry/exit. Delray of course could really use a boost, though most of the community would likely get relocated to facilitate trade related facilities. The poor would get screwed again.
Regarding language. I would suppose that the students of an age to actually read and be interested in these postings would also appreciate the emotional impact of the language used and also appreciate that adults do have passion and can honestly express their outrage in what is really the common language of our culture. Teaching our children that being an adult requires a split personality or pretense and attempting to “protect” them from free expression is, to me counterproductive. I guess I still believe the saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones (a very real fear in a growing neo-conservative world), but words will never hurt me” We need to promote the outrage of the upcoming generation and refuse to educate them to continued apathy and perception of inevitability. Fighting times, need passion arousing, fighting words. As a minister, I have had to train myself to express my passion in ways that don’t use supposed NPC language, and the self training transition can be easily noted in an “over the years” review of my personal blog. I for one, find your call to fuck the fucking fuckers refreshing and honest. I think that now, more than ever before we need to welcome our children to the “real world” and we can’t do that without expressing that they are inheriting a real pile of shit created by uncaring assholes who will fuck them over (and have) at the drop of a hat.
Another good article Amy. You never let us down. Thanks.