Benton Harbor EFM Suspends City Commission Voting Powers

[OneAngryDemocrat]

Source: WSJM

Benton Harbor Emergency Financial Manager Joseph Harris has suspended the powers of the city commission. On Saturday, news broke that Harris had issued an order on Thursday stating that the elected leadership of the city may no longer hold votes on any matter, other than to start a meeting, adjourn a meeting, and approve a meeting's minutes.

Read more: http://www.wsjm.com/Benton-Harbor-EFM-Suspends-Voting-Powers-Of-City-C/9633751

---

Democracy doesn't die silently. It dies with thunderous applause (http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2011/04/however_imperfect_emergency_fi.html).

[aquart]

1. Where are the courts?

[Ozymanithrax]

2. The coup d'état continues... n/t

[think]

3. 1984

[donquijoterocket]

4. I've seen

it described as Stalinesque and while I'm not much given to hyperbole or other overstatement of the case I believe that might legitimately apply in this instance.I've hear too that Scotty Walker has similar plans for Wisconsin, although I'd suppose implementation of such might hang on whether either his majority or he survives recall.

[think]

11. I'll accept my numeric reference as hyperbolye

if they'll accept that Americans for Prosperity, Freedom Works, and The Partiot Act are forms of double speak..

[are el]

12. Stalinesque

[are el]

13. more Stalinesque

[Casandia]

5. I posted info on a protest for Benton Harbor earlier today

On Wednesday, April 27th there will be a march/rally in Benton Harbor, Michigan in response to the usurping of the rights and democratic process of their city government and their citizens by empowering a non-elected Emergency Financial Manager to take over the day-to-day operations of Benton Harbor.

Here's the link to get a clearer background to what is going on

http://www.politicalruminations.com/2011/03/corporations-behind-michigans-unconstitutional-efm-law.html

[OneAngryDemocrat]

6. Do you have a link to more protest info?

???

[Casandia]

10. Here's a link through facebook

https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=180701291976943

[Lifelong Protester]

7. This is a big ef-ing deal. I hope there are HUGE protests over this

I used to live in South Haven, MI and know Benton Harbor. This is nothing more than a move to disenfranchise minorities.

I ask you, HOW MUCH OF THIS ARE WE GOING TO TAKE?? ANYONE

(sorry for the caps, it just really makes me angry and scared! are we like sheep to the slaughter on this issue of Governors exerting extreme powers, with the help of "their" legislature??)

[Lifelong Protester]

8. Oh, and this quote from the Detroit Free Press is rich...

"Elected officials, however, are always connected to someone with an interest in the process. If not public employee unions, then the quasi-private industries that exist primarily to do business with governments."

Really?? Like the KOCH boys????

[Scuba]

9. Would almost make you think the Detroit Free Press is really the Detroit Bought-and-Paid-For Press.

[AsahinaKimi]

14. I could have sworn that

Benton Harbor was CHICKEN MAN!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcQfy1SavdQ

[LisaM]

15. They chose an easy target. This is very concerning.

First, I didn't believe for a minute that this wouldn't happen. Benton Harbor is 90% black (or so). It also is home to a huge corporation that probably doesn't pay taxes (Whirlpool). It also has - guess what - lots of desirable waterfront property!

If you don't think the intent of this is to drop a lot of that property into the hands of crony real estate developers, then you are not paying enough attention.

The problem is, Benton Harbor has a bad reputation in the state. There is high crime, and people ar afraid to go there. So they probably saw this as a good test case since Michiganders are less likely to trouble themselves about Benton Harbor than other places (it's also, conveniently, situated on the more conservative West Coast of the state).