SHEE'S BAACK!!! Jennifer Granholm Hits Atty. Gen. Schuette On Ballot Plan

Proposal 2 Supporters, Opponents Continue Jousting Over Implications

October 21, 2012
By: Dave Rogers

Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, now a media pundit, says Attorney General Bill Schuette "continues to lie and spread misleading information" about Proposal 2, the campaign to protect collective bargaining, even though two courts ruled against his faulty legal reasoning.

"The attorney general knows better than to be the source of misleading information," former Governor Jennifer Granholm said. "Those ads are lies. They are below-the-belt fear mongering."

According to Granholm, Attorney General Schuette claimed Proposal 2 would undo scores of laws if passed and remove the power of elected officials to govern. The Court of Appeals disagreed, stating:

"Presuming the people of the State of Michigan enact the proposed initiative, the Legislature would remain empowered to "enact laws relative to the hours and conditions of employment," and indeed, the bare fact that employees of the State would have the right to collectively bargain does not in any way force the legislature to enact, or decline to enact, any laws whatsoever."

According to a statement from the United Auto Workers, Attorney General Schuette then asked the Michigan Supreme Court to keep Proposal 2 off the Nov. 6 ballot. The State Supreme Court ruled 7-0 that the attorney general was wrong and placed Proposal 2 on the ballot.

"Undeterred, the attorney general now publicly is claiming Proposal 2 would render school children unsafe if it is passed. Federal and state laws, which are outside the collective bargaining process, regulate school safety. Proposal 2 does not affect this."

The Center for Michigan's Truth Squad called "foul" on claims that Proposal 2 would render school children unsafe, the UAW statement said.

"That claim is built on the idea that, somehow, Michigan residents serving as school board members, school administrators and teachers would negotiate contracts to allow convicted sexual predators to remain in the classroom, or allow those accused of such acts to remain in the classroom while an investigation is under way. That"s built on the assumption such Michigan residents are incompetent or craven. And that deserves a foul."

"Yes on 2 doesn't change any laws that protect our kids," said Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith.

"Collective bargaining gives firefighters and police officers a voice to negotiate for life-saving equipment, protects nurses who speak up about a patient's care and reduces class sizes so teachers can better educate our children."

Corporate special interests have pledged to do whatever it takes to defeat Proposal 2 and eliminate collective bargaining, supporters of the plan say. "They hide behind shadowy front groups to buy or reserve more than $20 million worth of ads riddled with lies and misleading information to silence the voice of working families in the workplace."

The following statement can be attributed to Michigan Education Association President Steven Cook regarding the "MEA memo" being used by opponents of Proposal 2 to scare Michigan voters:

"Last spring the MEA Legal Department circulated an internal memo speculating about the effects of Proposal 2. Since the MEA memo was written, the Michigan Court of Appeals has rejected a broad interpretation of the amendment saying:

"Presuming the people of the State of Michigan enact the proposed initiative, the Legislature would remain empowered to 'enact laws relative to the hours and conditions of employment,' and indeed, the bare fact that employees of the State would have the right to collectively bargain does not in any way force the legislature to enact, or decline to enact, any laws whatsoever."

"Corporate special interests bent on scaring voters about the impacts of Proposal 2 are lying about the legal impacts of protecting collective bargaining rights.

"Collective bargaining keeps our kids and our communities safer by allowing teachers and first responders to negotiate for the tools they need to do their jobs properly - and gives all workers a voice for fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions. Proposal 2's sole purpose is to protect basic collective bargaining rights for future generations." ###