Monthly Meeting
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Date: 16, 2022 Time: 5:30 PM Place: Finch Park, Arcadia Program: Strawberry Social plus Politics Fun and Candidates |
Our Pres and Veep!
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Mason/Manistee US-31 Billboard
Comments from the Chair
Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport! The 2022 election cycle is shaping up to be one of the most important mid-term elections in the history of Michigan and the United States. We currently are a nation consumed by a 24-hour news cycle that often results in networks manufacturing news stories to keep us from using the remote control. We are also inundated with social media outlets that promote such toxic verbal sparring that normally civil people end up spewing offensive bullying tactics they would never consider if communicating face-to-face. We are a nation where over 150 million citizens cast votes in our last big election cycle. The results of this free and fair election have still not been accepted by the candidate who got the fewer number of votes, and the spreading of his Big Lie has served only to further divide families, friends, and the people of this great democratic republic. Voters on both sides have lost faith and trust in their elected officials who have done nothing to repair that void by refusing to even consider compromise for the greater good of those they have been elected to represent in Washington DC or Lansing. Too many incumbents appear to be more interested in aligning with their political party, raising money, and remaining in power than in serving their constituents. Fortunately, this upcoming election cycle will give us a fair chance to change this paradigm, but we must be resolved to participate in the process and cast an informed vote on or before Tuesday November 8, 2022. The right to vote to select another person to represent you has not always been available to all American citizens. In the past only literate, Caucasian, male, landowners could vote. We really have come a long way in expanding the right to vote to all citizens, but this right is being challenged in several states and has essentially been driven by false accusations of widespread voter fraud and a deeper undertone of poor voter engagement in the evaluation process. Many state lawmakers may not believe there was fraud, but they privately justify these voter suppression tactics by saying that they believe many of (Continued next column) |
Michigan Democratic Initiatives2022
It’s going to be a great year!! (Comments from the Chair continued) the people are not capable of making properly informed decisions in the voting booth. In the last couple of election cycles many voters cast their votes based on one issue. They chose to ignore a candidate’s lack of moral character, lack of experience, outrageous statements, public record, or poor judgement in favor of choosing to vote for a candidate who claimed to support the issue that they were most passionate about. Even worse, they may have simply voted for a candidate because he or she had an “R” or a “D” after their name on the ballot. In the 2022 election process let’s resolve to invest the time and effort to get to know more about the candidates vying for our votes. It will be easiest to start with our local elections because the people asking for your vote are your neighbors who live and work right here facing many of the same challenges you face every day. Please do not dismiss any candidate because of their political party affiliation. Seek them out. They should be willing to attend and participate in public forums. Ask them questions that will help you gain a better understanding of their capabilities to properly represent you, your family, and your community. If they are running for office in Manistee County, they will not be in a position to take any action to reduce the cost of gasoline, reduce inflation, take away guns, stop access to abortion, or change immigration policy. They should be able to clearly communicate how they will allocate the finite amount of local tax dollars necessary to provide and maintain public safety, infrastructure, and public services we need to maintain our local quality of life expectations. Beware of any candidate who says they will figure out what they stand for and what they will try to accomplish once they are elected. These candidates should be focused on serving all their constituents regardless of their political party affiliation. Viable candidates should be dedicated to this service and not to any individual, party leader, or desire to remain in a position of power. After all, the flags of both the state of Michigan and the United States of America do not display any one individual’s name. Because we vote, these flags fly proudly for us all! John Helge is a veteran U.S. Army officer and has recently retired after a 40-year career leading technical sales teams focused on the challenges of industrial water and energy sustainability. He is currently serving as chairperson of the Manistee County Democratic Party. He can be contacted at johnmhelge@gmail.com. |
How to Run for Local Office Guide
So, you’re considering a run for local office? That’s so exciting. Local officials have the power to transform their communities for the better. In this guide, we’ll go over the basics that you need to know in order to field a successful campaign. When you’re ready to dive deeper on a topic, we’ve linked to resources that can give you a more robust understanding. We’ve also created a Campaign HQ page that has upto-date resources. We’re here for you. Let’s get started!