About two weeks ago, several hundred Trump supporters, having been motivated by well-funded social media campaigns, descended upon Lansing, risking their lives to demand that we put the interests of Michigan’s business owners before the public health of our citizens, and re-open the state in spite of the guidance of public health professionals. At the time, as you may recall, I shared a Facebook post from the Michigan Militia saying that they were were planning an “armed” follow-up to the event. Well, apparently, today was the day. As you can see in these photos and videos, a small army of militia members stormed our capitol building this afternoon, brandishing assault weapons and demanding, once again, that we give them the “freedom” to get haircuts, ride jet skis, and die alone on ventilators.
Police and staff aren’t engaging w/ protesters and the crowd is angry pic.twitter.com/2OOJC7eQl2
— Anna Liz Nichols (@annaliznichols) April 30, 2020
Directly above me, men with rifles yelling at us. Some of my colleagues who own bullet proof vests are wearing them. I have never appreciated our Sergeants-at-Arms more than today. #mileg pic.twitter.com/voOZpPYWOs
— Senator Dayna Polehanki (@SenPolehanki) April 30, 2020
Multiple armed gunmen storm Michigan’s State House, State police are protecting @GovWhitmer and blocking the gunmen from gaining access to the house floor.
This is America in the age of Trump. pic.twitter.com/tLWR2bvjtR
— Rob Gill (@vote4robgill) April 30, 2020
Armed white men are showing up again today at the Michigan statehouse to silence the opposition and threaten the lives of lawmakers. #mileg pic.twitter.com/OvE47L02v1 https://t.co/aJdlYTW2nA
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) April 30, 2020
Now this is happening. pic.twitter.com/w1CkLB3T3s
— Leon Hendrix (@LeonHendrix) April 30, 2020
85 Comments
Fascist gonna fash. Agent orange must pay for his manipulation of these radicalized rubes. Keep your powder dry.
I liked this take on the last video:
Saint Brian The Godless
@AWorldOutOfMind
Two little girls, one with a Trump mask the other with an Obama mask (???wtf???) dancing very poorly to a mutated version of the Willy Wonka song talking about the greedy government. And one asshole in the crowd yelling “take it off! take it off!”
There, I think that covers it.
Kick it off, Gumshoe.
FF does not approve of failing to maintain safe social distances. Reckless endangerment for the people yelling in the officers face.
Welcome to another month of this shit courtesy of your choice for governor. Is she trying to make sure Michigan’s economy is destroyed?
The paychecks must still be rolling in for Maynard. Just a guess.
Yeah he must be rich. He doesn’t like armed idiots busting into the capitol.
They are simply making the case for a ‘subtle’ and ‘nuanced’ approach according to FF.
They find our governor…aka That Woman… lacking in these qualities.
HW went with the old stand by “She made me do it.” If she just hadn’t been such a bitch.
When I said “this shit” I meant Michigan’s shutdown, dick. Why should I care if protestors are armed as long as they don’t hurt anyone? You think antifa does a good job when they brutalize people with weapons.
A large majority approves of Whitmer’s handling of this crisis.
A large majority disapproves of your hero’s handling of it, HW and FF.
Unlike counties like Iran, China or Russia, here in the US we have a system whereby the public directs policy. If that very small band of freaks storming the capital building can sway public opinion in their favor, they will get the policy they want.
My guess is they’ll only turn people against them with their idiocy. Morons tools like those couldn’t come up with an effective strategy to change public opinion to their favor even if that were genuinely their goal.
The easiest way to avoid widespread crisis on the local and state level, is to have a competent federal government. Are you aware of that, HW,FF, and EOS?
But in a situation like this states and. Localities will be important.
Gretchen Whitmer is wicked smart.
Gerry Anderson is wicked smart.
I’m hopeful.
HW FF and EOS should move to Georgia.
No, I wasn’t aware of that Robert. I think local police can provide the best protections, not federal troops. Too much power at the Federal level allows atrocities like the FBI targeting and taking down innocent individuals like Gen. Flynn, taking away his employment and forcing him to spend his life savings on legal defense for non-existent crimes. The FBI targeted him for his honesty and competence – think about that.
I don’t look to Whitmer to make the right decisions to protect my health and life. I support less government and more personal responsibility. I’ll come out of the bunker after the virus mutates to being just another cold virus.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/05/donald-trump-weak-poll-numbers-dont-blame-bleachgate/
I hope your bunker is set for a few years.
For those interested in the latest Faux News outrage cited like clockwork by EOS, here’s a run down on the Mike Flynn case:
https://www.vox.com/2020/4/30/21242695/michael-flynn-bill-priestap-notes-total-exoneration-trump-russia
A quick review in Michigan shows fatal crashes up in March of this year in Detroit but down in the state. And some spikes due to speeding in April locally.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2020/04/18/msp-encourages-infrequent-travel-after-multiple-car-crashes-in-plymouth/%3foutputType=amp
Oops wrong thread…
Aloha EOS having your very own bunker is pretty much the definition of white privilege. Glad you are staying safe.
Isnt it wonderful how our great leader has united the country.
Remember it is like the flu
It is all China’s fault
The Democrats wrecked the economy to get Trump
Lets get our unity talking points down
Back to work slaves the plutocrats need your surplus value.
Happy May Day
Don’t cross real or virtual picket lines.
Safety before profits
Jean,
**WHITMER** is the one lacking nuance and clarity. Many of those protestors are protesting in a way that I do not approve of. Some were fine. You can’t judge the group by what some individuals were doing. If Whitmer was a better leader we probably would have had less people making bad decisions at the protest.
iRobert,
I think Trump is smart to leave much of the decision making to the states. The different areas of the state should be on different lockdown timelines. A decision that should be made by a strong leader. I don’t know though maybe you are like Wobblie and think the goal was to squash it out? I always assumed that was not the goal and would never work here. We are only trying to slow it down so hospitals do not go way above capacity.
Anonymous,
I do not like how they were protesting either but I also have compassion for people who are feeling desperate because they are likely not one of the lucky ones able to work at home from behind their laptop. Maynard has shown no signs of compassion for these people. Quite the opposite. And it does not surprise me. There has always been an underlying classism here.
FF— watching you twist yourself into knots to try to not ignore basic science and legitimize protestor anger towards the governor is amazing. You are so clearly politically motivated in your every thought, it’s remarkable.
Please expand FF: what specific parts of the governor’s order do you object to and what governors do you believe are showing more subtlety and nuance? What did she do that warranted public protest?
HW ‘Why should I care if protestors are armed as long as they don’t hurt anyone? ‘
The entire point is that they are putting people at risk simply by gathering in public. Guns or not.
Do you approve of these protests?
Jean,
Michigan was the most strict and least nuanced. Even New York was allowing landscape, home improvement and construction crews to work early on as long as they maintained social distance and DID NOT HAVE MULTIPLE WORKERS RIDING IN THE SAME VEHICLE. Whitmer lifted a ban on landscapers but as far as I can tell DID NOT ADD IN THR COMMON SENSE REQUIREMENT OF ONE PERSON PER VEHICLE. Why not? It would have been a no-brainer.
Jean,
What knots?
That’s VERY subtle and nuanced, FF.
Did it warrant armed protest in your view.
Quick reminder here that all those workers (about which you are suddenly concerned) are eligible for unemployment benefits of at least $645/week and up to $965/week in Michigan.
I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic Jean. I and other Governors found it obvious. Our brainless governor apparently did not even consider it. You either think it is common sense to ban workers from different households from riding together in the same vehicle or you don’t. Which is it, Jean?
That is one of the reasons why I said (3 times) that she lacks nuance in both directions.
Jean,
Read my thoughts on the protest. I have already expressed them. Why do you often try to paint your opponents in extreme positions? We all know the answer to that question. You don’t. Thinking is not for you. Maybe you should take up art or something. Thinking is just not your thing.
It seemed to me that those folks wanted to be able to force other workers back to work so they could pursue their hobbies and businesses. I didn’t get the impression that workers are just chomping at the bit to work. A lot of businesses that are open are hiring now because people prefer unemployment: It’s safer and it pays better. Other businesses that received Payroll protection loans are finding workers don’t want to return either.
I’m calling bullshit on your concern for the working class. I think it’s about as sincere as Trump’s.
FF— you expressed thoughts on the protests (so many) but none of them answered my question:
Were they warranted by the governors actions?
Your criticisms aren’t showing any egregious missteps on Whitmer’s part to me. You seem to be nitpicking. I’m just not seeing malfeasance. I also think you are mischaracterizing the protestors as workers demanding to be able to return to work. They were citizens demanding a return to life as they knew it before the pandemic while denying the severity and risks of it. That’s very different.
“The entire point is that they are putting people at risk simply by gathering in public. Guns or not.
Do you approve of these protests?”
I don’t know if that is true. Did covid spread because of the protest? Are you sure? If not then the ‘risk’ didn’t become reality.
I am happy to see some Americans still have enough spirit to stand up to unconstitutional “lockdowns”. No problem with that. They are putting their freedom on the line for all of us.
In my opinion the low paying and lower skilled workers will usually take the unemployment route. As the workers are higher skilled and higher payed they will generally realize the unemployment route is not sustainable over time. The business owners are obviously the least likely to want to go the unemployment route. I would guess that there are still many low wage earners that are low skill that would prefer to work in a safe environment. People like to work.
“I’m calling bullshit on your concern for the working class“
What is that judgment grounded in?
These people feel they are righteous. Their mindset cannot be changed quickly. We have to account for them. There is this trend of armed white dudes storming government offices, armed–and little consequence for it. What can we do? Vote, of course. Anything else?
“Did covid spread because of the protest? Are you sure? If not then the ‘risk’ didn’t become reality.”
Of course it did. That you choose to ignore science is the point where it is clear that a rational argument cannot be had with you. You operate from faith, hunch or ignorance, all the while claiming it is a hunch that Covid-19 is contagious.
Jean,
There are thousands of owner operated businesses in Michigan that could be operating in a way that does not violate social distancing rules. I want you to tell one of those owner operated individual businesses that they are “nitpicking”. It is not as simple as “go get your $900 unemployment. Equipment is often attached to payments. A certain amount of gross revenue is required just to maintain the business. Do you know nothing about how the world works? I am going to have to talk to you later. I am one of the lucky ones.
FF— I made my point before my conclusion. I think you concerns are primarily political. I don’t think conservatives give a shit about the working class as a whole unless they’ve been mislead. So either you are ignorant or your are full of shit. I chose full of shit out of respect.
Ps I think most of those protestors just want to start mudding and party barging again. That’s what I’m hearing here in WL. People don’t want to work; they want to enjoy their free time more.
Ps if you think lots of low wage workers want to work, go talk to some HR people at Kroger and Meijer or just about any open business. Even places like Home Depot with large areas roped off can’t keep adequate staff on duty.
“Of course it did. That you choose to ignore science is the point where it is clear that a rational argument cannot be had with you. You operate from faith, hunch or ignorance, all the while claiming it is a hunch that Covid-19 is contagious.”
Sounds like you are the faithful. I’m asking an open question.
Whitmer is fantastic and has handled this thing about as well as it could be handled. She’s also proving to be smarter than we already figured she was. I can’t wait for her to get to the White House.
FF— I’m aware of the circumstances of small business owners.
I don’t think re-opening early is the solution to their problems. Given that it might create another disease resurgence, I think it’s likely to exacerbate their problems. I don’t believe they can operate safely because they need to get fuel and supplies to do their work. I’m willing to wait to hear from the governor who hears from the experts on that.
No one here is surprised that you imagine you can discern what is and is not safe for workers better than the experts.
Donald Trump tweeted his support for these armed individuals. “These are very good people, but they are angry,” he said.
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/donald-trump-tweets-support-for-protesters-following-whitmers-renewal-of-emergency-declaration
Jean,
You really have low reading comprehension. I just said: “In my opinion the low paying and lower skilled workers will usually take the unemployment route.”
You have very low skills when it comes to discourse. Maybe it is memory related? Maybe it is related to your habit of painting your opponent in extreme positions they don’t hold? Both?
I know lots of Trumpers in Michigan. I know lots of gun owners in Michigan. I know lots of people upset w/ the govt in Michigan.
Not one would bring a gun to the statehouse. GOP leaders would be wise to renounce this fringe lest they lose every suburban mom from Oakland to Kent.
https://twitter.com/TimAlberta/status/1256029823597764608?s=20
If Trump did what Whittmer did you would never stop howling about his fascism.
But Jean, Whitmer is well known for being the most restrictive. Are the other governors not listening to the experts? Is she the only one listening to experts?
Do you really think touching a fuel nozzle once a week is a bigger danger than the laptop employed going on 10 walks a day in Burns Park?
“At any point, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) could have asked for their removal.”
https://www.michiganadvance.com/2020/05/01/susan-j-demas-protestors-threatened-whitmers-murder-gop-leaders-havent-condemned-them/
“If Trump did what Whittmer did you would never stop howling about his fascism.“
Exactly!
Jean,
You will have to pardon me but I do not have any time to respond to any more of your nonsense today.
“claiming it is a hunch that Covid-19 is contagious.”
It’s amazing to see each of you invent things I supposedly say. You are drowning and everyone knows by now what a drowning man clutches at.
The orange boob is having tantrums behind closed doors because his poll numbers are starting to look like nothing that’s been seen since Herbert Hoover days. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Covid-19 will be remembered as “The Trump virus.”
TRUMP TO ALEX JONES IN 2015: “Your reputation is amazing”
ALEX JONES TODAY: “You think I like sizing up my neighbor? How I’m gonna haul him up by a chain and chop his ass up? I’ll do it! My children aren’t going hungry. I will eat your ass.”
I’d say Trump seems like he’s drowning right now…just ask Brad Parscale. If he did what Whitmer did, we’d abide by his orders because it’s the right thing to do and not pack up the ARs and head to the capitol. We’d certainly be shocked that he would have shown some sort of leadership in the face of crisis, but we’d comply. Alas, he’s sewing discord, making promises he can’t keep and risking people’s lives. Two weeks ago these people were up in arms about gardening centers and motorboats, both of which are now available, yet they’re still protesting.
Aloha very fun watching people talk about unemployment insurance and lawn care businesses by people who have never drawn UI or worked lawn care. I ve done both.
Most lawncare businesses do not pay FUTA or SUTA taxes and treat their workers as independent contractors—-a chronic and growing problem in all forms of business—FedEx and Prime drivers are also dealt with as Independent contractors for example (much of your store delivery folks are also ICs).
Under the Fed Covid relieve ICs are eligible as long as the cause of their unemployment is the state not allowing you to work. Once you are no longer covered by the Stay at home order, you are no longer eligible for UI.
Right now they are paying just about any one who applies. But if you say you quit your job, you are automatically disqualified regardless of reason.
Once the stay at home order expires the Fed assistance ends. It will end in July other wise.
The lower down the food chain of employment you are, the less likely you are to receive UI. It is the American Way—the more you have, the more you get.
I’ve done both as well, Wobblie.
Most of my working life has been spent as a worker, in either service work or labor.
You make a lot of assumptions.
I’m wondering how many people here have done both as well.
You can stay on unemployment as an independent contractor if you have kids or others to care for and if you are sick. You can also stay on it if you quit your job.
And many are choosing to do so.
The only people excluded from support are the undocumented (who really really need our help), non citizens in many cases, and the wealthy.
IC’s who takes jobs, even small ones, lose their UI. I was surprised many didn’t understand this. Easily corrected. Don’t work.
It could be that the recession will prove so devastating that many will remain out of work. I expect this to happen at all levels. And of course that will be hardest on those with least.
still, that’s not only impacting the poor and working class.
My daughter and friends are thrilled with their unemployment. And many of my friends who own small businesses can not lure workers back yet.
Wobblie, you are simply wrong about this.
“If he did what Whitmer did, we’d abide by his orders because it’s the right thing to do and not pack up the ARs and head to the capitol.”
Antifa/BAMN/radical lefties out of the woodwork; weapon-swinging communists.
I have done both. More than once. Might again.
“Republican legislators asked for a phased, regional plan to reopen businesses. Have they read that plan?
Or are they too busy golfing and motor boating between trips to the garden store to read that plan and make substantive suggestions?
The idea that the Governor hasn’t been considerate to their demands is pearl-clutching nonsense. I gave you four examples in this sarcastic post of her changing the rules in accordance with their suggestions.” — Sen Jeff Irwin
The theater in the legislature yesterday wasn’t about people, it was about politics.
I think Whitmer should let the rednecks go back to work, so they can be the ones to get us to herd immunity.
Was that what General Flynn plead guilty to, EOS?
Honesty and competence?
Nothing says freedom like cat-calling a child dancing in blackface while holding an assault rifle.
I have never been more proud to be from Michigan.
Aloha JH, you might want to read
https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-526796–,00.html
Very specific language on voluntary quits. Only applies to end of state of emergency. Be careful what you advise people to do JH. The state can come after improperly paid benefits years after the payment.
News Alert: Canada bans assault-style weapons
Assault-style weapons are banned in Canada effective immediately, the country’s prime minister said Friday.
The move comes less than two weeks after Canada’s deadliest rampage in modern history, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 22 people after a 12-hour reign of terror.
Wobblie — I have read it. The benefits are available until the end of the state of emergency, yes. If they are being called back now and don’t want to work, they can quit and receive benefits for that period of time. This is not the case normally.
I advise businesses and I can assure you many workers are choosing not to come back right away. There will be consequences for some in terms of ongoing employment but most employers seem to understand. They were only hiring back because that’s the only way to get CARES act loan forgiveness. Most don’t need the workers now. They are just in a tough place. Hard to take on debt (even at 1%) when the future remains very uncertain.
If you know of anyone cut off from UI for anything other than going back to work in some form, please let me know. I have yet to hear if a single worker refused UI because they didn’t return to work. Doesn’t mean it’s not happening. It’s just not the story I’m hearing.
As we have already learned, these rules and benefits are not always getting implemented as intended.
“Yesterday’s scene at the Capitol was disturbing to be quite honest. Swastikas and Confederate flags and nooses and automatic rifles do not represent who we are as Michiganders,” Governor Whitmer says of yesterday’s protests of her at the state Capitol.
Aloha eveyone I know of who has applied for UI is receiving it. We could not have a more worker friendly UI administration thanwe have today. Absolutely.
Love watching Canadian TV. They are telling folks no international travel for rest of year Maybe for Christmas.
I don’t know if iRoberts elaborate theory is correct re the Biden thing but I’ll be damned if the supposedly DeVos orchestrated attack on Whitmer hasn’t elevated her status to one of a national player.
William DeBarr just attacked her. She has great company there. I guess she’s ‘arrogantly forcing residents to stay alive.’
Can’t pay money for that kind of good press.
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/michigan-governor-arrogantly-forcing-residents-to-remain-alive
It’s not elaborate. It’s a simple trick. It works. But in this case apparently Fox News isn’t taking the bait. Still, MSNBC made a big show of it. Biden could do a better job of articulating his compassion.
Maybe DeVos wants a special election to replace Whitmer. I doubt it though. I think he’s just a dick who wants to kiss Trump’s ass. He must be enjoying Betsy being away more often. He can have more boys nights in.
Parody. My bad. Still great press for the Governor.
By the way, regarding Amash; he’s a nobody. He wouldn’t get any more votes as the Libertarian candidate for president than Joe Schmo. The Libertarians would be much better off running someone with some name recognition, or a personality.
I agree with you, Jean, that Whitmer is getting some good press from the all these idiots attacking her. Their main problem is that she’s not a pathetic, incompetent, failure like their hero in DC.
Did you catch EOS’s response to my suggestion that the federal government could be competent? I thought it was very revealing.
It’s funny to me that Trumpanzees don’t know what competence looks like, or how it makes a dramatic difference. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at that.
Every single governor in America has higher approval ratings for their handling of the pandemic crisis than the tweeter-in-chief. And I’d bet every single mayor in America does too.
There’s a faction in local A2 politics that is very cynical about the capacity of local government to do anything useful and routinely try to limit the scope of what local government does to ‘basic services’ and says that keeping property taxes from going up is addressing housing affordability in some meaningful way.
They are all registered Dems now but sound just like Republicans to me.
Like FF they use concern for the working class cynically as an excuse to push their political agenda.
Because they are registered Dems, ppl fall for it. So many people think a Dem badge means something… It really doesn’t. Many A2 locals are so removed from classically conservative thinking they can’t even recognize it in their own representatives.
Aloha here is a pretty article that lays out the “dance and hammer” strategy that is being de facto adopted
https://labornotes.org/2020/05/hammer-and-dance-why-reopening-now-will-kill?fbclid=IwAR2LrKV__gs9lAe8K1VdaCVXAy2LYr9ZBkOe5Fhwbja3QMPCp_o_cVbRlI8
Aloha, the Michigan Militia is going to have to head south and liberate Gallup.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gallup-new-mexico-riot-control-act-coronavirus/
Native communities still have not received their federal Aid. It’s very distressing. They have been hard hit, especially the Navajo.
Where did our resident Trumpanzees disappear to?
Are they in Bakersfield getting their osteopath certifications?
Maybe they’ve all been arrested for gardening.
Frosted Flakes stole this thought, “ You can’t judge the group by what some individuals were doing. ”
It was done better in the original…
https://youtu.be/iSyHFk4PB9s
I like it Elvis. I was watching clips of animal house the other day and thought about Bias Pride Parade 2020.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pX71mALOPKs
Shouldn’t these geniuses be out making citizens arrests of black joggers in their own neighborhoods?
Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any weirder … Apparently, at least five members of the Michigan Militia were arrested yesterday in Ypsilanti, are now accused of participating in a plot to kidnap Governor Whitmer and take her to an undisclosed location in Wisconsin for some kind of “trial.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/us/gretchen-whitmer-michigan-militia.html
3 Trackbacks
[…] « Illustrating the incredible power of white privilege, a small army of Trump supporters with … […]
[…] protests taking part across the country by his supporters, who are apparently intent on regaining the right to die alone on ventilators for their loved ones, is absolutely beyond me. What’s clear, however, is that he wants to […]
[…] the first two armed protests in Lansing weren’t sufficient. A third is scheduled for tomorrow, and, judging […]