By Conn carroll - Senior Editorial Writer The Washington Examiner
Thousands of union protesters are expected to descend on the Capitol in Lansing today as Gov. Rick Snyder preparesvto sign legislation making Michigan the nations 24th right to work state. President Obama in Detroit
campaigning for his $1.6 trillion tax hike Monday said the bills dont have to do with economics; they have everything to do with politics." But as
Detroit Free Press columnist Tom Walsh explains that is just not true:
Public employee unions opposed Snyders moves to put more teeth into emergency manager laws that would enable swifter action to rescue cities and school districts that bungled themselves into insolvency.
In Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and a spineless City Council were stonewalled by employee unions at every turn slow-walking needed reforms and cost-cutting while the city burned through cash at a frightening rate.
As a result Snyders patient attempt to help fix Detroit via consent agreement instead of imposing an emergency manager has failed.
To top it off Snyder found himself having to fight off Proposal 2 the ill-advised November ballot attempt to stuff a bag of goodies for organized labor into the Michigan Constitution.
Union political power has allowed Michigan to be an economic basket case for far too long. It is no accident that the state has both
the highest unionization rate and
the highest unemployment rate in the region.
Michigan State Police Inspector Gene Adamczyk declined to say how many Michigan State Police had been called to Lansing to defend the Capitol from union protestors Tuesday. He said divulging the number would cede a tactical advantage" to the protestors.
Lets hope the Michigan State Police do their job and keep the peace today. And that Snyder makes history by bringing economic hope back to Michigan.
