Gov. Snyder signed a law depriving Michigan public employees of the ability to enroll their partners, unless married, in health insurance or other benefit programs. See Dawson Bell, No Health Care for Domestic Partners under Michigan Law Signed Today by Snyder, Detroit Free Press, Dec. 27, 2011.
One has to ask whether the gain to the state (saving whatever cost the state incurs in providing benefit programs to public employees) is worth the negatives--(i) cost--having couples who can't afford routine medical care now using emergency room services (much more expensive) or doing without until terribly ill (much more expensive) and (ii) unfairness. As noted in the Free Press article, this was especially aimed at same-sex couples, since same-sex couples regrettably cannot marry in Michigan, though it also would affect unmarried different-sex couples. Same sex couples are deprived of a benefit based on the prejudice against same-sex marriage among Michiganders. While attitudes nationally seem to be changing, it is glacially slow. And Michigan, like so many other states, backs its prejudices with economic hardship for those discriminated against.
This is particularly unfair as it plays out in Michigan. Snyder interprets the law not to apply to public university employees, since they have constitutional autonomy. One group is saved harmless, and the other group--public school teachers, firefighters, police and other municipal employees-- is forced to forfeit existing health insurance. Meanwhile, the state has cut taxes on businesses while using an emergency financial manager law to take over various cities and bust their public employee unions.
Whatever happened to the idea of a community working together for the common good of all? It seems that in many states and localities these days, there is a strong "anti" sentiment--anit-union and anti-public employee that tracks with the ultra-favorable views towards business that we've identified as the corporatist agenda. Thus, tax cuts for business and the wealthy (under the purported claim that it is the wealthy who are the "job creators") and benefit cuts, wage cuts and job loss for ordinary folk. At what point will people who are on the short end of these changes rise up and say "no more"?
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