Despite the warm feelings many of us have enjoyed attending historic rallies at the State Capitol in recent weeks, it is hard to ignore that an invigorated cadre of corporate fascists are on the march, securing one legislative win after another across the country. Under the guise of fiscal emergency, governors and legislators from Washington D.C. to Arizona are engaging in a coordinated attack on some of the last protections Americans have left, which serve to guard the poor and middle class against an oligarchy of predominantly-white corporate power.
The assault has been so bold, comprehensive and rapid that all the attacks are difficult to innumerate and respond to. The strategy has proved effective, and the Republican Party should at least be commended for their efficacy in stripping the working class of basic rights and bare-bones social safety measures.
The implementation of Fiscal Martial Law in Michigan and the raising specter of such legislation’s enactment in Wisconsin make it clearer than ever the true nature of the enemy. The Republican assault on our democratic values, local governance and workers’ right to have a voice in the work place can best be described as a fascist coup-d’?tat. In the words of Mussolini, “fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.” The Republicans’ bare-knuckle dedication to cutting taxes on corporations at the expense of the deficit and the middle class exemplifies their loyalty to corporate interests over those of every-day Americans. Perhaps more so than any measure rolled out in recent months, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s implementation of Fiscal Martial Law legislation leaves no room for ambiguity in the Republican gameplan.
The legislation, passed last month, allows for the governor to unilaterally dissolve municipal governments and school districts he deems to be in poor financial health, a description applicable to nearly every community in the state. By appointing an ‘Emergency Financial Manager,’ the legislation strips all elected officials of their power to legislate and govern, investing complete and total control of municipal functions in the hands of one man. This one man is then able to cut city services, appoint corporate consultants into leadership roles, de-certify public unions and sell off city assets and property in a manner optimally profitable to corporate and developer interests.
Yes, this is really happening in America in the 21st century. In fact, just last week the city of Benton Harbor, Mich., was taken over by Joesph L. Harris, the governor’s hand-picked ‘Emergency Financial Manager.’ As stated in Order 11-05, “Now, no City Board, Commission or Authority has authority or power to act on behalf of the City as provided in the Act.”
Benton Harbor is a city on the coast of Lake Michigan with a population of over 11,000 people, of which the majority is African-American. The municipality does indeed have a significant amount of debt, although they are certainly not alone in this regard. Do Republicans really think that they can trump up fiscal difficulties to strip citizens of their democratic franchise? Do they realize that our country was founded upon a fierce dedication to democratic principles regardless of economic hard-times, war and other hard-ship?
Apparently not, and if some of them do, their principles are easily outweighed by their adoration of power, money and nurturance of the corporate welfare state. After all, why let love of democracy and one’s fellow citizens get in the way of business? While the Republican Shock Doctrine might be immensely inhumane, it is also effective, even eloquent, and an easy way to make a lot of money.
Many Republicans have for decades been espousing this grand strategy, most memorably preserved in Grover Norquist’s depiction of his goal “to cut government in half in 25 years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.” The Republicans have tirelessly fought to broaden the income gap in America, stabbing their heels so deep into the throats of working Americans that their capacity to become politically involved and educated is overwhelmed by their daily struggle to feed their families. Then, after laying the ground work for the greatest economic depression in nearly a century, they find opportunity in catastrophe to further their agenda and strip working class Americans of their franchise, labor rights, access to quality public education and social programs. Sadly, as unconscionably cruel this strategy may be, they are winning.
Now it appears that our own beloved Gov. Walker is planning, behind closed doors, legislation mirroring that of Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan. A front-group in Milwaukee County has already joined the campaign to sugar-coat the ‘benefits’ of the loss of local control. Walker’s tepid denial on Monday, in the context of his and his associates’ already prolific litany of lies, should make even the least astute observer certain that Fiscal Martial Law legislation will be introduced in the Wisconsin State Legislature by the time finals are wrapping up this semester.
The days of being able to only pay attention once every four years to the presidential election are definitively over. If we do not fight back against the Republicans’ radical and unambiguously damaging agenda, there can be no doubt we will not recognize our society in few short years.
Sam Stevenson ([email protected]) is a graduate student in public health
