20 Apr 2011 2:31 pm
Crossposted in this thread:The Day Democracy Died Michigan Gov. wants power to FIRE elected officials.In what can only be described as Financial Martial Law, the local government of the town of Benton Harbor Michigan has been taken over by an Emergency Financial Manager appointed by the governor.Benton Harbor is a poor town, but they do have one thing. A beautiful lakefront park named Jean Klock Park, which was a gift to the community......In 1917, John and Carrie Klock deeded a half mile of lake Michigan frontage to the City of Benton Harbor Michigan in memory of their deceased daughter Jean. Their gift consisted of 90 acres of globally rare natural resources that included Great Lakes Dunes, a Great Lakes Marsh and interdunal wetlands. The donated land was named Jean Klock Park and was dedicated "FOR THE CHILDREN" - "in perpetuity" - "FOREVER."http://www.savejeanklockpark.org/ The law that makes such extreme measures possible, Michigan‘s Emergency Financial Manager Law, was sponsored by this new state legislator. His name is Al Pscholka. Pscholka is a former staffer for the local congressman, a man named Fred Upton, also a Republican. Fred Upton is heir to the Whirlpool fortune. Benton Harbor is the home of Whirpool's corporate headquarters.Whirlpool has been trying to get it's hands on Jean Klock Park for years, to build a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course and a glitzy second home community that would become the “Harbor Shores Golf and Beach Club."Mr. Pscholka represents the district that includes Benton Harbor. He‘s run a mentoring program there. He says he knows the city well. It‘s been in his backyard for a very long time. Also he happens to be a former vice president for one of the major entities involved in building the luxury golf development that is set to remake Benton Harbor.Until last year, Pscholka served as a member of the nonprofit‘s board of directors—the same one behind the golf course. No conflict there, huh?Rachel Maddow did two segments on her show about this issue.This is something that should outrage every American.It's the privatization of government and just as the title of my thread mentioned above says, the death of democracy.Video-Monday 4-18-11Video-Tuesday 4-19-11 Edited by MistyBlue, 20 April 2011 - 02:32 PM.