The Act has been used by democratic and republican governors, including previously by Democratic Gov. Granholm when she appointed Emergency Financial Managers to fix problems in the cities of Ecorse, Pontiac and Benton Harbor along with the Detroit Public Schools.

Because P.A. 72 unfortunately lacked the authority to actually implement several of the changes recommended by the Emergency Financial Managers, the law was re-written and strengthened under P.A. 4 of 2011.

After that happened: Katie, bar the door!

What was perfectly acceptable under a democratic governor, suddenly became taboo when someone with a "-r" after his name (even though we all know perfectly well that he isn't) began calling the shots.

"This bill is (now) undemocratic!" shouts the progressive protestor.

"Who appointed the dictator?" kvetches the divisive democrat.

"You are suppressing the right of the people to vote!" opines the liberal layabout.

"We have the right to choose our own leadership!" cries the community <strike>agitator</strike> organizer.

Apparently, it's perfectly acceptable to choose, often repeatedly, people who are totally incapable of leading (or counting or reading). Unfortunately, that same group feels that it's also acceptable to expect the rest of the state to cover their poor choices and pick up the tab.

Living in fantasyland was preferable to living in the real world and making tough choices, so they decided to maintain their status quo and fight against the people who were sent in to those failed government to make them work again.

Surprisingly, they won.

Or did they?

Several days ago, Ingham County Circuit Judge William Collette ruled in favor of Highland Park Public School Board Secretary Robert Davis' case that the Emergency Manager appointment to Highland Park Public School District was improper because it violated the Michigan Open Meetings Act. What this decision means state wide is anyone's guess. But for right now, as a result of Judge Collette's ruling, the former Emergency Manager of Highland Park, Jack Martin, is no longer running the district and all decision made by him have been nullified.

Hallelujah!

Let's take it to the streets!

We showed the man!

We....

...huh?

Whutduhyahmean, we can't pay our bills?!?

In getting the EM appointment nullified, Secretary Davis also succeeded in exasperating Highland Park's financial troubles. Even though the Highland Park Public School Board is doing everything it can in order to get an Emergency manager re-assigned to the district, including waving the right to a now public hearing on the matter, the district effectively ran out of money last week and couldn't make payroll.

Way to go, Rob!!! You really showed them now, didn't you.

Not to fear, State Rep. (and handyman wannabe) Chuck Moss has got your back. Sort of.

HB-4445 (from The Michigan Legislature Website)

Or, more easily explained from MichiganVotes!:

"To appropriate $4 million to pay school districts and charter schools near the effectively-bankrupt Highland Park school district to provide classes this year to the children in that district. Highland Park reportedly spent $16,000 per student, on revenues of $14,000 per student, and can no longer meet payroll."

To give you an idea on where this is going, Highland Park has about 1,278 students enrolled in it according to the latest figures. So you'll have $3,300 to go to districts to pay for half a year's worth of education, providing districts accept those students.

Wait, what's that sound I'm hearing again?

Oh, yeah.

How our tax dollars are actually used by republicans who think that they know better.

Great plan, republicans!

Look, between the lawsuit and the petition drive (which we'll know how successful it'll be on Wednesday), the situation in Highland Park is what I would refer to as a "teachable moment". Yes, there is a backup plan at the ready when(/if?) this momentum continues. But what good is it when you have people who are fighting you on it and too stupid to offer up an alternative?

This is where that sage advice from that trucker I told you about earlier comes into play.

The best thing that Gov. Snyder and the rest of Lansing should have done in Highland Park is: Nothing.

Let me repeat this so that there is absolutely no mistaking what I have written: Lansing should let Highland Park run out of money and let the situation unfold from there.

The locals think that they are capable of electing people who can solve their problems?

The locals can then mull over their poor decision when little Johnny & Suzie's teacher is at home calling MARVIN rather than teaching class at the local school. And the few teachers who may show up won't be very effecting at teaching because those same schools won't have heat or lights because they didn't bother to pay Consumers and DTE.

This hard, but necessary, lesson will also have a multiplier effect as well.

There are numerous cities and school districts that have been grossly mismanaged over the years. Not paying any attention to the overall economy here in Michigan and nationally. Making poor financial decisions and expecting someone to come riding in at the last minute and bailing them out of their predicament. Those local governments will become readily apparent in the coming months when they begin to fail one after another.

If you want to teach those unconvinced troublemakers that their solution is in fact really no solution at all, doing nothing in Highland Park is the best lesson that you can provide them.

Let people like Brandon Jessup come up with the answer.

Let people like Herb Cleaves offer solutions.

And when you-know-what hits the fan after State Treasurer Dillon finally releases his report on Detroit, maybe Rep. John Conyers can grace us with his presence and while he's at it, also provide a resolution.

Lansing doesn't have to sit around for very long and do absolutely nothing. Pursuant to the Michigan Constitution Art VII § 33, you can start teaching another lesson by doing this:

Art VII § 33 Removal of elected officers.

Sec. 33. Any elected officer of a political subdivision may be removed from office in the
manner and for the causes provided by law.

Bu, bu, bu, but, you can't remove people for making mistakes?

Oh, they can't?

Art I § 21 Imprisonment for debt.

Sec. 21. No person shall be imprisoned for debt arising out of or founded on contract, express or implied, except in cases of fraud or breach of trust.

Trying to get away with budgeting $16,000/per student when your are only capably of paying $14,000/student. I may not be an accounting genius, but even I can use a calculator and Excel. I'm pretty sure those poor math skills demonstrated in Highland Park constitutes fraud.

I would recommend that AG Schuette take an active role as well and look at criminal proceedings for the principles involved, but we all know about the lack of intestinal fortitude he has about actually doing his job and getting involved when it comes to other politicians.

So to bottom line it, here are your choices: Let people act stupidly and live with the results so that they can learn the hard way not to ever do it again, or take money from people who have made responsible decisions and give it to those who cannot?