This afternoon, Detroit became the largest city in the history of the United States to file Chapter 9 bankruptcy. The city had been the subject of a hostile takeover by Republican Governor Rick Snyder, who appointed Kevin Orr, a bankruptcy expert, to rescue the city from massive deficits.
Why would you hire a bankruptcy expert to turn a city's finances around?
The obvious answer to that question is that someone doesn't want the city to recover. The who in this question becomes a little clearer once you find out that Governor Rick Snyder is a venture capitalist. And what are venture capitalists experts in? Bankrupting companies and selling off their assets.
The purpose of this action could not be any clearer:
This is the biggest, most blatant union busting stunt since PATCO, and it might even be bigger. In filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, the state would be able to sell off the city's assets, renege on pension obligations, and make labor agreements obsolete. This isn't your average union busting scheme - this is the Twinkification of an entire city.
Make no mistake, if this is allowed to stand, you will see this in every major city with a strong collective bargaining presence. If the working class was waiting for a moment to get out in the streets with the pitchforks(well, not pitchforks, but pots and pans maybe) and raise nine kinds of hell, this is it.
We have to get in the streets and fight this battle. We can't just throw money, or send email blasts, or send out our talking heads on cable news. All of us - you, me, your buddy, my grandma, your pastor, the neighbors and their dog all have to get out in the streets and fight to keep the corporate vultures from imposing their will upon us. It's time for sit-ins, teach-ins, walk-outs, and anything else necessary to get the job done.
It has begun.
In Solidarity,
Joseph
Why would you hire a bankruptcy expert to turn a city's finances around?
The obvious answer to that question is that someone doesn't want the city to recover. The who in this question becomes a little clearer once you find out that Governor Rick Snyder is a venture capitalist. And what are venture capitalists experts in? Bankrupting companies and selling off their assets.
The purpose of this action could not be any clearer:
This is the biggest, most blatant union busting stunt since PATCO, and it might even be bigger. In filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, the state would be able to sell off the city's assets, renege on pension obligations, and make labor agreements obsolete. This isn't your average union busting scheme - this is the Twinkification of an entire city.
Make no mistake, if this is allowed to stand, you will see this in every major city with a strong collective bargaining presence. If the working class was waiting for a moment to get out in the streets with the pitchforks(well, not pitchforks, but pots and pans maybe) and raise nine kinds of hell, this is it.
We have to get in the streets and fight this battle. We can't just throw money, or send email blasts, or send out our talking heads on cable news. All of us - you, me, your buddy, my grandma, your pastor, the neighbors and their dog all have to get out in the streets and fight to keep the corporate vultures from imposing their will upon us. It's time for sit-ins, teach-ins, walk-outs, and anything else necessary to get the job done.
It has begun.
In Solidarity,
Joseph
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