Warner Todd Huston
This fight is getting fierce, as I reported last month. Like all Democrats who claim to be interested in democracy, politicians like Dillon reveal that they are far more interested in keeping their political power than they are in serving the people. Dillon is the Speaker of the House of the State legislature who is using union thugs to stop citizens from signing a recall petition aimed at relieving him of his office over his support of wasteful spending and a massive tax increase.
It’s gotten so bad with the fear of the entrenched Democrat power structure, even the Michigan Assoc. of Police Organizations has jumped in to fight the citizen’s right to free political expression with an automated phone call that tells citizens that an “extremist” group is out to topple Dillon.
This is a perfect example of entrenched politicians abusing their power to stay in office and doing their level best to destroy the legal, legitimate efforts of community groups so that they, the politicians, can remain in power.
We like to imagine that we are in a democracy, but examples like this are perfect reasons to at times doubt that assumption. This is the most cynical effort of thwarting the citizen’s wishes that has been seen in quite a while and a spotlight needs to be shed on it for all to see.
If you want all the nuts and bolts of the legality of the fight, Ballotpedia.org has some fantastic info on this effort.
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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
Puh-lease. I’m in Michigan and I promise you if you polled 200 people, 180 of them wouldn’t have the slightest clue who Dillon is.
I happen to support the recall, but you’re full of it with this “will of the people” stuff. This is just another battle between two branches of the establishment; “the people” aren’t even paying attention.
Sadly you are missing the point, Jeff. It doesn’t matter if it’s one or one million people trying to pass a petition. This creep is abusing his power to stop a LEGAL political action.
Of course, if it doesn’t bother you that a politician is abusing his power to prevent the democratic process… well, what can one say about you?
And he’s using LEGAL means to combat that political action, right? I’m pretty sure the Michigan Assoc. of Police Organizations has the right to call and say whatever stupid, dishonest thing they want.
You’re right that the number of backers isn’t important; it’s the motivation that matters. Let’s examine that for a second. Remember that this all started with a tax increase, one that Republicans fought only superficially. Now, six months later, they’re well on their way towards passing a budget that spends every penny of the tax increase. They’re fine with higher taxes and higher spending; they just want to come off as the good guys.
This is one political machine attacking another. It’s despicable and I condemn both sides, but it’s no more or less democratic than any of the other junk that’s spewed on both sides of the aisle in every capitol city every day. Neither party is the least bit afraid to use dirty tactics and disingenuous rhetoric.
Warner is being equally disingenuous when he says things like “politicians like Dillon reveal that they are far more interested in keeping their political power than they are in serving the people.”
He’s conveniently forgetting that the desire to gain power at all costs is every bit as immoral as the desire to keep power at all costs.
Legal means? Wrong again.
He is using STATE workers on STATE salaries on STATE time to harass people trying to sign the petitions. They are called petition blockers.
These people are NOT on state duty. They are on a political mission, illegally, for a state officer.
If true, those charges should be very easy to prove in court. Warner would have done well to stick to that part of the story rather than trying to cast it as more than it is.