By John Bebow - September 14, 2007
Attempts to pin bull's-eyes on the backs of legislators who may vote for tax increases impede the kind of balanced and thoughtful consideration of budget matters Michigan so desperately needs, Center for Michigan Steering Committee said this week in an open letter distributed to all Michigan legislators and many newspaper editorial boards:
‘Blackmail’ of Recall Threats Hampers
Already Frayed Ability to Govern
September 12, 2007
By The Center for Michigan Steering Committee
By month end, the legislature and governor must hatch a deal on the state’s 2007-2008 budget. Michigan’s future as a prosperous and forward-looking state hangs in the balance. Wisdom and foresight must trump threat, fear and intimidation.
At least $1.7 in current spending is unsupported by revenue that’s nearly 20% of the $9.3 billion General Fund. Writing the upcoming budget is a very difficult challenge.
Unfortunately, it’s recently been made much harder by a group that has targeted for recall legislators who might vote for a tax increase. According to news reports, the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and former state representative Leon Drolet are setting up recall campaigns against six representatives and four senators both Republicans and Democrats who might vote for a tax increase as part of an overall budget deal. A successful recall, rare in our political history, is the equivalent of meting out a death penalty to politicians.
Threatening to recall a lawmaker for a policy choice is pretty close to blackmail. It stymies the kind of balanced and thoughtful consideration of budget matters that have enormous consequence for our state. Worse, if this effort succeeds in intimidating our elected representatives this time around, we’ll see similar campaigns as standard operating practice in the future.
We simply can’t afford politics of that kind. And there’s no reason Michigan citizens should tolerate it. Lawmakers are not tone deaf. They balance their values and attitudes against broad public opinion as well as the noise of the passionate few.
Those who went through the legislative recalls in 1983 say the best way to immunize sitting lawmakers is to achieve bipartisan votes on taxing and spending. Moreover, it’s very tough to get enough valid signatures fully one in four people who voted in the 2006 election in enough time to force recall elections before next year’s general election. Then, they must persuade more than half of voters of evict a lawmaker.
Individually, we are all members of the Steering Committee of The Center for Michigan. We’re Republicans, Democrats and Independents. We’re business men and women, former elected and appointed public officials, educators and journalists. We all have a stake in Michigan’s future.
Michigan needs a comprehensive solution to our budgetary problems. We must discipline state spending and implement structural reforms in the costs and organization of government at all levels. But these alone are not sufficient to close the budget gap the state now faces. Sooner or later, the needs to generate adequate revenue to help turn our economy around and provide informed hope for our people.
We ask our elected leaders to do the jobs they were elected to do: To vote for what they believe is right to ensure the best possible future for all of us. We hope that they will not be intimidated by threats and walk away from the fundamental responsibilities they have as legislators to make the best decisions they can with the full information they have before them. We’ll do our best to defend your courage against ugly minorities of both left and right who are seeking to intimidate you. And we call on other leaders and citizens throughout Michigan to join us.
13 Comments
Now that a "partial" if not a full shutdown of the Michigan government is a reality, the question of recall is relevant. The leaders of the parties and even the Governor have not acted in the public best interest. Regardless if you favor tax increases or not there comes a point in time that you absolutely must put politics aside and be the public servant that you were elected to be, and act in the interest of the people. I now support a recall for the leaders of the House and Senate, the Governor and the committee in charge of resolving the budget problem.
Where do I go to sign the recall? I didn't vote for these idiots, now I'm "blown away". Get Granholm first she stinks!
With a vast majority of the citizens saying no to more taxes, the government chose to turn their noses up and heads away and do it anyway. Representatives are supposed to not just take what the vast majority of their district says to heart, but to lansing. They have done exactly the opposite. Can anyone say "no taxation without adequate representation???" I for one say, lets have a tea party and see if they try to kill their own citizens. Boycott the government, in everyway you can. They will feel that pince. But first, lets recall that granholm crook.
I am all for Recalling, however I think we need to start at the top, and RECALL GRANHOLM. After that, all else will fall into place. For it is Granholm that is suppose to be looking out for MICHIGANS best interests first and foremost. I havent seen her do that.And for the life of me I do not know how she got re-elected! Where do we start? and when do we start this recall. As nobody elected seems to be looking out for us.
I will sign if there is an attempt to recall that con-artist… How did she get reelected? She makes me sick with her latset "Governor Granholm brought the Democrats and Replublicans together" Crap. Michigan is in a sorry state of affairs, and I'm not sure I'll be able to stick around much longer, I've been taxed way to much, and now more… Lets start with her.
First of all, Granholm was elected because there were not very good candidates to choose from. Secondly, taxes should be increased when the economy is doing well. Citizens have made it clear that tax increases are not acceptable. We need government reform first. After all legislators pay what the rest of us pay (into taxes, healthcare etc) and take pay cuts as most of Michigan's citizens have, then we can discuss tax increases. Until those steps have been taken, increasing tax will NOT resolve the wasteful government spending. It will not fix the lack of budget we currently have. As the old saying goes, "the more money you have, the more money you spend". I am in favor of recalling all participants of this decision to increase taxes, this is a crucial time for MY state.
Recalls aren't going to change what led this state up to this point. One of the most irresponsible moves of the previous legislature was to remove the SBT WITHOUT HAVING A REPLACEMENT. How many people quit their jobs without having another? That's $1billion there. That would've taken a huuuge load off of this mess! If you remove a source of revenue, (and many people irresponsibly pushed for this without having a replacement), in a state that's already hurting – why be surprised that there's a revenue shortfall? The tax should have been slowly removed while budgets adjusted – any accountant would tell you that. It was irresponsible and selfish of those who pushed for it without taking the large budget picture into account!
I also work for the big 3 – grew up in the big 3 – they helped to tank this state also – notice that those who run the big 3 (and most of the other corporations in this state), are not hurting for money – just their workers. Granholm didn't make their deicisions!
As said by a man who knew that he had no altunitive. LET's Roll. This tax is unconstitutional. And like the city of Detroit. Michigan is in it's state of Decline. To the people of Michigan. What are you waiting for. The Governor is spending us in to Depression. For the Muslums and the other illagle allians. Health care. and for the Schools and the 25 year old clildern all going to hell in a hand basket. She wants more money and dosen't care. Send the Canandan goose back to Cananda. The last voters that told me she deservers a another 4 years. You got it and it will distroy us. RECALL NOW WHERE DO I SIGN. WHO'S WITH ME? lET' BRING mICHIGAN BACK.
Is it even LEGAL to attempt to recall a legislator for casting a legal vote on the floor of the Legislature in session? The state constitution provides immunity for members' speech in the legislature and provides that members shall "not be questioned in any other place" for casting a vote.
The recall law itself only provides for recall for "conduct"–which clearly a vote is not. What kind of a law would permit the recall/removal of someone for doing his job?
You can no more recall a legislator for casting a legal vote than you can recall him for changing his religion. Could a legislator from a Christian conservative district be recalled because he converted to Isalm in mid-term?
Legislators have rights too.
PLEASE, PLEASE !!!
Do you really think a governor of a state has anything to do with the national economy, the poor decisions of an industry or the constipation of the state legislature ? When all the funds have been robbed, the spiral put in place in a downward mode and your only hope is to try to communicate the reality, I guess I would want a person like Granholm to do this for me.
The Feds have abandoned Michigan, won't talk to us and we now must fight for ourselves.Our State went through a massive brain drain in the late 1970's, somehow got through the 1980's with thinking and doing, sucked our economy dry during the prosperous 1990's and now expect a money miracle. It's time to create.
I'm over-educated, over-qualified, over-50 female and jobless. I do not blame this Governor for this. It's time to act.
Why Granholm was relected is beyond me. She did terrible her first term, but somehow Michigan reinstated her. There was a viable alternative in Devos; however, most people thought he was too much "business". I laugh at that now since it is the Michigan business economy that is struggling. That struggle is also affecting tax revenues. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize the connection between the two.
We need a Governor and legislatures who actually understand "business". Once this happens you will see an increase in business, jobs, quality of life, pay, and thus tax revenues to support government programs.
All Michiganders are tightening their belts during this time. The government itself needs to do the same and so far I haven't seen it. Instead of seen increased spending and government size. And people wonder why there's a shortfall?
The recall law itself only provides for recall for "conduct"–which clearly a vote is not. What kind of a law would permit the recall/removal of someone for doing his job?
should a legislater vote on a bill knowing that bill would cause harm, in this case financial harm, or otherwise impede the pursuit of happiness to the citizens- that legislater has voted irresponsibly when other avenues for balancing the budget are available. that legislater has failed to act in the best interest of the people
"I'm over-educated, over-qualified, over-50 female and jobless. I do not blame this Governor for this. It's time to act."
I agree with you in part, it IS time to act. We need a republican majority to make decisions to reform welfare and medicare/medicaid. We do not need a bleeding heart government that says nothing is your fault and enables able bodied people a free ride on the backs of those that work.
As for you, you've had fifty years to come up with a back up plan just in case you were to become unemployed. maybe you should have diversified your education
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[...] the time, leaders of the Center for Michigan decried Drolet's recall threats as a form of blackmail that hindered legislators' already frayed ability to [...]
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