Michigan Repeals Right to Work Law

 Nick Niedzwiadek at Politico:

In a major victory for labor unions, Michigan on Friday became the first state in more than half a century to repeal a right-to-work law.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation passed by the Democratic-controlled Legislature, overturning a 2012 GOP law that allowed workers to choose not to join unions or pay union dues as a condition of employment, even if the union represents them in negotiations.

...

The anti-union law’s repeal is a particularly significant symbolic victory given the special place Michigan holds in the organized labor movement.

“For us, being the home of labor and getting attacked 10 years ago was a gut punch to workers across Michigan,” state Sen. Darrin Camilleri, the sponsor of MI SB34 (23R), told POLITICO. “We are a state so steeped in union activism and union history that we knew this was a policy that our constituents wanted for the last 10 years as well.”

Even with the move, more than half the states in the country have right-to-work laws on the books. The Michigan Legislature’s repeal is the first since Indiana did so in 1965, before reverting in 2012. (Missouri voters in 2018 blocked a right-to-work law passed by Republican lawmakers.)

The Tragedy of the Projects

Many posts have discussed the unanticipated consequences of public policy.

 Howard Husock at Reason:

The clearance of the thriving, legendary African-American neighborhood in Detroit known as Black Bottom, circa 1950, was not caused by natural disaster, gentrifying developers, or a destructive riot by its residents. The slowly gathering public policy that led to its demolition included an element of racial animus in the city's politics, but more than anything, the death of a neighborhood replete with black-owned businesses and owner-occupied property stemmed from the ideas of progressive housing reformers.

They began to build in the 1890s, when Jacob Riis, a New York police reporter deeply versed in sensationalist journalism, portrayed New York's Lower East Side in How the Other Half Lives as nothing but squalid, showing no interest in the vibrant upward mobility of its immigrants.

Riis inspired the now-obscure Johnny Appleseed of American zoning, Lawrence Veiller, who convinced communities across the country that the density that makes housing affordable (without government subsidies) must be limited. The formula that brought housing within the reach of the poor—what Boston settlement house pioneers Robert Woods and Albert Kennedy rightly celebrated as a "zone of emergence"—would be cast aside.

Its replacement—literally in the cases of Detroit's Black Bottom, Chicago's Bronzeville, St. Louis' DeSoto-Carr, and so many other healthy neighborhoods—would be public housing. The "projects" were and still are the rotten fruit that grew from seeds planted by progressive public intellectuals. The premier modernist architect Le Corbusier envisioned high-rise urban campuses without streets or stores. Less well-known but still essential figures in American housing policy history were University of Chicago sociologist Edith Elmer Wood and self-styled reformer Catherine Bauer Wurster.

In her 1934 paper "A Century of the Housing Problem," Wood led the ill-fated charge that would guide New Deal public housing policy. She inveighed against the private housing industry broadly—even arguing against the idea that homeownership was one of the means for the poor to improve their station. "The housing problem is an inevitable feature of our modern industrial civilization and does not tend to resolve itself," Wood wrote. "Supply and demand do not reach it, because the cost of new housing and the distribution of income are such that approximately two thirds of the population cannot present an effective demand for new housing."

A Terrorist Plot in Michigan

Tresa Baldas and  Paul Egan report at Detroit Free Press

The Wolverine Watchmen militia group didn't just plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, but they were on a mission to attack the state Capitol and target police officers at their homes as part of a broader mission to instigate a civil war, authorities said Thursday in announcing felony charges against 13 militia members accused in a sensational case of domestic terrorism.

Attorney General Dana Nessel referred to the accused as "extremists" who are hoping to recruit new members "by seizing on a moment of civil unrest" to wreak havoc on the country. She identified the militia group as the Wolverine Watchmen, whose members are accused of, among other things, conducting surveillance outside Whitmer's vacation residence, using code language and encrypted messages to throw off police and planting a bomb under a bridge to divert law enforcement.

“There has been a disturbing increase in anti-government rhetoric and the re-emergence of groups that embrace extremist ideologies,” Nessel said at a press conference Thursday. "This is more than just political disagreement or passionate advocacy, some of these groups’ mission is simply to create chaos and inflict harm upon others.”

Nessel's comments follow the filing of an FBI affidavit in U.S. District Court that alleges six militia members plotted a revolt on the government that included kidnapping Whitmer.

According to the FBI affidavit, the accused purchased items including a Taser and night goggles, conducted surveillance at Whitmer's cottage, and discussed blowing up a bridge to divert police, kidnapping Whitmer, and taking her to Wisconsin to face a "trial" for treason.

A few weeks ago, Bridge Michigan reported:

Michigan militia members say they are trying to take their movement mainstream, fashioning themselves as a private security force willing to defend against protests over racial injustice and police brutality that have turned violent in some parts of the state and country.

Dozens of armed members from various militias, most of them white, descended on the Michigan Capitol Thursday, mingling with other fringe groups like Boogaloo Bois and Proud Boys at an annual Second Amendment rally. Their public show of force would have been rare two decades ago, when militias largely operated in secrecy after two men with ties to the early Michigan movement bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City.

"Militias are finally starting to realize that we have an important role in the public eye," said Phil Robinson, a Barry County resident and co-founder of the Michigan Liberty Militia. "The time is not to hide in the shadows. The time is to get out and be vocal, be visible."

Robinson — sporting black fatigues, an AR-15 pistol modified to mimic a rifle, wooden shield and braided beard — as become the unlikely face of the Michigan militia movement.

In May, his group acted as an armed "security detail" at a rally in Lansing, where thousands gathered to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order for COVID-19. They reprised the role at a similar protest in Grand Rapids, and Robinson spoke at an "American Patriot Rally" at the Capitol in July.

 

Governors and Credit-Claiming

At The New York Times, Timothy Egan says that California is doing well.

It’s unfair to give all credit for the Golden State revival to Jerry Brown. But the man, who will be 76 next month and was both the youngest and oldest governor of California, and who just announced a plan to run for a fourth term with an approval rating approaching 60 percent, deserves the lion’s share.

This article overlooks some important things.  By one measure, California has the highest poverty rate in the United States.  By another, it has one of the highest levels of inequality. The roads are bad and the schools are mediocre.  As the governor has acknowledged, unfunded liabilities are a big threat, and some cities have already gone bankrupt.

True, the state did not have a budget crisis last year.  But if Brown deserves the "lion's share" of credit, why are so many other states -- pursuing very different policies -- doing just as well?

Jerry Brown, Chris Christie and many of their fellow governors across the country are taking credit for the effects of a national economic recovery.

A few years ago, the effects of the Great Recession were causing huge fiscal problems for the states.  Demands for spending were up and revenues were down.

After several years of growth (albeit modest), the money iscoming into state coffers and the fiscal pressures are not as great. 

In California, Brown sees an improved fiscal situation and says his policies are responsible.  In Wisconsin, Scott Walker sees an improved fiscal situation and says his policies are responsible – even though his agenda is different from Brown’s.  (See his book Unintimidated.)  Ditto Chris Christie in New Jersey, Rick Snyder in Michigan, and Andrew Cuomo in New York.  Some states are in trouble (e.g., Illinois), but most governors of both parties are in good shape. 

Of course, if there is a downturn, these same governors will morph from heroes to goats, even though they aren’t any more responsible for recessions than for recoveries.

Michigan Right to Work

CBS reports:

Against a backdrop of raucous protests in the Michigan capitol, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law controversial right-to-work legislation after final passage in the GOP-led state legislature.

The Michigan house passed two right-to-work laws earlier in the day - one focused on public sector workers, and one focused on private-sector workers - as protesters supporting unions chanted "shame on you" and "union busting is disgusting." The bills passed the Republican-led Michigan Senate last week, and Snyder signed them late Tuesday.

Right-to-work legislation, which is currently in place in 23 states, prevents agreements in which employees are required to pay union dues. American workers can't be forced to join unions, but many unions and companies have agreements in which all employees must pay union dues.
Right-to-work laws make such agreements illegal. Proponents say they give workers more freedom and are good for business; opponents say they are designed to shrink unions so they have less leverage in fighting for better wages, benefits and working conditions.
...
Though most protesters opposed right-to-work, there were some supporters present as well -- many affiliated with the conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity. The Michigan branch of that group said in a statement that the legislation reflected "a pro-growth policy that can and will help to turn Michigan's economy around." The tent erected by Americans for Prosperity at the protests was torn down by opponents of the legislation.

Before Snyder signed the legislation, Michigan state Rep. Douglas Geiss said Tuesday that "there will be blood" if they become law. 

"We are going to undo 100 years of labor relations," Geiss said.

CNN reports:

Jimmy Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said Tuesday he expects Michigan unions and lawmakers to break out into "civil war" after the state legislature passed right-to-work bills that would weaken unions' power.

This is just the first round of a battle that's going to divide this state. We're going to have a civil war," Hoffa said on CNN's "Newsroom."

Hoffa previously referred to labor relations as "war" and said of his opponents: "Let's take these sons of bitches out."

Bridget Mary McCormack

CNN reports on how a Michigan judicial candidate got a big-time boost from Hollywood and social media (and gave a lesson on election procedure):

Bridget Mary McCormack, whose sister Mary McCormack played deputy national security adviser Kate Harper on NBC's television series "The West Wing," is on the ballot this fall in Michigan as a nonpartisan candidate for the state's Supreme Court.

Her campaign "The Bridget Mary McCormack for Justice Campaign" has paid for a YouTube video that has the show's cast reprising their roles as West Wing problem solvers focusing on the thorny issue of the nonpartisan section of the ballot, and one particular cast member's sister who happens to be on it.

Hoping to boost November turnout for candidate McCormack and to drive general nonpartisan ballot voting awareness, the "West Wing" star and her former cast mates shot two versions of the four minute video which taps into several quintessential moments from the hit show. One version focuses strictly on promoting nonpartisan ballot awareness and the other also advocates for McCormack.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the campaign does not plan to air the video as a paid advertisement.

Food Banks

WLNS in Lansing, Michigan, reports:

As the economy struggles to bounce back, food banks are faced with overwhelming need. The food Bank Council of Michigan tells us 1.1 million people were served in 2010, 1.6 million in 2011, and this year they are expecting even more.

The food is flying off the shelves, quite literally at Our Savior Lutheran Food Bank in Lansing. Director Sharon Miller says their serving more people than ever. They get orders from the Greater Lansing Food Bank to fill and their usual 12 has grown to more than 30. That's 30 families, not people, families with 3 or 4 children.

Miller says "one Friday I couldn't open at all because I ran out of food, another one I could only serve half of the people because I didn't have enough." For the first time in 14 years, Sharon Miller had to shut her doors. The shelves in the extra storage room are usually full on Monday. But by the end of the week, they were empty, telling a tale of just how many are in need.

The Brazil Times, in Brazil, Indiana, reports:

Staff members from the VistaCare Hospice office will blanket the Wabash Valley throughout August, distributing food collection bags and gathering donations for the Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank as part of the company's eighth food drive.

As part of the Gentiva Health Services family and home health and hospice providers, employees at the VistaCare Hospice Terre Haute office and their fellow employee around the country are placing food collection bags at various health care partners in their respective communities and will collect their "harvest" during the entire month.

The organization is focused on beating last year's national record, when the company's seventh food drive yielded more than 382,702 pounds of goods for donation to charitable organizations across the country.

The Deseret News reports:

Christ United Methodist Church in Salt Lake reports a successful Vacation Bible School on its website. Called “Sky – Everything is Possible with God”, 83 children and 42 volunteers came together late last month and raised $265 for mosquito nets to protect children in Mali from malaria. They also collected 400 pounds of food for Crossroads Food Pantry.

Jan Kotuby, associate rector of St. James Episcopal Church, said her committee looked at changing dates and times, but parents and children preferred mornings, 9 to noon. “A number of children of other faiths participated this year. It worked out great for all of us.”

Vacation Bible School took place this past week, with the children, as always, working in the church’s community garden and donating food. St. James is a distribution center for the Utah Food Bank, open the second and fourth Sundays of every month.

It is no coincidence that these stories involve faith-based organizations. A 2010 report by Feeding America highlights the role of such groups:

• 72% of pantries, 62% of kitchens, and 39% of shelters are run by faith-based agencies affiliated with churches, mosques, synagogues, and other religious organizations. This compares to 74%, 65%, and 43% in 2005.
• In addition to operating emergency food programs, agencies may offer additional services. Among all agencies surveyed, 67% with at least one pantry, kitchen, or shelter are faith-based. About 55% of agencies, including those with other types of programs, are also faith-based.
• Private nonprofit organizations with no religious affiliation comprise 33% of other types of agencies.

Turnout in Local Elections

Our chapter on political participation discusses voter turnout, making the point that citizenship takes effort. The Port Huron, Michigan, Times Herald reports:

There aren't any huge state issues or a presidential race coming up in Tuesday's election.

But that doesn't mean voters shouldn't visit the polls.

While presidential elections attract far more voters, local races are just as important, experts say.

"That's actually the irony of it, because local elections have more day-to-day impact," said Brent Forsgren, a political science instructor at St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron. "We should care because local elections allow us the closest thing to pure or direct democracy. It's more significant."
...
Forsgren said one of the reasons there usually are low turnouts for local elections is because those elections require voters to make an effort.

He said voters have to look at the issues and find out what each candidate's stand on it is. Using Port Huron's races as an example, that's 15 different opinions with the number of council and mayoral candidates.

"That takes a lot of effort and currently most Americans don't put that much effort into their voting, and locally that's who is going to determine things about their daily life," Forsgren said.

Romney and the Auto Industry

The Detroit News reports:

A conservative Republican slammed Mitt Romney — on a campaign swing Wednesday through his native Michigan — for not supporting the auto bailout.

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Livonia, who supported the government intervention for General Motors and Chrysler, met constituents and the media at E&E Manufacturing in Plymouth to blast Romney, and tried to link the Republican candidate to President Barack Obama.

"Motor City hospitality dictates a Michigan message to Mitt that our struggling families, entrepreneurs and workers think Mr. Romney and Mr. Obama are not rivals, they're running mates," McCotter, who is considering his own run for the White House, said in a statement.

In 2008, as GM and Chrysler, on the verge of collapse, asked the federal government for a bailout, Romney argued in a New York Times op-ed piece headlined "Let Detroit go bankrupt" that any government intervention would hasten the decline of the industry as a whole.

…

Romney won Michigan's 2008 primary, beating out Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., by more than 80,000 votes, largely driven on the name recognition of his father, the late George Romney, the former Michigan governor and head of American Motors.

Those deep connections brought Romney's anti-auto sentiments as somewhat of a surprise to some, but political observers say the candidate is trying to balance the needs of Michigan's electorate, and the labor-dominated culture of Metro Detroit, with a broader appeal needed to successfully negotiate a path to the presidency.

"The Republican primary electorate is certainly not labor-dominated and I would say of mixed opinions, on how much the auto industry should play into Michigan's economic future," said Matt Grossmann, an assistant professor of political science at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

In a personal communication, Professor Grossmann adds: "In a general election, it might be a good issue to challenge him on. In the primary, I don't think one of his major opponents is going to bring up his opposition to the auto bailout as a reason not to vote for him."

This story illustrates ideas from the textbook. Why does McCotter continue to support aid to the auto industry? Because many of his constituents have an economic stake in it. As Madison wrote in Federalist 57. "the House of Representatives is so constituted as to support in the members an habitual recollection of their dependence on the people."

Our chapter on parties discusses the presidential nomination process. Whereas labor plays little role in Republican primaries in Michigan, people in agriculture do play a significant part in GOP Iowa caucuses -- which may explain why Romney supports the ethanol subsidy.