Republicans have got themselves whipped up into a frenzy over the protests Jesse Jackson has organized in opposition to the takeover of Detroit by the governor appointed Emergency Manager.
They view these protests as some form of extortion of thuggery. The irony of course is how little concern they have for these tactics when the shoe is on the other foot. When corporate CEO's informed employees that an Obama victory in November would mean layoffs it was meant to influence their employee's votes. When Papa John's CEO John Schnatter threatened to raise the price of pizzas if the Affordable Care Act wasn't repealed he did so to pressure politicians. And when corporations threaten employees who are considering forming a union they do it to compel these employees to abandon their efforts.
Be it organized by the common man or the global corporation, these tactics are meant to intimidate and coerce and Republicans support these methods every time when the perpetrators bankroll the advancement of an ideology they agree with.
But being hypocritical is par for the course with these people. The difference between right and wrong is determined by who benefits most not some phantom moral belief they pretend dictates their decisions. So rather than have an honest discussion about how the Emergency Manager law, that grants Governor Snyder the authority to usurp the power of elected officials in favor of a Detroit dictator, was voted down by the people and only exists because of political maneuvering much like the maneuvering that has been the source of much consternation for conservatives regarding legislation enacted under President Obama.
And it wouldn't be a Republican rant without the racial undertones. Given that a true grass roots movement of the people often includes a multitude of skin colors not oft associated with the Republican Party, conservatives are again trotting out their recently minted meme that minorities are racist and old white guys are being repressed.
Look, if you don't like being called racist then stop being so racist. If you don't like protests that force your covert agenda into the light of day then stop plotting against the will of the people. And if you don't want Jesse Jackson in your town then don't give him a reason to be there.
The protestors are not rooting for Detroit to fail. They are just voicing their concerns and hoping to sway public opinion to address the problems with Detroit in a more democratic way. My colleague Dawud Walid does a good job of laying out the concerns that many of the people of Detroit probably have with the new Emergency Manager. Unfortunately Republicans are too either too ignorant or arrogant to understand.
While the work of Jesse Jackson and fight against the Emergency Manager law are probably a lost cause, this is a moment Detroiter's, union members, R.I.N.O's and Democrats across Michigan should remember because the only thing more entertaining than watching all of these Republicans completely contradict all the values and principles they claim to hold so dear will be watching newly elected Democrats and reasonable Republicans slowly dismantle all of the big government, anti-democratic, overreach these congressman and their corporate backers spend so much time and money on.
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