Comments on: Big Centralized Government is a Michigan Republican Value

By: Theo

Theo — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:13:06 +0000

It is worth noting why the MI GOP is becoming more antigay when the populace at large is becoming less so.

MI, it turns out, is the home of two of the wealthiest anti-gay families in the United States. The Prince family and the DeVos family each have vast wealth at their disposal. Both families are radically conservative evangelical and both deploy their wealth to further a conservative Christian political agenda. They fund the MI GOP. A DeVos actually was the GOP candidate for governor in 2006, and his campaign was lavishly financed and almost entirely self-funded. Dick DeVos likely would be governor today had he opted to try again in 2010. Beyond the GOP, these families support Christian Right groups, including the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family through their foundations. If and when the NOM mega-donors become publicly known, I suspect that a Prince or a DeVos or both will be among them

Like some hideous modern version of a medieval royal marriage, the two families became joined when Betsy Prince married Dick DeVos. Their family money is a major reason that you are seeing legislation like this at this time.
.

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:17:36 +0000

@Priya Lynn:

“So, the best government would be no government at all.”

Exactly, and Welcome to Somalia. A great place to live as long as you’re a large straight Muslim male with a gun.

Good piece here about nexus between Somalia and the trajectory of today’s GOP:

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/somalia-libertarian-paradise-by.html

By: Priya Lynn

Priya Lynn — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:11:13 +0000

“I BELIEVE the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations, and that the best government is that which governs least.”.

So, the best government would be no government at all.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:39:26 +0000

chiMaxx,

I misunderstood. You are discussing HB 4214, also known as Public Act 4. I thought PA-4 referred to Pennsylvania law (and it does… another PA-4) and thus had no idea how it reflected on Michigan Republicans.

PA-4 certainly seems broader in scope, but also seems to only come into effect if there is financial collapse of the municipality and thus is avoidable (sorry if that isn’t exactly correct, I know less about that bill). So – to me – it seems like less of an absolute disregard of local control. But I’m not arguing with your interpretation as to which is worse – both stink of being a power grab.

BTW, the Governor declared (there’s really no other word for it) that 4770 and 4771 don’t cover the University system.

By: StraightGrandmother

StraightGrandmother — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:25:19 +0000

Timothy, you should put in an open records request and look at David Agema, R-Grandville e-mails.

By: StraightGrandmother

StraightGrandmother — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:23:33 +0000

This is shocking, why didn’t I hear of this earlier? I don’t see how these laws can pass Constitutional muster. This is just like Romer vs Evans which the Supreme Court struck down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romer_v._Evans#Supreme_Court_ruling

I’ll tell you what, I am getting awfully impatient for any of the recent sexual minority court cases to make it to the Supreme Court, Prop 8, Golinski vs OPM, and all the DOMA cases. I am sick of sexual minorities being treated unequally to heterosexuals. It just makes my blood boil. And now BTB brings us another government lead attack. It just makes me mad.

By: chiMaxx

chiMaxx — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:02:35 +0000

I thought that was clear from my comment: I disagree that nothing illustrates the truth that Michigan Republicans believe in utilization of state power to coerce compliance by counties and local governments, dictated values, and a class system based on religious dogma more effectively than House Bills 4770 and 4771. I think PA 4 not only “illustrates” that but is the quintessential example. Yes, 4770 and 4771 limit particular powers of local governments, but PA 4 rips those local governments out by the roots. While I disagree with 4770 and 4771, and hope the threatened mass exodus of university teaching staff materializes to combat it, it does not fundamentally undermine the entire system of local government like PA4 does.

In retrospect, I realize this wasn’t your thesis, but just an assertion that I think suffers from hyperbole, given the comparison to PA 4.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:58:52 +0000

chiMaxx,

With which thesis do you disagree?

By: chiMaxx

chiMaxx — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:17:55 +0000

I have to disagree with one of your theses. Yes, HBs 4770 and 4771 are bad bad bad and regressive and everything else, but as an illustration that Michigan’s GOP doesn’t believe their own “individuality” and “local government” rhetoric, they don’t hold a candle to PA 4–the bill that allows the state government to appoint Emergency Managers to usurp local governments.