News Story

School Official Apologizes For Calling State Reps 'Moron' And 'Mental Midget'

One day after CapCon story ran, Godfrey-Lee Superintendent posted apology on district website

A West Michigan school district superintendent apologized on his blog on the school district’s website for calling two GOP politicians a "mental midget" and a "moron."

As first reported by Michigan Capitol Confidential last week, Godfrey-Lee School District Superintendent David Britten used his personal Twitter account to call Reps. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, R-Alto, and Dave Agema, R-Grandville, names because he disagreed with their views.

One day after that story ran, he said on the district's website that he let his emotions about the political environment in Lansing cloud his personal judgment.

"As a result, I made statements on my personal Twitter account about two of our elected representatives — Rep. Lisa Lyons and Rep. Dave Agema — that I sincerely regret and I apologize to both as well as the entire Godfrey-Lee community," Britten wrote.

After he was contacted by Michigan Capitol Confidential last week, Britten appeared to have removed the Tweet in which he called Rep. Lyons a "mental midget." He didn't respond to a request last week seeking comment.

"It's understandable that a passionate debate on an issue can sometimes affect a person's good judgment," said Ari Adler, spokesman for the House Republicans. "It is encouraging that the superintendent is apologizing and hopefully the teachers in that district can use this as a teachable moment."

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.

News Story

SEIU 'Dues Skim' Days Are Numbered

Work to get caregivers their money back continues

The contract that allows the Service Employees International Union to take money from home-based caregivers has a date for which it will finally end.

On Monday, the newly constituted Michigan Quality Community Care Council (MQC3) board affirmed that the contract upon which the SEIU "Dues Skim" is based will end Feb. 28, 2013. The board further announced that the MQC3 would officially be dissolved as of April 14, 2013.

"Finally, an end to the skim is in sight," said Patrick Wright, senior legal analyst for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. "We are still trying to get the caregivers some of their money back. However, at least we now have an actual date upon which the dues payments will stop."

In 2005, the SEIU perpetrated a forced unionization of Michigan's home-based caregivers. Beginning the following year, dues started being taken from the Medicaid checks of the caregivers and sent to the union. The scheme has enriched SEIU coffers by more than $33 million. A running tally is ongoing with the Michigan Capitol Confidential “Skim Tracker.”

The MQC3 was the dummy employer the SEIU used to facilitate its forced unionization of home-based caregivers. In reality, the entity was an extension of the SEIU that did the union's bidding. However, in the final days leading up to the Nov. 6 election, Gov. Rick Snyder replaced the union-friendly board with his own appointees.

Last April, behind closed doors, the union and the former MQC3 board extended the union's contract through February 2013. Had it not been for that extension the "skim" might well have ended by now. By replacing its board, Gov. Snyder took control of the MQC3 away from the SEIU.

Once control of the MQC3 changed hands, the union's last hope was the approval of Proposal 4, which would have locked the forced unionization in the state constitution. Voters soundly rejected Proposal 4 by a margin of 56 percent against to 44 percent in favor.

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.