The Democratic Voice

By William Crandell

The GOP and Gov. Snyder have once again demonstrated their complete lack of respect for the democratic process, the middle class and the working poor of this state by ramming through right-to-work legislation without allowing for open hearings or a valid discussion of the issue by the general public.

Last week, they even went so far as to lock protestors out of the capital building to keep them from expressing their opinion and have made it clear that they are only interested in serving the will of the wealthy and have no qualms about sacrificing the Michigan worker to do so.

Twenty-three states have already passed right-to-work laws and the data shows that they have actually hurt the workers of those states.

For instance in RTW states, workers make an average of $5,333 less per year, 21 percent more of their populations lack proper health insurance coverage and their poverty rates average 12.5 percent as opposed to 10.2 percent in collective bargaining states.

Also in RTW states, workplace deaths are 51 percent higher because of the lack of ability for workers to negotiate safe working conditions.

Meanwhile, corporate profits are the highest they’ve ever been in the history of this country but that doesn’t appear to be enough for our state’s billionaires who have been bank rolling the right-to-work campaigns.

As Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer stated; “The Tea Party takeover of the Michigan GOP is officially complete. Gov. Snyder, Rep. Bolger and Sen. Richardville have shown they are nothing more than puppets for Dick DeVos.”

Devos owns the Amway Corporation and is worth an estimated $5 billion and he has stated that he will financially support the campaigns of those who vote for RTW and has threatened to cut off those who don’t and possibly even fund a primary opponent to remove them from office in the next elections.

The unions of Michigan are convinced that the disgusting manner in which the RTW legislation was passed had more to do with getting revenge for the failed Prop 2 Amendment than in doing what is in the best interest of our state.

One question that plagues me is that if right-to-work is the right thing to do why are the police and fire unions excluded from the legislation as they have been with all the laws attacking unions?

RTW will not have a positive effect upon our state and it will drive down wages and make benefits unaffordable.

The wealthy of Michigan will become richer and it will destroy our middle class.

Once again, the GOP has proven they care nothing for the working class and have allowed themselves to be purchased by the wealthy.