I seriously do not know how we elected this dildo.
Snyder's plan actually has two prongs, the first of which hardcore conservatives will actually hate:
The governor proposed a program to stop truancy in public schools, calling on the Michigan Department of Human Services to put more social workers in public elementary schools in Flint, Detroit, Pontiac and Saginaw.
"I also call on DHS to require regular school attendance as a condition for eligibility for temporary cash assistance," Snyder said.
There should probably be more social workers in ALL our Public Schools, since the initial gutting, subsequent regutting, and continued guttage of both
education and
programs that support students and their families can ONLY mean an increased need for the support of Social Workers. But then with his second nerd-breath, he tells us what they'd be doing there: Helping take attendance so we can cut the welfare benefits of the families that don't show up.
Note that I have NO IDEA whether or not this plan will help with truancy. I think it's too simple to say "It won't," because we don't like the methodology. But I wouldn't support delivering electric shocks to the parents of truants either, and that might be effective too. The fact is that there just isn't a relationship between the money they're talking about taking away and the time that students spend in school.
More evil genius below the fold.
Note there is no corollary plan proposed for dealing kids who skip school who AREN'T on welfare (and I used to be one from time to time). We still benefit from the government because EVERYONE benefits from the government. But we aren't punished because we aren't POOR. And the POORS are the PROBLEM.
A corollary that I think applies pretty directly is the program where you need to pass a drug test to qualify for food stamps. Why? Food stamps are a direct government benefit of course! Those people are suckling at our delicious federal teat, and we should know what else they've been suckling. Except those of us who are not receiving food stamps or welfare also enjoy a drug a time or to and...apart from the fact that we ALL have to live in fear of having our lives destroyed by ridiculously restrictive drug laws...there is no such test for us. I might use federal highways more than anyone I know. I might claim more deductions and credits than the lowliest junkie (in fact I am confident that is the case)... TRUST ME: The more you make, the MORE you get from the government.... but I'm not one of the eeeeeevil pooooors... so let's not make a big thing out of it OK?
Just in terms of credits, deductions etc... money I should have paid to the government but DIDN'T... MY Welfare, I reckon I got about $4,600.00 last year. And I can smoke pot, my kids could skip school, nobody cares. If we overlook the fact that I'm plenty white (and it's hard to overlook) I make enough money that whatever I do can't possibly be hurting society.
Michiganders... even some moderate Democrats sadly...elected Rick Snyder because they bought into his "one tough nerd" bullshit. It turns out that just means beating the shit out of poor people with a light-saber instead of a two-by-four--the approach adopted by "One Tough Asshole" Republicans of generations past.
Beyond signing the appropriate recall petitions and working towards the success of same, there really isn't anything we can do about it here. I am 100% comfortable saying that for the actual people of Michigan, the election of 2010 was the worst outcome possible for us. If it wasn't for the fact that our legislature doesn't think Snyder is ENOUGH of a troglodyte, we'd be seeing much harsher results than we have. We even lost our brief control over the Supreme Court here (probably the worst catastrophe of all).
So here's the deal Dick Snyder. Tonight I'm going to smoke a bowl. This weekend I'm going to drive all over the fucking state highways. Next week I plan on skipping my college class which receives state aid.
THEN I'm going to donate to my local public radio station, and you're STILL gonna give me that fucking money back when I pay my taxes next year, because the shit I do that's "destroying the state" doesn't matter because I have a 403(b) and own a house.
It will be nearly impossible to take the State House back this year... though our state party seems enthusiastic about it... but if we want to do anything to stop crazy bullshit like this it's probably our best bet. I don't know how this guy can get any craazier.