FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan

January 24, 2014

Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org

Why is Gov. Rick Snyder Pushing Corporate Bill Mill Legislation?

Call For Balanced Federal Budget Amendment Pushes Snyder Further to the Right

LANSING — During his State of the State address on January 16, Gov. Rick Snyder called for the legislature to approve a resolution calling for an amendment to the United States Constitution that would require a balanced federal budget. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing corporate bill mill, is pushing this type of legislation across the country.

Here’s what Snyder had to say during his State of the State address:

“But I’m making a request here tonight, because it involves you, the legislators, both the House and the Senate, that I ask you to take up the issue of doing a resolution asking the United States government to include in the United States Constitution an amendment to say they have to balance their budget.”

“Governor Snyder is clearly pandering to the conservative base as he launches his campaign for reelection,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Snyder has always shied away from discussing national issues, but suddenly he’s pushing this corporate-sponsored piece of legislation. This is yet another example of Snyder putting corporate special interest ahead of Michigan families.”

Snyder asked Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville to lead the charge in calling for a federally balanced budget. Calling on Sen. Green to spearhead the effort is no coincidence, as he is the state co-chair of ALEC’s Michigan chapter and has pushed for this type of legislation in the past.

The Guardian recently broke a story with leaked ALEC documents, including a pledge for ALEC members to put ALEC above all other interests, including their constituents.

“Gov. Snyder should not be pushing model legislation from an organization that wants legislators to pledge allegiance to corporations over their constituents,” Scott continued. “Snyder is veering further to the right than even his most intense critics would have predicted. We need to stand up to Gov. Snyder and his right-wing, corporate-sponsored agenda.”

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