How Michigan’s ‘Financial Emergency’ Law Is an Abuse of Power

How Michigan’s ‘Financial Emergency’ Law Is an Abuse of Power

How Michigan’s ‘Financial Emergency’ Law Is an Abuse of Power

A new law in Michigan gives the governor the ability to unilaterally strip local authorities of their power. Could the law spread to other states?

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

Michigan’s newly-elected Governor Rick Snyder recently passed a law that gives him the ability to strip local authorities of their power, terminate union contracts, seize and sell assets and eliminate services if he deems a town, city or school district to be in a "financial emergency." This law has already taken effect in places like the city of Benton Harbor and for the Detroit public school district. The Nation’s John Nichols joins The Ed Show to explain how this violation of the citizen’s right to vote for their own representation came about and how Wisconsin’s union-busting governor plans to implement a similar system.

—Sara Jerving

Support independent journalism that does not fall in line

Even before February 28, the reasons for Donald Trump’s imploding approval rating were abundantly clear: untrammeled corruption and personal enrichment to the tune of billions of dollars during an affordability crisis, a foreign policy guided only by his own derelict sense of morality, and the deployment of a murderous campaign of occupation, detention, and deportation on American streets. 

Now an undeclared, unauthorized, unpopular, and unconstitutional war of aggression against Iran has spread like wildfire through the region and into Europe. A new “forever war”—with an ever-increasing likelihood of American troops on the ground—may very well be upon us.  

As we’ve seen over and over, this administration uses lies, misdirection, and attempts to flood the zone to justify its abuses of power at home and abroad. Just as Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth offer erratic and contradictory rationales for the attacks on Iran, the administration is also spreading the lie that the upcoming midterm elections are under threat from noncitizens on voter rolls. When these lies go unchecked, they become the basis for further authoritarian encroachment and war. 

In these dark times, independent journalism is uniquely able to uncover the falsehoods that threaten our republic—and civilians around the world—and shine a bright light on the truth. 

The Nation’s experienced team of writers, editors, and fact-checkers understands the scale of what we’re up against and the urgency with which we have to act. That’s why we’re publishing critical reporting and analysis of the war on Iran, ICE violence at home, new forms of voter suppression emerging in the courts, and much more. 

But this journalism is possible only with your support.

This March, The Nation needs to raise $50,000 to ensure that we have the resources for reporting and analysis that sets the record straight and empowers people of conscience to organize. Will you donate today?

Ad Policy
x