Michigan thinks Walker isn't extreme enough.

Let's see what Michigan is up to.

Legislation that would allow emergency financial managers to throw out union contracts and overrule elected officials in financially distressed municipalities and school districts was approved in the Senate today.

Remember how Obama was being lambasted for using 'czars'? Even though they had no power? And were just glorified advisors that took his positions in meetings and would report back with status updates and their own views? Remember that? And the outrage from Republicans? There's no way any Senate Republicans from Michigan voted for this measure. No way. That would be hypocritical beyond hysterics.

The measure passed 26-12 along party lines in the Republican-controlled chamber.

Le sigh.

Gretchen Whitmer, the Senate Minority Leader:

This bill represents bigger government, more bureaucrats, less accountability and less transparency. Where the heck is the [t]ea [p]arty now? We were sent to Lansing to create jobs, not dismantle them.

How dare the Senator question the tea party and their unimpeachable quest to reduce the size of government!

The legislation also would grant school district emergency financial managers such as Detroit Public Schools' Robert Bobb total authority over academics and the curriculum.

Of course it would. Why stop at just throwing out contracts and overruling elected officials?  While we're at it, let's appoint an emergency financial manager who finds the cost of textbooks that cover evolution too high. "This isn't about evolution or creationism, even though evolution is a theory, not a fact," said Bob McJerkface, the school district emergency financial manager. "This is about balancing the budget."

"I wish we didn't have to put a bill like this forward" said Republican Sen. Patrick Colbeck of Canton.

If only you were in a position to do something about that, Patty. If you only you had won an election for some sort of public office in Michigan, you could've not voted for this measure.

An amendment defeated by Republicans today would have limited the salary of financial managers to the level of the governor's salary.
[...]
Sen. Phil Pavlov of St. Clair, the legislation's sponsor, said limiting the salary "would eliminate a lot of people" who might otherwise take an emergency financial manager position.

The governor's salary? $177,000. Dollars, not rupees.  I wonder what Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has to say about this:

Michigan citizens need to think about what's best for everyone rather than just themselves if the state is to reinvent itself, Gov. Rick Snyder told the Michigan Association of Broadcasters on Wednesday.
[...]
"In our hearts, we know it's time for 'we' to happen," he said at the end of a half-hour speech. "By following through on that 'we' attitude, we'll have an exciting future."

Everyone needs to sacrifice.  Except the rich.  Make the rich happy, and they'll eventually make you happy.  Down there.  Wink wink.  You follow me?

And for those of us who aren't masochists, Governor?

All this comes on the heels of Snyder's budget bill that aims to cut business taxes by almost $2 billion.  $2,000,000,000, not $0.02.  A plan that requires those making under $17,000 to pay 1.1% more of their income and those making over $355,000 to pay .1% more.  .1%, not 10%.  And he's going after collective bargaining rights, too.

Fear not, Wisconsinites: it could be worse.  Fear not, Michiganders: you could live in North Korea.