Joel A. Levitt

Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 1:15 a.m.

1bit replying to my post (11:40 AM, 20 April) wrote: "Everyone wants a credit. Everyone wants a loophole." And, "The failing of your statement is the false insinuation that the Governor is only eliminating credits/loopholes for the poor." However, there was no insinuation, and, while, mostly "Everyone wants a credit. Everyone wants a loophole.", only the poor need them. 1bit also wrote: "What Gov. Snyder put forth is a PROPOSAL." And, ". Eliminating years of largess is hard work, but everything should be considered and debated." I agree, reforming our state is hard work and deserves extensive debate. However, debate that does not lead to action is a waste of time, and it is now time to act by recalling the Governor.

C. S. Gass

Wed, Apr 20, 2011 : 9:34 p.m.

"He has obtained for himself, through his appointed Emergency Financial Managers, the power to invalidate legal and binding contracts entered into by properly elected local authorities." -- Um, yeah, only if no one takes it to court. There's this annoying little scrap of paper, they keep it in DC. It's called the US Constitution. You may have heard of it? Anyway, in it there's this clause, called the contract clause. Directly prohibits this sort of thing. His machinations in this direction will not stand up to legal challenge. Stop peeing your pants. As far as him cutting funding for programs and firing people, ok. What would you have him do? Tax the rich? They'll leave. His ideas are painful. But they are necessary with the state of this state. He wasn't my first choice, and no I didn't vote for Bernaro, but we're stuck with him, as a recall has zero chance. But go ahead, waste time you could be using to find a better job, make more money at your current job, or whatever.

Michigwen

Wed, Apr 20, 2011 : 5:21 p.m.

Rick Snyder got elected posturing himself as a "moderate," but his agenda since taking office has been Tea Party all the way.

Joel A. Levitt

Wed, Apr 20, 2011 : 6:27 a.m.

1bit replying to my post (4:27 PM, 19 April) wrote: "2. "Paying for state government with the limited assets of the poor..." This is not a proposal of the Governor." He's wrong. Here are two examples - reducing income tax revenues and relying on sales tax, and eliminating the earned income credit.

Marshall Applewhite

Wed, Apr 20, 2011 : 1:50 a.m.

Of course a union is filing this recall petition. If these people actually had to compete on the open market, there's no way they'd succeed. I find it absolutely astounding how many people are willing to support the continued downfall of this great state(and even working to ensure its failure).

Dan

Wed, Apr 20, 2011 : 1:16 a.m.

Throw the bum out. And tell him to take his carpet bagging EFMs with him.

Oregon39_Michigan7

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 11:50 p.m.

I correctly predicted Rick Synder would win the Governors race, under a theory of mass enthusiasm in the Republican Party added with Ann Arbor voting for their local guy and a weak oppenent in Virgo, on a comment here on A2.com and I'm ready to extend my bating average. The petition will succeed. (No comment yet on if Synder loses in the run-off). The emergency financial powers are very unpopular. The tax on seniors pensions is unpopluar, do not underestimate the power of the AARP. Forcing Detroit to close one half of their schools, leading to 60 children per classroom, is unpopular. Finally, the national GOP image, is one of radical neocon social issues, which turns off moderate voters. Synder road the wave of "economic reform" and since taking office has let neocon social issues dominate Lansing. Same with the nation.

Joel A. Levitt

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 8:27 p.m.

Correction: I wrote "tax" in my 10:50 AM post; I meant to write "cut." Like many of the more than 700 people who have already volunteered to work to recall Governor Snyder, I am not a union member. I believe that most of the Governor's program would severely damage Michigan if implemented. Reduced funding for education would chase business and, therefore, jobs away. The same is true of reducing the compensation of competent public employees, who will look for other positions in other states. Reduced funding for research would mean fewer high tech startups. Paying for state government with the limited assets of the poor would help to produce an unhealthy, ill educated, disruptive and, consequently, unproductive permanent underclass. Voiding state contracts is illegal, even when measures are contrived to eliminate the contracting parties. And, stripping power from local government is undemocratic, reducing the power of the voters and resulting in inappropriate one-size-fits-all policies. I am lucky to be able to pay more taxes to keep Michigan afloat. Now is the time to invest, not to cut. But, first, we must get Governor Snyder out of the way.

Townie

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 7:28 p.m.

No Harvey, the governor's plan is simply corporate welfare at its best -- throw money to corporations with little or no stipulations and hope they decide to create jobs. It's never happened before and won't happen now. They'll just create or few jobs (or promise to...) and keep the money as profit (perhaps pay the CEO an extra bonus for his great lobbying or campaign contributions). $1.8 billion to corporations for 'creating jobs'. And there won't be any independent studies on real job creation or mechanisms in place to make sure that nearly $2 Billion isn't wasted. Just look at SPARK's phony numbers and that's where we will be in 3 years. Nice fantasy thinking; so much for the 'nerd' stuff.

godsbreath64

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 4:12 p.m.

In tribute to WI and their Walker problem, I thought an update from Michigan's recall of Heir Richard/Sick Snyder would reciprocate inspiration. Yesterday the preliminary paperwork was filed in Sick's HOMETOWN courthouse here in Ann Arbor. A hearing is set for April 29 to approve the language of the recall petition. 2011 University of Michigan graduates, the very next day, will be able to sign and pass the petitions up and down the rows at their commencement in full view while alumni Sick rambles away at the podium over pervasive opposition. The Associated Press streams annarbor.com as "The Ann Arbor News" when it is only the sham mouthpiece for Sick and his hyper-partisans. If one addresses the latter's turpitude, they are summarily blocked. The a2.con is in no way a news service, just a partisan prophylactic, nothing more. Zero objective reporting, just tow the line of the Party of High Crime. Should you indulge the mockery, be on the lookout for Basic Bob. He is Michigan Supreme Court Judge Bobby Young. He wants evidence and for mere commentators to do their homework. No one legislates nearly as much from the bench than Bobby Young. If you come across the malapropism "All things are political" you have likely found this judge using still another surname. He will be saying this long after he has left this life for he has throughout it. Bobby is the "No-Fault" auto insurance adjuster who paid his way through law school adjusting claims from Detroit drivers. Although he has neither trial judge, nor counsel, experience, the last GOP guv, Johnny Engler planted him on MI's Sumpreme Count. He has since rewritten the "No-Fault" LEGISLATION and otherwise makes Clarence Thomas look like Louis Brandeis. Read his "work" and you WILL agree. Thanks to the inspiration of our brothers and sisters in Wisconsin, Michigan is following suit and are dismantling the High Crime of MI GOP.

A2K

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 3:57 p.m.

Husband and I are making ends meet, and that's about it...under Snyder's new plan, our state "taxes" are going up $1600-$2000 due to the elimination of the Earned Income Credit and the decrease in the Homesteader's Tax Exemption..."no new taxes on anyone"...BS! I seriously suggest EVERYONE look at their bottom-line for tax-year 2012 - it's going to be a doozy (unless, of course, you are one of the anointed riche). Where do we sign?!

Kelly Davenport

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.

A comment was removed because it included comments about a person's appearance. Please keep your discussion on topic.

Billy Buchanan

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 3:05 p.m.

A group of from Ann Arbor wanting a petition signed to recall Governer Snyder is enough reason for me not to want to sign it. Sounds like they're the ones who didn't vote for him and are afraid he'll succeed which would prove them wrong.

Joel A. Levitt

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:50 p.m.

Like many of the more than 700 people who have already volunteered to work to recall Governor Snyder, I am not a union member. I believe that most of the Governor's program would severely damage Michigan if implemented. Reduced funding for education would chase business and, therefore, jobs away. The same is true of reducing the compensation of competent public employees, who will look for other positions in other states. Reduced funding for research would mean fewer high tech startups. Paying for state government with the limited assets of the poor would help to produce an unhealthy, ill educated, disruptive and, consequently, unproductive permanent underclass. Voiding state contracts is illegal, even when measures are contrived to eliminate the contracting parties. And, stripping power from local government is undemocratic, reducing the power of the voters and resulting in inappropriate one-size-fits-all policies. I am lucky to be able to pay more taxes to keep Michigan afloat. Now is the time to invest, not to tax. But, first, we must get Governor Snyder out of the way.

Dog Guy

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.

I have always said that sucking on government teat beats working for a living and that the money spent on Michigan Lottery is a fine for not doing your fifth grade arithmetic homework. Michigan's current economic situation brings my two sayings together: MEA dues are today's lottery. So many of my fellow teachers are math-ignorant cargo cultists whose only concern is distribution, thinking production is accomplished by a Keynesian money machine. Michigan's current legislature and administration is the only hope I see of preserving the majority of my sinecure benefits. Some government employees are following unions to the slaughter. As with the barnyard fable, not everyone who dumps on you is your enemy and not everyone who removes it is your friend.

breadman

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:33 p.m.

I care, but don't care about unions. But what did Students do in K-6th do to the budget too make them miss out? Lets slice it from the future!!!! Now 7th-12 as a little bit more understanding, because of there age? These Kids are out to get a education that they are going too need, to take care of him when the Gov. gets aged. Think about people, not money. (budget) Prison time- meals, roof over head, little medical help, that is more that a average persos gets working 40hrs. a week @ 7.40 a hour.....

amazonwarrior

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:25 p.m.

If people had been LISTENING to what Snyder was saying during his campaign - he never would have been elected. I didn't vote for him because I HEARD what he was really saying and now he's putting his plans into action, so this should come as no big surprise. To those of you who DID vote for him - thanks for the mess you have gotten us ALL into. Now, where do I sign???

JSA

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:16 p.m.

It is a front for the MEA and nothing more. Public service unions seeking to keep benefits that non governmental workers by and large at the expense of those same workers.

Lynn Luke

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:13 p.m.

Perhaps these articles might help you understand some of the manipulations currently taking place in Benton Harbor. I see comments from the same people on a daily basis expressing blind trust for Governor Snyder and the enacted and proposed MI GOP budget/legislation. Like Scott Walker in WI, Gov. Snyder's plans were not fully revealed in his campaign. Whether you are conservative or liberal, questioning authority, having an expectation of accountability and transparency by an educated electorate can't really hurt the process, can it? <a href="http://www.eclectablog.com/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.eclectablog.com/</a> Food for thought from April 18th Eclectablog article: &quot;Also, the State of Michigan has been holding two-day training sessions for prospective EFMs. A two-day training session that begins today for prospective emergency managers and turnaround experts has drawn a huge response. Seats at the Lansing Radisson were available for about 325 people, and more than 50 others who wanted to attend were put on a waiting list... Two days of training and you're ready to assume complete control over a city government. I had heard this was true but to actually see that it is shocks me.&quot;

grye

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:04 p.m.

All of you who are so willing to sign this petition better have a great plan of action ready to run the state. I'd like to see this plan on how you are going to balance the budget, provide unlimited education, services out the wazoo, grow the jobs and economy, and not tax anyone any more than they are already being taxed. Come on. Let's see the plan.

flygande_jakob

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 1:31 p.m.

I'm looking forward to signing this ASAP!

snapshot

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 1:30 p.m.

I'm in favor of providing Emergency Managers with the tools they need to rein in out of control special interest costs. If the folks in charge couldn't do it, then they need, and deserve a &quot;time out&quot;. In an emergency, the time for talking and discussing is over. It's time to DO something, or do nothing. Doing nothing is not an option. Snyder has the courage to try..I respect that much more than arm chair quarterbacking. I think his plan is more than fair, it is brilliant in its capacity to initiate CHANGE, something those in &quot;comfort&quot; zones, strongly resist

snoopdog

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 12:51 p.m.

Nothing but a bunch of union hacks who don't want to do their &quot;fair share&quot; to turn this state around. Good Day

Dennis

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 12:23 p.m.

On a positive note. Thanks Rick! McDonald's is hiring. Maybe that will help. Trickle Down is alive and well!

MWH

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 11:57 a.m.

Big business profiteers are ruining this country for the working class, the peasants, the teachers, and the service people who do what they because they have strong hearts.

DonBee

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 11:47 a.m.

I fully expect that the petition for a recall will be successful. Afterall there are enough state and local public employees to make it to the half way point, so they each only need to find 1 friend. I hope Michigan Citizens United has actually weighed the cost of their dogma. When this petition is successful, we will all pay: 1) We will pay for the recall election. 2) We will pay for the chaos and uncertainty that this recall will cause, more folks will leave the state and more companies will chose to look elsewhere 3) We will pay with higher interest rates on bonds, reducing what our tax dollars will buy in the way of infrastructure. 4) We will pay in deeper divisions in the state as people focus on this recall as a good thing or a bad thing 5) We will pay because outsiders who did not grow up in the political class in the state will think hard about ever running for office If the recall is successful, things will only get worse, as we setup for another election run for governor. If it is not successful, expect that things in Lansing will only get more partisan. For those of us not in the political mainstream, expect the chaos will slow the job's market down statewide. Hang on to your hat, the next 18 months may be very, very bad for the average tax payer. But then again, depending on your political leanings, you are willing to pay that price. Good luck to the citizens of Michigan.

Basic Bob

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 9:45 a.m.

@margie, Benton Harbor has been under Emergency Financial Management for the last 12 months. So it was &quot;taken over&quot; by Gov. Granholm.

margie

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 5:15 a.m.

Here's another reason that should strengthen the Democratic Process of Recall: Benton Harbor is now the first city to be taken over by the New Emergency Manager Bill. This undemocratic law to circumvent the democratic rights of citizens should send a chill to even the most fervent Snyder supporter: Go to the Rachel Maddow Show and see the story which breaks down this takeover as a power grab by politicians in the takeover Benton Harbor in order to build a fancy golf course/home area which the people of Benton Harbor fought against for years. Chilling...unethical...and makes you think which city is next. The most priceless photo in this chilling story is Snyder smiling with the person taking over Benton Harbor. No amount of spin will get rid of that image. As more people find out about Benton Harbor, and the true people intention behind this law the easier it will be for not only the recall process to be successful but for the demise of the GOP agenda in Michigan.

margie

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 3:51 a.m.

It's so sad that some comments are negative for a democratic right of the people to pursue recall against an elected official. Whether it fails or not is up to the people. The process itself is democratic and very appropriate. What's not appropriate is the absolute 'blindness' against the democratic right of not only this process but two of the &quot;REINVENT Michigan,' tactics of this CEO Governor. Did the Snyder supporters really vote for: 1. The new Emergency Manager law that allows a school/city to be taken over and your elected officials dismissed or 2: Michigan laws passed by the legislature to have an intentional budgetary amount to prevent any citizen group to petition what they feel is an unfair law and force it to be voted on by the people (you know the citizens of Michigan). No politician should be blindly followed...it doesn't matter whether they are Democratic or Republican...Fair is Fair...and government by the people for the people should be respected...not trampled on by some cheap legislative trick. If a political group in power believes in their policies, why on earth should they use undemocratic tricks to circumvent dissent? Stop trashing teachers, unions, or whatever the group pushing democratic rights. Be happy and respectful that this process exist. If you want to stand by the CEO Governor...so be it....but let the process go through with thoughtful comments and let the chips fall where they may. As for myself....Where do I sign?

snapshot

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 3:41 a.m.

Ghost, did you read the wording of the recall petition? It's the same union rhetoric that's been repeated by union members and supprters over and over again. I say good job Annarbor.com. This is dangerous ground the unions are plowing up because even if the petition is successful I'm pretty sure Snyder will be re-elected. How's that going to affect the union position in the public eye? Just another waste of taxpayer money forced upon the taxpayers by special interest unions who just can't stand a little competition and objective analysis. Ann Arbor mistakingly and arrogantly thinks the rest of the state thinks the same way they do. I don't blame the unions for fighting though, it's a pretty cushy position they've been in all these years insulated from the realities of real world job performance as it relates to revenue and compensation. I'd fight too if I had to start competing and performing when I never had to before.

Basic Bob

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:54 a.m.

Really, who are these clowns? Kramer, Rozner, and Schmidt are not exactly household names, so I would guess they are not the brains or the money behind Michigan Citizens United. The nasty bit about political action committees and recalls is that the real political power pulling the strings and writing the checks can hide behind their puppets, pretending to be real grassroots organizations (can you say teaparty?).

Mush

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:44 a.m.

The problem is that he gave us no clue during the campaign that he supported such a radical agenda. He lied to us, and for this reason deserves to be recalled -- not for the radical agenda, but for the lie.

RayA2

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 2:36 a.m.

This action by Michigan Citizens United has my full support, and no, I am not a teacher. Those of us whose eyes are open wide enough to have noticed the ever growing ranks of the poor, while resources controlled by the Forbes 400 continue to accumulate, see Slick and the rest of his party leadership for what they are. They are no different from the feudal lords of the dark ages or the robber barrons of the early 20th century. Blood was spilled to rid the world of those evils. I know that the media has created an Orwellian, virtual reality where the accelerating growth of the gap between middle class and the wealthy appears to many to somehow be good for everybody. It used to be called trickle down economics. But people you should trust your senses, ignore the media and the politicians, and look what has happened to your economic situation. For most of us, our wages have stagnated, our benefits cut, and our ability to apply our skills to make a decent living has gotten less secure. If this has been occurring because our productivity is not competitive with the rest of the world, then why has the wealth of the Forbes 400 continued to grow at such an astounding rate? Due to the creation of the anti-collective bargaining, so called &quot;right to work states&quot; and the fluid movement of jobs around the globe, union membership has been declining at about the same rate that my benefits have been eroding. Slick and his party see the end of the resistance now and they are positioning themselves for what they believe will be the last few slashes in collective bargaining's death by a thousand cuts. We can't get rid of Slick soon enough.

ThinkForYourself

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 1:39 a.m.

I constantly hear about tax breaks for the rich. Could you please define the &quot;Large Corporations&quot; in Michigan who are getting these tax breaks. Could someone please name these organizations? Oh, as an added bonus for the readers, can you also do your homework and list the total number of people they employ? In addition, can you also share the amount of tax breaks the University of Michigan gets and how many long term jobs were created with the investment of $220 million into the stadium? I just like to see things in perspective.

Basic Bob

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 1:35 a.m.

It is interesting to me that the reasons for a recall election do not have to be factual, only that the wording is clear. Snyder did not *pass* the EFM law, because that is a legislative function to make laws. This bill was introduced last term, but had it passed by a slim majority, Granholm would have vetoed. Snyder only signed a bill passed by the state legislature. Clearly he agreed with it, but to say he made this law is false. But this is what we have come to expect from the MEA: fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Stephen Landes

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 1:19 a.m.

Dredging up a recall petition is what people who have absolutely NO ALTERNATIVE PLAN do. Here's my recommendation to those folks: get busy drafting a real world, workable, plan to put Michigan's financial system back on sound footing and show the plan to the Governor. If you aren't willing to do that, to put that much effort into saving your own state, then you should resign yourself to working with the plan that has been developed.

Diagenes

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 12:59 a.m.

For eight years we watched Gov. Granholm put forth tired old policies that did nothing to improve the economy of Michigan. She was right when she said &quot;in five years we would be blown away&quot;. Our jobs, home values, and our economic security was blown away. People voted with their feet and moved to other states that offered an opporunity for a better life. The exodus resulted in lower property, sales, and income tax revenue. Raising taxes on people and business will only speed up the exodus. If you want the status quo of declining home values, high taxes, limited job opportunities for our children, and crumbling infrastructure, recall Gov. Snyder. The status quo is not &quot;progressive&quot;. Change is hard and uncertain. Some of Gov. Snyder's policies might not achieve the results we need or want, some may succeed very well, but at least he is trying to address the issues.

Adam Jaskiewicz

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 12:37 a.m.

I voted for Snyder because I was willing to let him give it a shot. I'm not a huge fan of some of his decisions, but I'm definitely not ready to recall him because of that. If the Democrats can field a decent candidate in four years, and if Snyder hasn't proven himself to be able to make progress by then, maybe I'll &quot;fire&quot; him then. I'm *not* going to sign a recall petition, and I *will* show up at any recall elections to vote NO.

braggslaw

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 12:13 a.m.

sore losers... I am tired of paying tax dollars to special interests... get real jobs

chapmaja

Tue, Apr 19, 2011 : 12:11 a.m.

I wish this could go one step further. Recall EVERY SINGLE person in the legislative, executive and judicial branches in Lansing. Replace them entirely with people who don't belong to a political party and consider themselves to be independent thinkers and will act independent of any political parties wishes. People blame the unions, the employees, the administrations, the private sector, and everyone except the political parties. Maybe we need to look at the 2 party system as the problem. We are no longer a society of independent thinkers. We have become a society of followers and both parties are being lead by individuals and groups with nothing more than poolitical (yes I intended to spell it that way) platforms to stand on. We need people going into leadership positions that can think what is best for the state, not what is best for the unions, or the big businesses, or XYZ group that supported them. What is sending us down the bad path to idiocy isn't poor teaching, or poor business practices, or poor anything else except poor leadership from people totally and complete out of touch with the real world. Yes Snyder is trying to change things, but not once has the biggest educational funding issue been touched by anyone in Lansing this term. Until someone decides to find a better way to handle the MiPSERS and the other public retirement systems, the budget will continue to fail. We need to find a better way to handle that aspect of educational funding and spending. Once that is fixed, then EVERY other budget issue for schools will be a much easier fix. The problem is the dems don't want to ruin the system because it could cost them support of the MEA. The Republicans think there are bigger issues, which there honestly are not. The schools are caught with nothing they can do because Lansing has to fix this every growing blackhole and the children are the ones who will suffer the most. Also, when and where will I be able to sign.

Moscow On The Huron

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 11:40 p.m.

This is going to be very entertaining to watch. They won't get anywhere near enough valid signatures. A healthy majority of voters picked this guy, and contrary to what the left wants us to think about our vote now, we are not disappointed with what he's doing. Maybe they could get 807,000 signatures if Ann Arbor's population was 1,000,000, but since most people live outside Ann Arbor (and, therefore, in reality) it won't happen.

Roadman

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 11:31 p.m.

Don't hold your breath! This effot shall peter out within a few months just like John Lauve's did in the 1980s against Jim Blanchard.

bclvr61889

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 11:16 p.m.

Where do I go to help circulate a petition? Snyder has to go and as soon as we can get him and his lackeys gone the better.

Mike Kay

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 11:07 p.m.

Recall Snyder! Check out the latest protest song from The Joe Hill Heartlanders urging all middle class workers to &quot;Get Even!&quot; You can listen, view and download &quot;Get Even!&quot; free at: <a href="http://www.mikekonopka.com/geteven.htm" rel='nofollow'>http://www.mikekonopka.com/geteven.htm</a> Stay strong and &quot;Get Even!&quot; The Joe Hill Heartlanders

Will

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 10:38 p.m.

The fact is that Snyder is willing to sell Michigan's middle-class and poor right down the river to inferior-paying jobs, while doing nothing to make businesses and corporations pay their fair share to the State! Large profit-making businesses have a choak-hold on the State and simply threaten to leave the State if they have to give up more of their profits. That's how they manage to remain untouched as far as paying their share of taxes. Rather than stand up to them, Snyder would rather settle for middle-class Michiganders earning less, having smaller pensions and having lower-paying jobs. No one regulates how private businesses conduct their financial affairs and they are free to hoard profits among the CEO's and executives while paying their workers far less than they are worth. Boarder's is a fine example. Snyder is just trying to squeeze out money from public workers to make up for the loss of tax money which should be coming from private businesses and corporations. Also, where is his legislation to cut the salaries of all public senators, representatives, administrators and executives? Wake-up people. This is a national problem. Until all businesses are paying their fair share, the middle-class will continue to be squeezed and squeezed.

miscribe

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 10:38 p.m.

You know, I've been a Republican all my life and a conservative. But this whole thing about cutting taxes to benefit business at the expense of everyday people and especially young people in school just does not make any sense at all. Now it would be hard on my wife and me but common sense says that if a man needs to buy a used tractor say, he's just got to go out and earn more money. It only make sense the our state government needs to go out and get some more money too. I'm a Republican that say let's all share the expense and raise taxes.

bunnyabbot

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 10:18 p.m.

from the article &quot;In order to force a recall election, the group, which filed paperwork with the state last month to form a political action committee, will need signatures from 25 percent of the people who voted for the office of governor in the last election. That's close to 807,000 names, Yankee said.&quot; if voting is anonymous how do we know for sure that the people that sign this really did vote for him? what a bunch of sorry losers, apparently they don't get it that this state is in dire straights, which means things need to be cut.

Tom Joad

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 10:03 p.m.

Sure, I'll sign it...Synder is a dilettante and a dud. Another VANITY run by someone with too much time and too much money on their hands, and ZERO ideas.

godsbreath64

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:53 p.m.

Thank you for teaching us, Michigan Education Association. You are true Americans!

Floyd

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:49 p.m.

Recall Snyder and send the message that we don't want our public services raided for a pay out to the rich. Sign the petition! Tax the rich!

NancyJo

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:48 p.m.

BEFORE you sign a petition make sure you get all the facts!!! If a Financial Mgr is required - its because something as gone terribly wrong and no one wants to make the necessary changes to fix it. I don't recall small business owner's throwing a fit because they are unfairly being taxed TWICE on the same income so that someone who chose to become a public employee could have a tax free retirement. Not only do we pay tax on the same income twice we also pay tax on our retirement income. The proposal to eliminate this double taxation WILL NOT affect big coporations just small mom &amp; pop type businesses. Synder is doing exactly what he promised to do. The problem is you what him to do it some one else not you! He can cut spending or tax any one as long as it doesn't affect you - be real - there is no way to please everyone and we have to do something we can't keep spending what we don't have at the state or federal level. WE KNOW THE OLD WAY DOESN'T WORK - SO LET'S TRY SOMETHING NEW - IF IT DOESN'T WORK WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE OLD WAY --- BUT YOU NEED TO GIVE IT A CHANCE.

Roger Roth

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:48 p.m.

Is there a rich person out there I can move in with when this thing completely tanks? I wouldn't be any trouble. P.S. I have a couple dogs. I can paint. I can mow. I can wash Mercedes. I can shop. I don't eat much.

Gorc

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:44 p.m.

What a waste of time.

Pilgrim

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:43 p.m.

What businesses will be attracted to Michigan when they find out that Snyder is offering tax breaks built upon the backs of the jobless poor, the working poor, the entire educational system, and the death of unions and collective bargaining?! Read your history books, folks, and learn about how hard citizens fought--and even died--to establish collective bargaining in our state. &quot;Shared sacrifice&quot;, he says! Sure, there will be a shared sacrifice-- if he continues to stay in office, we will all get to share in watching the sacrifice of democracy in Michigan. I look forward to helping in any way that I can with the recall campaign.

jcj

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:39 p.m.

ERMG What is it you don't understand about THIS fact? &quot;records on file with the Michigan Secretary of State's office show Michigan Citizens United has the same fax number as an MEA coordinating council and that the council's field assistant, Gail Schmidt, is listed as the group's treasurer.&quot; I checked it out I did not just read the article and take it as the truth. Sure hope we can replace him with someone as competent as Granholm was! LOL.

alterego

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:20 p.m.

So, Snyder is recalled. Then what do we get? Bernero? No thanks.

mun

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:10 p.m.

How ironic that the party that is opposed to &quot;big government&quot; supports the emergency financial manager program. Taking power away from mayors, city councils, and voters is not &quot;big government&quot; and tyranny?

leaguebus

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:04 p.m.

I see someone talking about the governor treating everyone fairly, surely you jest! Treating everyone fairly is to not propose to cut $2B from business taxes which is then recouped by raising taxes on the people who can least afford a tax increase. No one can provide a shred of evidence that cutting taxes for business and the rich will increase jobs. Also, cutting the number of teachers and public safety employees will surely make the number of jobs go down, not up. Speaking of treating people fairly, what will a $350 per pupil cut do the the Detroit Schools? The Willow Run Schools? The Ypsilanti Schools. The Benton Harbor Schools? Again, surely you jest!

northside

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 9:04 p.m.

Snyder's approval rating is merely 33% while his disapproval rating is 50%. (<a href="http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/03/poll_finds_gov_rick_snyders_ap.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/03/poll_finds_gov_rick_snyders_ap.html</a> Someone post a more recent set of numbers if you know of them)

A2anon

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:53 p.m.

I can't wait to sign it too! This governor is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Wrong slashing K-12 budgets (have you heard what class sizes are going up to next fall??) in order to give businesses a tax cut. That's wrong. Wrong with this whole anti-democratic over-reaching financial manager garbage. Wrong about a flat tax. I can't wait till he's recalled. He's gone way too far, and this recall will send the message to others with similar every-man-for-himself mentalities that they can't pull this stuff.

Alan Benard

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:47 p.m.

I cannot wait to sign it. Consider that the new emergency financial manager legislation has effectively terminated democracy in the Detroit Public School district, and in the 97-percent-black municipality of Benton Harbor. I invite readers to draw their own conclusions as to why Snyder and the GOP chose that town first. The purpose of that legislation is to permit the termination of collective bargaining agreements for state and municipal employees and is a political act. This is wrong and must be stopped.

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:47 p.m.

Hey A2.com!!! How about doing some . . . well . . . some actual journalism??? You are accepting at face value the claim of the Republican Party that CU is a front for the MEA. Do you think that you might be able to . . . . . well . . . . . actually check that out? Or has &quot;journalism&quot; simply become reporting what one side says about the other without checking out the veracity of those claims? Good Night and Good Luck

Top Cat

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:44 p.m.

Assuming they could successfully recall Mr. Snyder, part 2 of their plan is probably to bring back John Cherry. As for part 3 of their plan...well there is no part 3. There are few things more tedious than sore losers.

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:42 p.m.

&quot;Union Leadership&quot; should be recalled.

antikvetch

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:39 p.m.

&quot;Citizens United&quot;? What an unfortunate choice of name for a group proporting to be against special interests.

grye

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:38 p.m.

Waste of time. It won't even get out of the gate. Don't bet the farm.

Tru2Blu76

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:33 p.m.

As an independent who's been deeply skeptical of Snyder's qualifications, abilities and intentions from the get-go, I welcome this recall initiative. Good luck - and where do I sign?

Art Vandelay

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8:25 p.m.

I was all set to vote for the upcoming special ed millage renewal. Now the MEA seems to be organizing to remove the guy that's trying to make some constructive progress in balancing the state's finances, not just for the next few months but for the next few years. This selfish MEA behavior ignores Michigan's financial reality. If the teacher's want to fight, fine. I'm now voting against the millage.

Richard

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 8 p.m.

Where do I sign the petition?

Moscow On The Huron

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:58 p.m.

&quot;The press release said records on file with the Michigan Secretary of State's office show Michigan Citizens United has the same fax number as an MEA coordinating council and that the council's field assistant, Gail Schmidt, is listed as the group's treasurer&quot; This last paragraph is possibly the most interesting piece of information in the whole post. It certainly is the most revealing piece of information.

Mike

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.

Read the comments. Overwhelming support for a governor who is doing what he was elected to do. Political pressure being applied by the unions isn't going to work. We all need to support the governor. If you want a pay raise tell the teachers union to take a hike and keep your dues in your own pocket.

Gordon

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:41 p.m.

Come on folks, lets use our heads. If the public has less money to spend, the real estate values are down, wouldn't we know the municipals, States, and Federal have less money to spend? Is it easy? Of course not. Was too much money spent in the good times? Yes. Did John Q &amp; Mary P Public do the same thing? Yes. Do we have to pay it back? Some of us think we do and our budgets are strained too. Some have temporarly (hopefully) lost the ability to contribute and need help to keep going. Fair if they are really trying and not fair if they are just sitting and &quot;wishing upon a star&quot;. Do we all commonly complain about systems? Yes. The trick is R Snyder throws out proposals, expects debates, gets complaints, and not solutions. Complaints with out reasonable ideas are basically complaints and nothing more. We are getting what we asked for new ideas. We may not like them; but at least people are begining to think about solutions to problems of everyone having money to work with. Recall? To me a silly idea. Come up with solutions / ideas that encompass more then a 1 by 1 square you fill in the deminsions.

jackson72

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:39 p.m.

I agree that it is their right. However, the fact that this small vocal minority whose candidate lost the race has announced a recall campaign less than four months into Governor Snyder's term, clearly shows that they were going to do this anyway no matter what he would have done. More likely they are afraid that if they wait too long they won't get the attention for which they are so desperate when the laws that Governor Snyder has been signing will show results by encouraging cities to get their fiscal houses in order. Governor Snyder will not be recalled and this little group is just going to get unwarranted media attention, waste court time and taxpayer money.

Harvey Berman

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:28 p.m.

Michigan is finally on the path to economic recovery with a governor who has a plan that will get Michigan on the right path towards job growth, that provides real incentives for economic recovery, and that is an attempt to treat all fairly. Is the plan perfect - probably not - but we're finally on the right track - and remarkably - we have a governor who is seeking to work with all - to heal divisions not create divisions. A good example of this is the Governor's strong early signs of working together with Detroit Mayor Dave Bing to move Detroit in a positive upward direction. I hope that others who support what Governor Snyder is trying to accomplish will come forward with their support for the Governor and not allow this petition to succeed. Supporters of the Governor's plan (even if you don't like certain parts of it) - please don't be silent - let your voice be heard.

andys

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.

Yeah, let's recall him because he has not come in and told us what we want to hear, that all these tough problems can't be solved with lolllipops and unicorns, that extreme measures are needed to deal with local gov't that can't / won't get their fiscal houses in order, that inequities within the tax system (senior's pension income = tax free, senior's wage income = 100% taxable) can be fixed without anyone having to pay more, that inorder to make the state more attractive to businesses we need to treat businesses better ..... This sounds like a lot of pouting and whining by spoiled children. And in case you missed it, the credit rating on US debt was lowered today. Oh yeah, it's starting!

AAbob43

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.

Reality, sometimes, sucks. Reality is that in anti-tax zeal, Michigan screwed up its system of funding local government and schools. Soon thereafter, it began to lose business and population. Snyder is facing the reality of budget shortfalls. There will be more of this to come at the state and national level. I hope citizens can get past sound bites and beyond the notion that everything can be fixed with no pain and in about one sit-com cycle. But I'm skeptical. We're so divided, and so averse to confronting reality. One would have thought that oil embargoes, 9/11's and financial crises would have resulted in Americans pulling together. But no. We watch movies like &quot;Independence Day&quot; and revel in the sense of common purpose. Meanwhile, we seem to accentuate our differences (abortion? gay rights? marijuana [spelled as a grown-up spells the word]), rather than address our common needs and areas of agreement. It must be easier to posture than to address reality. Snyder is addressing reality. This is what leaders do. (Note: the foregoing is written by a lifetime liberal Democrat, or somewhere to the left of that. Regardless of one's ideology, finances don't lie.)

thinker

Mon, Apr 18, 2011 : 7:13 p.m.

It is, of course, their right. They should be careful to describe the emergency manager role accurately, however. Maybe with a direct quote from the governor's office. If they even read it, they will discover that there are options before that happens (look at Detroit right now, who is carefully mulling over options). And that if it happens, it usually is needed. Also, the community can elect to keep the mayor as the emergency manager, or whomever they want. Not so bad after all.