It is Time for Common Sense Gun Legislation
Run, Hide, Fight! Those were the words students, faculty, and staff at MSU received in a text last month in the immediate aftermath of the mass shooting that left three students dead and five seriously injured. Sadly, these are also the words of guidance given to our children who are regularly subjected to active shooter drills in their school classrooms. Today’s drills create much more uneasiness compared to the “duck and cover” drills some of us baby boomers experienced cowering underneath our desks during the Cold War era. We were fortunate because we never actually experienced a nuclear attack while today’s students regularly see news reports of their peers being slaughtered by senseless gun violence. In the twenty-four years since the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado there have been 336 episodes of gun violence in American schools. Is it any wonder that our current generation of young people report higher levels of anxiety, depression, and lack of trust in our nation-wide culture’s ability or even its willingness to protect them from harm?
Fortunately, our elected officials in Lansing have had enough of the dithering and are in the process of providing more than the superfluous response of “thoughts and prayers” that have followed previous gun violence. The Democratic majorities in the Michigan house and senate have proposed solid, common-sense gun safety laws that will result in making it much more difficult for a person suffering from mental illness or who has a history of legal problems, anger, and violence to get their hands on a gun. Handguns and assault rifles are manufactured primarily to kill other human beings and as such should be owned only by those willing to be trained, certified, insured, and licensed to properly store and use them. These requirements would be no more restrictive than what we currently require to operate a motor vehicle on Michigan’s roads.
These new regulations will not make it harder for mentally healthy, law-abiding people to buy and own a gun. The regulations will not require lawful gun owners to give up their current cache of guns. It will only require them to be obtained legally and stored securely to prevent unauthorized use. Michigan’s new gun laws will not make it harder for homeowners to defend their property, their lives, or their loved ones. If carrying a loaded handgun in public makes you feel more secure you will still be permitted if you have been properly trained and certified to use it safely. Michigan’s common sense gun safety laws have absolutely no intention to impede your ability to hunt or engage in target shooting.
Sadly, these progressive Michigan regulations will not totally stop gun violence. There are currently over 393 million registered firearms in the United States which represents more than one gun for every man, woman, and child. This means that there are plenty of guns available if someone really wants to misuse them. At least now in Michigan it will
(Continued in next column.)
Run, Hide, Fight! Those were the words students, faculty, and staff at MSU received in a text last month in the immediate aftermath of the mass shooting that left three students dead and five seriously injured. Sadly, these are also the words of guidance given to our children who are regularly subjected to active shooter drills in their school classrooms. Today’s drills create much more uneasiness compared to the “duck and cover” drills some of us baby boomers experienced cowering underneath our desks during the Cold War era. We were fortunate because we never actually experienced a nuclear attack while today’s students regularly see news reports of their peers being slaughtered by senseless gun violence. In the twenty-four years since the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado there have been 336 episodes of gun violence in American schools. Is it any wonder that our current generation of young people report higher levels of anxiety, depression, and lack of trust in our nation-wide culture’s ability or even its willingness to protect them from harm?
Fortunately, our elected officials in Lansing have had enough of the dithering and are in the process of providing more than the superfluous response of “thoughts and prayers” that have followed previous gun violence. The Democratic majorities in the Michigan house and senate have proposed solid, common-sense gun safety laws that will result in making it much more difficult for a person suffering from mental illness or who has a history of legal problems, anger, and violence to get their hands on a gun. Handguns and assault rifles are manufactured primarily to kill other human beings and as such should be owned only by those willing to be trained, certified, insured, and licensed to properly store and use them. These requirements would be no more restrictive than what we currently require to operate a motor vehicle on Michigan’s roads.
These new regulations will not make it harder for mentally healthy, law-abiding people to buy and own a gun. The regulations will not require lawful gun owners to give up their current cache of guns. It will only require them to be obtained legally and stored securely to prevent unauthorized use. Michigan’s new gun laws will not make it harder for homeowners to defend their property, their lives, or their loved ones. If carrying a loaded handgun in public makes you feel more secure you will still be permitted if you have been properly trained and certified to use it safely. Michigan’s common sense gun safety laws have absolutely no intention to impede your ability to hunt or engage in target shooting.
Sadly, these progressive Michigan regulations will not totally stop gun violence. There are currently over 393 million registered firearms in the United States which represents more than one gun for every man, woman, and child. This means that there are plenty of guns available if someone really wants to misuse them. At least now in Michigan it will
(Continued in next column.)
be required that all these weapons and ammunition be safely stored to prevent unauthorized or unsafe use. THAT is at least an important positive action step forward! These regulations must not be stymied by the NRA lobbying money which screams the insanity of “If guns are outlawed then only outlaws will have guns.”
Along with their work on common sense gun safety legislation the Democrat-led legislature in Lansing has delivered on their promises to take action to improve the quality of life for many Michigan residents who deserve assistance. The 2012 income tax on government and private pensions has been repealed which should put an average of $1000/year back into retiree’s bank accounts and the Working Family Tax Credit has been increased by 5X which will result in an average of $3,000/year benefit to families making less than $60,000/year in 2022. An immediate $180 tax rebate is being held up by the opposition party’s refusal to implement it prior to April 18, 2023. The opposition wants to implement an income tax reduction of less than a quarter of one percent that would not take effect until 2024 and would preferentially benefit those with high incomes and profitable corporations more than the lower income people who would benefit from the immediate rebate checks. The proposed state income tax reduction would also have the potential to cause future cuts to state government programs and services due to lack of funding.
We must give credit to our regional elected representatives in Lansing for holding townhall meetings to listen to the concerns of their constituents. We have been impressed with how John Roth has interacted with us here in Manistee County holding two meetings in Kaleva and Onekama. After he was reminded that he was elected to represent everyone in his district and not just those who voted for him, his meetings provided good insight into the issues and policies he is working on. He certainly appears willing to work across the aisle for the best interests of all the people in his district. As I write this Kurt Vanderwall has scheduled his first constituent meetings on Friday March 3rd, but he will not be in Manistee County for any of those meetings. State Senators Jon Bumstead and Michelle Hoitenga according to their social media pages have not yet scheduled any time to meet directly with residents in their new senate districts. It is a shame that their social media postings indicate that they are much less willing to make the effort to communicate, collaborate, and compromise in Lansing. It appears that those two are struggling to find a way to work as the minority in the senate after enjoying 40 years in the majority in Lansing.
Along with their work on common sense gun safety legislation the Democrat-led legislature in Lansing has delivered on their promises to take action to improve the quality of life for many Michigan residents who deserve assistance. The 2012 income tax on government and private pensions has been repealed which should put an average of $1000/year back into retiree’s bank accounts and the Working Family Tax Credit has been increased by 5X which will result in an average of $3,000/year benefit to families making less than $60,000/year in 2022. An immediate $180 tax rebate is being held up by the opposition party’s refusal to implement it prior to April 18, 2023. The opposition wants to implement an income tax reduction of less than a quarter of one percent that would not take effect until 2024 and would preferentially benefit those with high incomes and profitable corporations more than the lower income people who would benefit from the immediate rebate checks. The proposed state income tax reduction would also have the potential to cause future cuts to state government programs and services due to lack of funding.
We must give credit to our regional elected representatives in Lansing for holding townhall meetings to listen to the concerns of their constituents. We have been impressed with how John Roth has interacted with us here in Manistee County holding two meetings in Kaleva and Onekama. After he was reminded that he was elected to represent everyone in his district and not just those who voted for him, his meetings provided good insight into the issues and policies he is working on. He certainly appears willing to work across the aisle for the best interests of all the people in his district. As I write this Kurt Vanderwall has scheduled his first constituent meetings on Friday March 3rd, but he will not be in Manistee County for any of those meetings. State Senators Jon Bumstead and Michelle Hoitenga according to their social media pages have not yet scheduled any time to meet directly with residents in their new senate districts. It is a shame that their social media postings indicate that they are much less willing to make the effort to communicate, collaborate, and compromise in Lansing. It appears that those two are struggling to find a way to work as the minority in the senate after enjoying 40 years in the majority in Lansing.
HOW DO WE FIND THE “BIG ROCKS”?
Recently, a dedicated group of Manistee County Democrats volunteered to participate in a comprehensive six-hour strategic planning session to help ensure continuous improvement on the momentum that we built during the past few years. This group represented a solid demographic mix of age groups, men and women, city and rural dwellers, long-time and relatively new residents. Many enthusiastic ideas, observations, and discussions resulted in the adoption of key goals that this organization will focus on during the next two years. We call these goals the BIG ROCKS and they represent the critical few items that we must remain laser-focused on to be successful.
We will be working to recruit, train, support, and elect down ballot candidates in all races in Manistee County. Local political races are the most important to local voters because those they elect will most likely have the most direct impact on our daily lives. We want to provide strong, capable, and well-prepared candidates that give voters in Manistee County a choice in the voting booth.
We want to improve how we recruit and engage those who desire to align with us in Manistee County. It costs nothing to join our organization, but we do ask you to become engaged in helping with the activities we do to support social, environmental, and economic justice issues. We want more than just donations of money for political candidates. We recognize that we will need to demonstrate and document the value that we can provide to our members to obtain and maintain their support.
We know that your time is a precious resource that should not be wasted on boring meetings or one-sided lectures. We will be providing a series of information gatherings that will allow subject matter experts to deliver pertinent facts on issues that are specifically focused on the interests of Manistee County residents. At our most recent monthly information meeting we learned that Manistee County needs at least 582 properties that rent for $1000/month or less to meet the needs of working families who should not be spending more than 30% of their monthly income on housing. Did you know that a single person working 40 hours per week making the current minimum wage in Michigan ($10.10/hour) would only be able to afford $525/month for rent? We also learned that 50% of the working families in Manistee County are currently spending more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing. Our presenters told us about active plans, projects, and programs that are in place to help alleviate that economic hardship.
(Continued in next column)
Recently, a dedicated group of Manistee County Democrats volunteered to participate in a comprehensive six-hour strategic planning session to help ensure continuous improvement on the momentum that we built during the past few years. This group represented a solid demographic mix of age groups, men and women, city and rural dwellers, long-time and relatively new residents. Many enthusiastic ideas, observations, and discussions resulted in the adoption of key goals that this organization will focus on during the next two years. We call these goals the BIG ROCKS and they represent the critical few items that we must remain laser-focused on to be successful.
We will be working to recruit, train, support, and elect down ballot candidates in all races in Manistee County. Local political races are the most important to local voters because those they elect will most likely have the most direct impact on our daily lives. We want to provide strong, capable, and well-prepared candidates that give voters in Manistee County a choice in the voting booth.
We want to improve how we recruit and engage those who desire to align with us in Manistee County. It costs nothing to join our organization, but we do ask you to become engaged in helping with the activities we do to support social, environmental, and economic justice issues. We want more than just donations of money for political candidates. We recognize that we will need to demonstrate and document the value that we can provide to our members to obtain and maintain their support.
We know that your time is a precious resource that should not be wasted on boring meetings or one-sided lectures. We will be providing a series of information gatherings that will allow subject matter experts to deliver pertinent facts on issues that are specifically focused on the interests of Manistee County residents. At our most recent monthly information meeting we learned that Manistee County needs at least 582 properties that rent for $1000/month or less to meet the needs of working families who should not be spending more than 30% of their monthly income on housing. Did you know that a single person working 40 hours per week making the current minimum wage in Michigan ($10.10/hour) would only be able to afford $525/month for rent? We also learned that 50% of the working families in Manistee County are currently spending more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing. Our presenters told us about active plans, projects, and programs that are in place to help alleviate that economic hardship.
(Continued in next column)
There are many opportunities for Manistee County residents to step up and volunteer to serve on local government advisory boards and commissions. Your county Democratic Party will be actively recruiting qualified individuals to serve. These are not partisan positions, and they must be filled by people who do not have a personal, professional, or political ulterior motive. These boards and commissions help our local governments operate more effectively and efficiently in meeting the needs and expectations of the residents
In the next two years we will also be working diligently to improve the perception of what it means to be a Democrat living in Manistee County. We want people to be comfortable that our mutual efforts are making a difference in the quality of life we all can enjoy. Rather than simply restating the national party line of talking points or chasing down a rabbit hole in meaningless culture war debates we will be focused on issues that are important to those of us living here in Manistee County.
Here is a good example! We all know that our elected government officials at the state, county, city, and township levels are required to work with balanced budgets. There is no such thing as deficit spending for these folks. This means that they must make decisions to do the greatest good using only the income that they have on hand. Democrats in Manistee County understand and support that being financially and fiscally conservative is important. We do not advocate for any level of government to spend money they do not have. That is why it is so important for our elected officials to actively collaborate with each other, cooperate across any political spectrum, and be willing to compromise to spend wisely for the greatest return on their investment.
In the months leading up to the 2024 election, it is our hope that members of the Manistee County Democratic Party will refrain from engaging in any sort of juvenile name-calling or what-about-isms when confronted with the opportunity to listen to someone who may have a differing point of view. We want our members to be curious about why someone may feel so differently about an issue they both see as important. We want all people in Manistee County to take time to listen to learn more about the alternate position and not just listen to respond in support of their own position. We expect that this example of curiosity and active listening will provide more opportunities for us all to find common ground, reduce the walls of division, and develop more win/win scenarios.
In the next two years we will also be working diligently to improve the perception of what it means to be a Democrat living in Manistee County. We want people to be comfortable that our mutual efforts are making a difference in the quality of life we all can enjoy. Rather than simply restating the national party line of talking points or chasing down a rabbit hole in meaningless culture war debates we will be focused on issues that are important to those of us living here in Manistee County.
Here is a good example! We all know that our elected government officials at the state, county, city, and township levels are required to work with balanced budgets. There is no such thing as deficit spending for these folks. This means that they must make decisions to do the greatest good using only the income that they have on hand. Democrats in Manistee County understand and support that being financially and fiscally conservative is important. We do not advocate for any level of government to spend money they do not have. That is why it is so important for our elected officials to actively collaborate with each other, cooperate across any political spectrum, and be willing to compromise to spend wisely for the greatest return on their investment.
In the months leading up to the 2024 election, it is our hope that members of the Manistee County Democratic Party will refrain from engaging in any sort of juvenile name-calling or what-about-isms when confronted with the opportunity to listen to someone who may have a differing point of view. We want our members to be curious about why someone may feel so differently about an issue they both see as important. We want all people in Manistee County to take time to listen to learn more about the alternate position and not just listen to respond in support of their own position. We expect that this example of curiosity and active listening will provide more opportunities for us all to find common ground, reduce the walls of division, and develop more win/win scenarios.
Every year in early January we all have the unique opportunity to take the lessons learned over the past year and look forward to using them while facing the fresh opportunities that a new year can offer. This is especially true for the members of the Manistee County Democratic Party. We learned a lot about recruiting and supporting local candidates who all ran strong campaigns in 2022. We are grateful for the Michigan voters who in November passed all three ballot proposals and gave the Democrats an opportunity to show what a focused state legislature in Lansing can accomplish for the greater good of us all. In 2023 Manistee County Democrats will NOT be wasting time and energy participating in meaningless culture war or irrational conspiracy theories that serve only to create division between local people that really should be working together. As an alternative, your Democrat neighbors will be eagerly embracing change and working to improve our overall quality of life right here in Manistee County!
We hope you will notice that the general themes of these monthly columns have consistently been focused on issues and concerns that are important to Manistee County residents. We are not simply restating the talking points or standard banalities of the national party-line. Locally, we recognize that we still have a lot of work to do changing what our neighbors think it means to be known as a Democrat here in Manistee County. We understand how important it is to be consistently active in the community not just during an election year. We will continue to provide a dedicated cadre of volunteers in blue shirts and hats ready to help with food distribution, community beautification, environmental awareness, supporting public education, and advocating for those who are marginalized or suffering discrimination. Democrats volunteer for these tasks to demonstrate that action is more powerful than words, slogans, name-calling, or heated rhetoric. Caring for others in our community is one of the foundational principles of our organization.
In 2023 you will find Manistee County Democrats collaborating with other like-minded community organizations to help them accomplish major goals. Our members will be actively supporting the 2nd Annual Great Lakes Environmental Festival in Manistee on April 20-21st that celebrates our freshwater abundance and advocates for continuous improvement working to limit the adverse effects of climate change.
We hope you will notice that the general themes of these monthly columns have consistently been focused on issues and concerns that are important to Manistee County residents. We are not simply restating the talking points or standard banalities of the national party-line. Locally, we recognize that we still have a lot of work to do changing what our neighbors think it means to be known as a Democrat here in Manistee County. We understand how important it is to be consistently active in the community not just during an election year. We will continue to provide a dedicated cadre of volunteers in blue shirts and hats ready to help with food distribution, community beautification, environmental awareness, supporting public education, and advocating for those who are marginalized or suffering discrimination. Democrats volunteer for these tasks to demonstrate that action is more powerful than words, slogans, name-calling, or heated rhetoric. Caring for others in our community is one of the foundational principles of our organization.
In 2023 you will find Manistee County Democrats collaborating with other like-minded community organizations to help them accomplish major goals. Our members will be actively supporting the 2nd Annual Great Lakes Environmental Festival in Manistee on April 20-21st that celebrates our freshwater abundance and advocates for continuous improvement working to limit the adverse effects of climate change.
Many Manistee County Democrats will be working with the Manistee Area Racial Justice and Diversity Initiative (MARJDI) during Black History Month and their continuing efforts to make Manistee County a more racially just, diverse, and welcoming community. Many of your Democrat neighbors are learning how to serve as affirming allies supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community in Manistee County. You will find Democrats working along side you at Habitat for Humanity, providing food and safe shelter for the homeless, and delivering meals from the Senior Nutrition program throughout the county.
We also admit that we must do a better job communicating how we are working for the benefit of rural residents of Manistee County. In 2023 we will be working to provide more real-time support to cut through the bureaucratic red-tape and hassles for those who are able to apply for state and federal aid to help them improve their quality of life on their family farms or woodlots. We will be challenging County, Township, and City Planning and Housing Commissions to find more creative ways to improve the access to affordable housing. We will explore, discover, and support creative means of providing affordable childcare to enable more people to join the workforce and improve the economic situation for their families. If you know of someone who is struggling financially to find a way to complete their GED, get a high school diploma, or attend a trade school please contact a Manistee County Democrat because our Blue Tigers group can help! We want everyone in Manistee County to feel free to call the Democrats when they need help.
Democrats in Manistee County are also stepping up to serve our communities as members of local governmental support and advisory commissions that help ensure that taxpayers are getting the best possible return on their tax dollar investments. There are many opportunities to serve in these capacities and openings are regularly publicized at the county, city, village, and township levels. Many of the volunteers stepping up to fill these roles are Democrats who have decided it is better to get actively involved than to simply sit on the sidelines and complain. These volunteers see the value in working to make their local governments work more effectively for the greater good of all residents.
In 2023 we intend to demonstrate that Democrats in Manistee County are not just active in election years trying to win your vote. We will demonstrate that we have much more to offer than political rhetoric. We want to show you how we can work together to get things done right here in Manistee County!
We also admit that we must do a better job communicating how we are working for the benefit of rural residents of Manistee County. In 2023 we will be working to provide more real-time support to cut through the bureaucratic red-tape and hassles for those who are able to apply for state and federal aid to help them improve their quality of life on their family farms or woodlots. We will be challenging County, Township, and City Planning and Housing Commissions to find more creative ways to improve the access to affordable housing. We will explore, discover, and support creative means of providing affordable childcare to enable more people to join the workforce and improve the economic situation for their families. If you know of someone who is struggling financially to find a way to complete their GED, get a high school diploma, or attend a trade school please contact a Manistee County Democrat because our Blue Tigers group can help! We want everyone in Manistee County to feel free to call the Democrats when they need help.
Democrats in Manistee County are also stepping up to serve our communities as members of local governmental support and advisory commissions that help ensure that taxpayers are getting the best possible return on their tax dollar investments. There are many opportunities to serve in these capacities and openings are regularly publicized at the county, city, village, and township levels. Many of the volunteers stepping up to fill these roles are Democrats who have decided it is better to get actively involved than to simply sit on the sidelines and complain. These volunteers see the value in working to make their local governments work more effectively for the greater good of all residents.
In 2023 we intend to demonstrate that Democrats in Manistee County are not just active in election years trying to win your vote. We will demonstrate that we have much more to offer than political rhetoric. We want to show you how we can work together to get things done right here in Manistee County!
LET’S GET TO
WORK!
The November election has provided us with real opportunities to compare the performance of both major political parties over the next two years. In Washington, DC the Republican Party has regained the majority in the US House of Representatives. In Lansing, MI the Democratic Party has won the majority in both chambers of the Michigan state legislature. It should be very interesting, if not downright entertaining, to watch what happens in both these forms of representative elected government.
Republican members of the US House and Senate have been very consistent over the past few years in voting NO on almost all the proposed legislation that would utilize tax dollars to provide direct quality of life benefits to many of their rank-and-file constituents. Aside from approving multi-trillion-dollar tax cuts that benefit highly profitable corporations and wealthy campaign donors the Republicans in Washington have shown little interest or ability to do the heavy lifting of governing this great nation. They seem much more comfortable creating chaos and turmoil to get their faces on the 24-hour news cycle and rile up their depleting voter base. These do-nothing muck rakers are already preparing to waste their time and our tax dollars on meaningless investigations and culture war issues that are based on nothing more than wild conspiracy theories and baseless political vendettas. They have also put the future of our Social Security and Medicare benefits on the chopping block as they face a showdown over a government debt ceiling that has no real impact on the average American.
The Democrats in the US House and Senate with the smallest majorities have succeeded in passing historic legislation that will upgrade our crumbling infrastructure, reduce the dependence on foreign supply of high-tech components, and take definitive action to mitigate climate change. These actions are being paid for by requiring highly profitable companies and wealthy individuals to pay their fair share of taxes.
WORK!
The November election has provided us with real opportunities to compare the performance of both major political parties over the next two years. In Washington, DC the Republican Party has regained the majority in the US House of Representatives. In Lansing, MI the Democratic Party has won the majority in both chambers of the Michigan state legislature. It should be very interesting, if not downright entertaining, to watch what happens in both these forms of representative elected government.
Republican members of the US House and Senate have been very consistent over the past few years in voting NO on almost all the proposed legislation that would utilize tax dollars to provide direct quality of life benefits to many of their rank-and-file constituents. Aside from approving multi-trillion-dollar tax cuts that benefit highly profitable corporations and wealthy campaign donors the Republicans in Washington have shown little interest or ability to do the heavy lifting of governing this great nation. They seem much more comfortable creating chaos and turmoil to get their faces on the 24-hour news cycle and rile up their depleting voter base. These do-nothing muck rakers are already preparing to waste their time and our tax dollars on meaningless investigations and culture war issues that are based on nothing more than wild conspiracy theories and baseless political vendettas. They have also put the future of our Social Security and Medicare benefits on the chopping block as they face a showdown over a government debt ceiling that has no real impact on the average American.
The Democrats in the US House and Senate with the smallest majorities have succeeded in passing historic legislation that will upgrade our crumbling infrastructure, reduce the dependence on foreign supply of high-tech components, and take definitive action to mitigate climate change. These actions are being paid for by requiring highly profitable companies and wealthy individuals to pay their fair share of taxes.
These elected leaders have proven that our federal government can and will work for the benefit of all the people, not just those who are in positions of wealth and power. Even with a stronger majority in the US Senate, Democrats will find it difficult to continue the people’s work if the US House decides to avoid acting on any meaningful legislation. We probably should not expect much of any consequence to come out of Washington for the next two years.
Meanwhile, in Lansing, the Michigan Democrats will have the majority in both chambers combined with a Democrat-led executive branch for the first time in 40 years. Governor Whitmer has made her action plan for the next two years very clear and it will be interesting to see how quickly and effectively our elected state officials can implement her agenda. We find it interesting that the current “lame duck” session in Lansing appears to be folding up and scurrying away leaving lots of important work on the table that should have been addressed. The current Republican leaders in the state House and Senate are already taking to the right-wing media outlets to blame the Governor for their inaction.
Here are a few of the action items we should be looking for from the Democrat-led Michigan Legislature in the coming months:
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.
Meanwhile, in Lansing, the Michigan Democrats will have the majority in both chambers combined with a Democrat-led executive branch for the first time in 40 years. Governor Whitmer has made her action plan for the next two years very clear and it will be interesting to see how quickly and effectively our elected state officials can implement her agenda. We find it interesting that the current “lame duck” session in Lansing appears to be folding up and scurrying away leaving lots of important work on the table that should have been addressed. The current Republican leaders in the state House and Senate are already taking to the right-wing media outlets to blame the Governor for their inaction.
Here are a few of the action items we should be looking for from the Democrat-led Michigan Legislature in the coming months:
- Repeal of the income tax on pension payments that was initiated by the Snyder administration. This will add an average of $1000/year benefit to the pension recipients.
- Increase the Federal Income Tax Earned Income Credit from the current 6% to 20%. This will add an average of at least $1000/year benefit to low-income taxpayers in Michigan.
- Develop real hard dollar incentives and simplified regulations to support increased availability of affordable childcare.
- Reinstate a prevailing wage law to ensure all Michigan workers are properly compensated with a competitive wage.
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.
The polls have closed. The votes have been counted. The people have spoken!
We should express our thanks and appreciation to the local, regional, and state-wide candidates who did not get the most votes on Tuesday. They all ran good campaigns that were focused on meeting and listening to the challenges and issues that were most meaningful to their voters. They all made their opponents engage with the voters and work harder to win. By the way, all the local and regional candidates that finished as runners-up have graciously conceded to the winners. This is the way it should be done in a true democracy where the vote tally is the voice of the people and the deciding factor.
John Helge Congratulations should then be given to those who ended up with the most votes. Hopefully they will accept the reality that they will be expected to actively
participate in a government that serves all the people in their districts not just those who may have voted for them or those that have pledged allegiance to their political party or their cult leader. This realization is what true representative democracy is all about! All voters should now be actively engaged in monitoring the action or inaction of those they voted for and holding them accountable to working for the greater good for all people that they represent.
I had the opportunity to observe our democracy in action on election day as I visited the polling places in Manistee County. At every location I observed our friends and neighbors serving as dedicated poll workers who diligently followed the rules and best practices to make the voting process safe, secure, and fair for the 13, 280 Manistee County voters who
We should express our thanks and appreciation to the local, regional, and state-wide candidates who did not get the most votes on Tuesday. They all ran good campaigns that were focused on meeting and listening to the challenges and issues that were most meaningful to their voters. They all made their opponents engage with the voters and work harder to win. By the way, all the local and regional candidates that finished as runners-up have graciously conceded to the winners. This is the way it should be done in a true democracy where the vote tally is the voice of the people and the deciding factor.
John Helge Congratulations should then be given to those who ended up with the most votes. Hopefully they will accept the reality that they will be expected to actively
participate in a government that serves all the people in their districts not just those who may have voted for them or those that have pledged allegiance to their political party or their cult leader. This realization is what true representative democracy is all about! All voters should now be actively engaged in monitoring the action or inaction of those they voted for and holding them accountable to working for the greater good for all people that they represent.
I had the opportunity to observe our democracy in action on election day as I visited the polling places in Manistee County. At every location I observed our friends and neighbors serving as dedicated poll workers who diligently followed the rules and best practices to make the voting process safe, secure, and fair for the 13, 280 Manistee County voters who
Stop the Real Big Steal on November 8th!
Based on the current rhetoric coming out of the so-called leadership of the radical Republican Party, in the 2022 election cycle if you vote Republican, then you will vote for what many are calling the “Real Big Steal”. Current Republican legislators at both the state and federal level have publicly called for legislation to review and eliminate existing established programs that have been tightly woven into American culture and our economic system. If we allow the current Republican Party to gain majorities in our state and federal legislatures in 2022 here is what we stand to lose:
We are confident that even those who may still believe the “Big Lie” that the 2020 Presidential election was “stolen” would agree that taking these long-established programs and rights away from the American people would be exceedingly difficult to justify. But unjustified or not, they are squarely on the chopping block right now! The spin being put on these issues is that somehow the Republican Party will be able to craft an improved or more efficient program. That is nothing but a hollow promise as we are still waiting to see the Republican alternative to the Affordable Care Act that was promised by the previous administration. Be looking for the opportunities to interact with candidates backed by all political parties that will be provided by non-partisan organizations like The League of Women Voters. If a candidate refuses to participate in these types of town-hall forums, then that should be a major warning sign that they may not be worthy of your vote. We still have the power to stop the Real Big Steal by doing our research, questioning the candidates, and voting based on facts on November 8th.
Based on the current rhetoric coming out of the so-called leadership of the radical Republican Party, in the 2022 election cycle if you vote Republican, then you will vote for what many are calling the “Real Big Steal”. Current Republican legislators at both the state and federal level have publicly called for legislation to review and eliminate existing established programs that have been tightly woven into American culture and our economic system. If we allow the current Republican Party to gain majorities in our state and federal legislatures in 2022 here is what we stand to lose:
- Our Social Security
- Our Medicare
- Our Medicaid.
- Our opportunity for affordable prescription drugs
- Our access to affordable health care.
- Our access to mental health services
- Our right to privacy.
- Our control over reproductive choices.
- Our voting rights
- Our right to elect those to represent us in Lansing or Washington
- Our democracy
We are confident that even those who may still believe the “Big Lie” that the 2020 Presidential election was “stolen” would agree that taking these long-established programs and rights away from the American people would be exceedingly difficult to justify. But unjustified or not, they are squarely on the chopping block right now! The spin being put on these issues is that somehow the Republican Party will be able to craft an improved or more efficient program. That is nothing but a hollow promise as we are still waiting to see the Republican alternative to the Affordable Care Act that was promised by the previous administration. Be looking for the opportunities to interact with candidates backed by all political parties that will be provided by non-partisan organizations like The League of Women Voters. If a candidate refuses to participate in these types of town-hall forums, then that should be a major warning sign that they may not be worthy of your vote. We still have the power to stop the Real Big Steal by doing our research, questioning the candidates, and voting based on facts on November 8th.
The blame for this deeply divided country rests squarely on the shoulders of people who have made a conscious decision to follow and support the current radical Republican party, a political party that has been taken over by people who have failed at business, failed as legislators, but wildly succeeded as conmen/women gleefully raking in money from gullible supporters and high-rolling lobbyists. These people, who have consistently proven to have no idea what it means to be decent human beings, are now the leaders of a political party that has historically stood for family values and decency. Sadly, under their reign this is now a party that has decided it can only return to power by spreading hate and division, waging meaningless culture wars, and blaming others for any of the challenges we face as a nation without providing any viable alternatives or taking corrective action. They blissfully, almost joyfully do this all just to be able to crow about “owning the libs” on Fox News or local talk radio while refusing to legislate anything meaningful for the good of the people who elected them.
This current radical version of the Republican Party through the rantings of their dictator-in-waiting and the implicit approval caused by the silence of their leaders at the state and national levels has made it acceptable to fear and hate those who look differently than you, to fear and hate those who pray differently than you, to fear and hate those who are less fortunate than you, and to fear and hate those who think, act, and love differently than you. It is so sad that the leadership of the current radical Republican Party has made it seem to some that it is acceptable for people to act through an explosion of rhetorical abuse and physical violence against those who are different.
We hear lifelong Republican voters and supporters vainly try to justify their continuing support of their favored political party with statements like, “Well, you know I like their policies about abortion, guns, regulations, etc., but I sure wish they would tone down the name-calling and bullying tactics.” Statements like these are nothing but a weak cop-out in the glaring light of all the incompetence, lies, deception, fraud, and crimes that have been and are being committed by those currently running the Republican Party at both the state and national levels. If YOU still insist on calling yourself a Republican after everything this state and nation has experienced since January 6, 2021, YOU must accept responsibility for our current situation with no excuses. It is time for YOU to step up and demand action to change this once respected political party back to what it used to represent in the heydays of Lincoln, Eisenhower, Ford, and Milliken. If that will not happen, then YOU should have the courage to publicly denounce the current Republican Party and vote lor an Independent or a Democrat in November!
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.
This current radical version of the Republican Party through the rantings of their dictator-in-waiting and the implicit approval caused by the silence of their leaders at the state and national levels has made it acceptable to fear and hate those who look differently than you, to fear and hate those who pray differently than you, to fear and hate those who are less fortunate than you, and to fear and hate those who think, act, and love differently than you. It is so sad that the leadership of the current radical Republican Party has made it seem to some that it is acceptable for people to act through an explosion of rhetorical abuse and physical violence against those who are different.
We hear lifelong Republican voters and supporters vainly try to justify their continuing support of their favored political party with statements like, “Well, you know I like their policies about abortion, guns, regulations, etc., but I sure wish they would tone down the name-calling and bullying tactics.” Statements like these are nothing but a weak cop-out in the glaring light of all the incompetence, lies, deception, fraud, and crimes that have been and are being committed by those currently running the Republican Party at both the state and national levels. If YOU still insist on calling yourself a Republican after everything this state and nation has experienced since January 6, 2021, YOU must accept responsibility for our current situation with no excuses. It is time for YOU to step up and demand action to change this once respected political party back to what it used to represent in the heydays of Lincoln, Eisenhower, Ford, and Milliken. If that will not happen, then YOU should have the courage to publicly denounce the current Republican Party and vote lor an Independent or a Democrat in November!
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.
Sausage Making Lessons Learned
When I was a youngster, I used to look forward to being able to accompany my grandfather to the small-town Red Owl grocery store where he was the head butcher. I was allowed to go behind the counter but required to sit quietly on a stool out of the way of Grandpa “Butch” and his assistant as they worked to fill customers’ orders. I had a front-row seat observing how their razor-sharp knives and years of experience created custom-carved steaks, roasts, racks of ribs, ground beef and pork, and various sausages. I was fascinated watching it all happen right there in front of me! On one of those first visits behind the meat counter Grandpa gave me a warm piece of his custom sausage to snack on. I genuinely enjoyed this tasty treat and looked forward to my next visit and another bite of these sausages.
As we drove to the store for that next visit Grandpa told me that today I would get to see how they made the sausage I craved. I was excited as I took my seat on the stool which was located right beside the huge meat grinder device. Much to my surprise, they started by trimming the fat and gristle from some of the prime cuts of beef and pork they were preparing for their customers and threw it all into the bulky, loud meat grinder. I wondered why there was very little of the prime “red meat” going into the grinder? Every so often Grandpa or his assistant would throw a chunk of meat they had trimmed off a big bone into the roaring grinder. The ground mixture would spill into a big stainless-steel bowl below the grinder. The noise and the sight of the pile of ground stuff accumulating at my feet made it difficult for me to sit still. It seemed like it was taking forever to get enough material in the bowl. I was impatient to get my taste of the final product! When the bowl was finally full of ground material my grandpa carefully measured and added an aromatic mixture of spices and mixed it all in using his gloved hands. By then my mouth was watering and my stomach growling in hungry anticipation. I just wished he would hurry up and get me my piece. He then loaded it into another loud device that spit it out into a casing that grandpa said was the intestines of a pig. The idea that I would be eating “pig guts” diminished my appetite for the sausage I had previously enjoyed. Grandpa reassured me that this sausage making process followed strict food safety requirements and, in the end, enabled the butcher to utilize much more efficiently the animal protein minimizing the amount that would have to be wasted. The end product tasted even better than I remembered and was well worth the wait.
(Continued next column)
When I was a youngster, I used to look forward to being able to accompany my grandfather to the small-town Red Owl grocery store where he was the head butcher. I was allowed to go behind the counter but required to sit quietly on a stool out of the way of Grandpa “Butch” and his assistant as they worked to fill customers’ orders. I had a front-row seat observing how their razor-sharp knives and years of experience created custom-carved steaks, roasts, racks of ribs, ground beef and pork, and various sausages. I was fascinated watching it all happen right there in front of me! On one of those first visits behind the meat counter Grandpa gave me a warm piece of his custom sausage to snack on. I genuinely enjoyed this tasty treat and looked forward to my next visit and another bite of these sausages.
As we drove to the store for that next visit Grandpa told me that today I would get to see how they made the sausage I craved. I was excited as I took my seat on the stool which was located right beside the huge meat grinder device. Much to my surprise, they started by trimming the fat and gristle from some of the prime cuts of beef and pork they were preparing for their customers and threw it all into the bulky, loud meat grinder. I wondered why there was very little of the prime “red meat” going into the grinder? Every so often Grandpa or his assistant would throw a chunk of meat they had trimmed off a big bone into the roaring grinder. The ground mixture would spill into a big stainless-steel bowl below the grinder. The noise and the sight of the pile of ground stuff accumulating at my feet made it difficult for me to sit still. It seemed like it was taking forever to get enough material in the bowl. I was impatient to get my taste of the final product! When the bowl was finally full of ground material my grandpa carefully measured and added an aromatic mixture of spices and mixed it all in using his gloved hands. By then my mouth was watering and my stomach growling in hungry anticipation. I just wished he would hurry up and get me my piece. He then loaded it into another loud device that spit it out into a casing that grandpa said was the intestines of a pig. The idea that I would be eating “pig guts” diminished my appetite for the sausage I had previously enjoyed. Grandpa reassured me that this sausage making process followed strict food safety requirements and, in the end, enabled the butcher to utilize much more efficiently the animal protein minimizing the amount that would have to be wasted. The end product tasted even better than I remembered and was well worth the wait.
(Continued next column)
(Comments from the Chair continued)
Watching the Red Owl sausage being made was a traumatic experience for this young lad and we can understand that you may be having similar feelings if you have been watching the “sausage making” process of our legislators in Washington, DC, and Lansing over the past few months. Making good legislation requires communication, collaboration, and compromise that at times may appear to be messy and inefficient. Great legislation typically starts with bold, major concepts intended to address a myriad of challenging issues. The process of communication, collaboration and compromise is intended to result in a win/win outcome that will not deliver everything to everybody but will deliver a significant improvement over the current status-quo.
The unfortunate alternative taken by some elected officials of just saying NO to everything and refusing to even consider or discuss an issue is truly shameful and results in a disservice to voters who elected them and whose tax dollars are paying their six-figure annual compensation. Those of us who have had the opportunity to compete on the field or the court in front of spectators can also refute the observations of the “Monday morning quarterbacks” who take pleasure in pointing out the missed shots, missed tackles, or bobbled grounders from the comfort and safety of the sidelines or bleachers but have never had to perform under pressure. Somehow these stonewalling legislators mistakenly believe that they are doing their job by doing nothing or, even worse, spreading misinformation about what is really going on in their workplace. Integrity is just as important in legislation as it is in sausage making. My grandfather took the time to explain that he had followed a well-regulated approved process and listened patiently to provide answers to my simplistic questions. We should expect, and even demand, the same from those we elect to represent us.
We have recently been receiving emails from some of our elected representatives that are brazenly spreading lies and misinformation. These communications must be seen as putting political gain over service to the state, country, or voters. Refusing to meet or listen to voters who may not always agree with their positions on an issue is also a standard operating procedure utilized by US Representative Bergman to avoid being held accountable to the voters. The good news is that there are viable alternatives to these incumbents, and they appear to be gaining momentum to implement positive change. We will need to wait for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to complete their important work to determine which Michigan State Representative and Senate district Manistee County will be part of, but it looks like any of the proposed alternatives will result in a change for many incumbents in 2022. It is obvious that we need those we elect in 2022 to roll up their sleeves and get elbow-deep in the sausage making process!
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.
Watching the Red Owl sausage being made was a traumatic experience for this young lad and we can understand that you may be having similar feelings if you have been watching the “sausage making” process of our legislators in Washington, DC, and Lansing over the past few months. Making good legislation requires communication, collaboration, and compromise that at times may appear to be messy and inefficient. Great legislation typically starts with bold, major concepts intended to address a myriad of challenging issues. The process of communication, collaboration and compromise is intended to result in a win/win outcome that will not deliver everything to everybody but will deliver a significant improvement over the current status-quo.
The unfortunate alternative taken by some elected officials of just saying NO to everything and refusing to even consider or discuss an issue is truly shameful and results in a disservice to voters who elected them and whose tax dollars are paying their six-figure annual compensation. Those of us who have had the opportunity to compete on the field or the court in front of spectators can also refute the observations of the “Monday morning quarterbacks” who take pleasure in pointing out the missed shots, missed tackles, or bobbled grounders from the comfort and safety of the sidelines or bleachers but have never had to perform under pressure. Somehow these stonewalling legislators mistakenly believe that they are doing their job by doing nothing or, even worse, spreading misinformation about what is really going on in their workplace. Integrity is just as important in legislation as it is in sausage making. My grandfather took the time to explain that he had followed a well-regulated approved process and listened patiently to provide answers to my simplistic questions. We should expect, and even demand, the same from those we elect to represent us.
We have recently been receiving emails from some of our elected representatives that are brazenly spreading lies and misinformation. These communications must be seen as putting political gain over service to the state, country, or voters. Refusing to meet or listen to voters who may not always agree with their positions on an issue is also a standard operating procedure utilized by US Representative Bergman to avoid being held accountable to the voters. The good news is that there are viable alternatives to these incumbents, and they appear to be gaining momentum to implement positive change. We will need to wait for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to complete their important work to determine which Michigan State Representative and Senate district Manistee County will be part of, but it looks like any of the proposed alternatives will result in a change for many incumbents in 2022. It is obvious that we need those we elect in 2022 to roll up their sleeves and get elbow-deep in the sausage making process!
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.
What do Democrats Believe?
When confronted with the current divisive political landscape many people have challenged me with this question, “What do Democrats believe?”
I must admit that sometimes I do not have a quick and ready answer to this question. I realize that it should not be that difficult to come up with an answer, but it depends on who is asking the question and what is the most important issue on their mind at that time.
We must first seek to understand why they are asking that specific question and respond appropriately. Currently with social media memes and quick labels it is too easy to fall into the trap of lapsing into the tell mode rather than taking the time to explore more in-depth reasoning and focus for the root of the question. This column will attempt to share some of the basic beliefs we Democrats adhere to. We consider these beliefs to be founded on common sense and human decency. We do not believe most readers will find them excessively radical.
Democrats believe that people working 40 hours a week should not be living in poverty. We also believe that business leaders should not be compensated at a rate more than 3,000 times that of their average employee. We do not believe it is right that 80% of the wealth generated during the recent pandemic went exclusively to less than 1% of Americans. This is not advocating socialism or communism as some would have you think, it is simply good free-market business sense.
Any business, large or small, is only as strong as its human capital/employees. Good business leaders recognize this and take action to insure their employees are properly compensated, trained, supported and fulfilled. Bad business leaders lose money when experienced employees leave, and they must find, hire and train replacements who are less effective and efficient.
The example set by Dan Price, CEO of Gravity Payments, who cut his million-dollar annual salary to give every one of his employees a $70,000/year base salary shows how this concept can work. Three years later Gravity Payments has booked 80% more profitable business and his employees have been able to purchase homes and start their families while dropping manpower turnover to virtually zero. Many other progressive-thinking business leaders are adopting this approach with similar outstanding performance results.
Democrats believe that businesses should not be able to trash the earth in the name of making a profit. We also believe that profitable corporations should not be eligible to receive government subsidies just because they have historically received them. Here again, good business leaders are proactive in their efforts to ensure their companies are good stewards of the natural resources and the environment in which they operate.
Realistic and well-crafted regulations are one way of ensuring compliance for those who may be less enlightened, but many business leaders see the bottom-line benefit of reducing, recycling and reusing resources like water and energy. Democrats and many business leaders understand that operations like an aging pipeline importing environmentally toxic Canadian tar sands crude oil under the Straits of Mackinac are not worth the risk to our freshwater legacy.
Democrats believe that access to quality, affordable healthcare is a human right that should be provided to every U.S. citizen. For-profit health insurance is not sustainable and should be replaced by Medicare for all as soon as possible.
The typical America worker is currently spending an average of $6,000 a year in health insurance premiums, co-pays and deductible charges. Many workers are not even able to afford that rate, so they gamble they won’t get sick or injured and face bankruptcy when confronted with their outrageous medical bills.
We are not advocating that health care should be free. We need a better way to manage those annual costs we currently have for health care insurance. We can and we must do better! We have a proven program in Medicare that works for all over age 65. There is no reason we can’t build on this foundation. As voters, we must demand action from our federal and state elected officials to make this happen sooner rather than later.
Democrats believe that our federal and state governments can provide necessary services to their citizens when we elect qualified and capable representatives. As voters, we have allowed ourselves to become easily manipulated by social media and enamored with candidates who are better qualified as charismatic reality/talk-show celebrities, political extremists or media pundits than effective lawmakers and statesmen.
Democrats want elected leaders who are not afraid of telling us the truth even if the truth may be against current popular opinion. Our allegiance should not be to any one individual no matter what their perceived voter base of support may be. Our allegiance must be to the rule of law and the people of this country who deserve a government that works for them.
Democrats also believe that all legal U.S. citizens should be able to vote in every election without having to overcome obstacles intended to suppress those who may not align or agree with the political party that is currently has the power of a legislative majority.
Finally, Democrats believe that we should work at all levels to help make this country better for every person who lives near us. We will be the ones you see who are volunteering to help with local projects like food pantries and environmental clean-ups. You will see Democrats volunteering to lead youth groups, coach youth sports and help at schools. Many civic service clubs will have Democrats leading the way in doing great things for our communities.
We do not volunteer just to be recognized. We volunteer because there is a need that must be filled by people who are willing to act rather than just complaining about how difficult or complex the situation may be. We hope you will join us (with our sweat-stained blue hats) in taking action to continue improving our community, our state and our country.
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.
When confronted with the current divisive political landscape many people have challenged me with this question, “What do Democrats believe?”
I must admit that sometimes I do not have a quick and ready answer to this question. I realize that it should not be that difficult to come up with an answer, but it depends on who is asking the question and what is the most important issue on their mind at that time.
We must first seek to understand why they are asking that specific question and respond appropriately. Currently with social media memes and quick labels it is too easy to fall into the trap of lapsing into the tell mode rather than taking the time to explore more in-depth reasoning and focus for the root of the question. This column will attempt to share some of the basic beliefs we Democrats adhere to. We consider these beliefs to be founded on common sense and human decency. We do not believe most readers will find them excessively radical.
Democrats believe that people working 40 hours a week should not be living in poverty. We also believe that business leaders should not be compensated at a rate more than 3,000 times that of their average employee. We do not believe it is right that 80% of the wealth generated during the recent pandemic went exclusively to less than 1% of Americans. This is not advocating socialism or communism as some would have you think, it is simply good free-market business sense.
Any business, large or small, is only as strong as its human capital/employees. Good business leaders recognize this and take action to insure their employees are properly compensated, trained, supported and fulfilled. Bad business leaders lose money when experienced employees leave, and they must find, hire and train replacements who are less effective and efficient.
The example set by Dan Price, CEO of Gravity Payments, who cut his million-dollar annual salary to give every one of his employees a $70,000/year base salary shows how this concept can work. Three years later Gravity Payments has booked 80% more profitable business and his employees have been able to purchase homes and start their families while dropping manpower turnover to virtually zero. Many other progressive-thinking business leaders are adopting this approach with similar outstanding performance results.
Democrats believe that businesses should not be able to trash the earth in the name of making a profit. We also believe that profitable corporations should not be eligible to receive government subsidies just because they have historically received them. Here again, good business leaders are proactive in their efforts to ensure their companies are good stewards of the natural resources and the environment in which they operate.
Realistic and well-crafted regulations are one way of ensuring compliance for those who may be less enlightened, but many business leaders see the bottom-line benefit of reducing, recycling and reusing resources like water and energy. Democrats and many business leaders understand that operations like an aging pipeline importing environmentally toxic Canadian tar sands crude oil under the Straits of Mackinac are not worth the risk to our freshwater legacy.
Democrats believe that access to quality, affordable healthcare is a human right that should be provided to every U.S. citizen. For-profit health insurance is not sustainable and should be replaced by Medicare for all as soon as possible.
The typical America worker is currently spending an average of $6,000 a year in health insurance premiums, co-pays and deductible charges. Many workers are not even able to afford that rate, so they gamble they won’t get sick or injured and face bankruptcy when confronted with their outrageous medical bills.
We are not advocating that health care should be free. We need a better way to manage those annual costs we currently have for health care insurance. We can and we must do better! We have a proven program in Medicare that works for all over age 65. There is no reason we can’t build on this foundation. As voters, we must demand action from our federal and state elected officials to make this happen sooner rather than later.
Democrats believe that our federal and state governments can provide necessary services to their citizens when we elect qualified and capable representatives. As voters, we have allowed ourselves to become easily manipulated by social media and enamored with candidates who are better qualified as charismatic reality/talk-show celebrities, political extremists or media pundits than effective lawmakers and statesmen.
Democrats want elected leaders who are not afraid of telling us the truth even if the truth may be against current popular opinion. Our allegiance should not be to any one individual no matter what their perceived voter base of support may be. Our allegiance must be to the rule of law and the people of this country who deserve a government that works for them.
Democrats also believe that all legal U.S. citizens should be able to vote in every election without having to overcome obstacles intended to suppress those who may not align or agree with the political party that is currently has the power of a legislative majority.
Finally, Democrats believe that we should work at all levels to help make this country better for every person who lives near us. We will be the ones you see who are volunteering to help with local projects like food pantries and environmental clean-ups. You will see Democrats volunteering to lead youth groups, coach youth sports and help at schools. Many civic service clubs will have Democrats leading the way in doing great things for our communities.
We do not volunteer just to be recognized. We volunteer because there is a need that must be filled by people who are willing to act rather than just complaining about how difficult or complex the situation may be. We hope you will join us (with our sweat-stained blue hats) in taking action to continue improving our community, our state and our country.
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.
Comments from the Chair
WHAT’S RIGHT ABOUT GOVERNMENT
For a long time now, in fact, ever since Ronald Reagan famously declared that “maybe government is the problem”, the republican party has painted the federal government as some evil monolithic force that is wreaking havoc with our basic freedoms. They have been so successful in selling this distorted view, that they now control all three branches of government.
Yet there is much good that comes from the efforts of the federal government to deliver services and benefits that make all our lives safer, healthier and more enjoyable. Think of all the many positive benefits that impact our daily life and the lives of our loved ones.
Many of us already receive benefits from Social Security, probably the most successful social program in the history of human civilization. We enjoy a very safe and secure food supply system which is overseen by multiple federal agencies. Many of us have vacationed in one or more of our national parks which, during it’s centennial last year, was visited 330 million times! Thanks to the Center For Disease Control, the FDA, and myriad other federal agencies, we are among the healthiest people on the planet. We have a military that is the most powerful in the world.
All of us enjoy the open road or flying anywhere in the world we take a fancy to. Some of us have received our educations through the GI Bill, a PELL grant or some other form of public support, a benefit that has transformed our lives. We now live in a country where the rivers no longer catch fire and are cleaner, along with the air, than they were 60 years ago.
All of these benefits, and many more, we take for granted every day, They define our quality of life and are the source of our freedoms. Sure, the system that provides all of this is not perfect. It requires continuous refinement and modification and that is what our elected officials are supposed to do. However, republicans seem to be on a mission to discard much of what has been described in the name of getting big government out of our lives. Is that really what the American people are demanding? Countless polls have shown that a significant majority of Americans actually support this government presence in our lives. So it becomes paramount that every citizen contact their representatives to let them know that, Hey, “You work for us and we expect you to continue to provide the services and support that we value”. That’s what government of the people, by the people, and FOR the people is all about. We must all keep reminding our representatives of that singular American truth.
Gary Madden, Manistee County DEMS Chair
For a long time now, in fact, ever since Ronald Reagan famously declared that “maybe government is the problem”, the republican party has painted the federal government as some evil monolithic force that is wreaking havoc with our basic freedoms. They have been so successful in selling this distorted view, that they now control all three branches of government.
Yet there is much good that comes from the efforts of the federal government to deliver services and benefits that make all our lives safer, healthier and more enjoyable. Think of all the many positive benefits that impact our daily life and the lives of our loved ones.
Many of us already receive benefits from Social Security, probably the most successful social program in the history of human civilization. We enjoy a very safe and secure food supply system which is overseen by multiple federal agencies. Many of us have vacationed in one or more of our national parks which, during it’s centennial last year, was visited 330 million times! Thanks to the Center For Disease Control, the FDA, and myriad other federal agencies, we are among the healthiest people on the planet. We have a military that is the most powerful in the world.
All of us enjoy the open road or flying anywhere in the world we take a fancy to. Some of us have received our educations through the GI Bill, a PELL grant or some other form of public support, a benefit that has transformed our lives. We now live in a country where the rivers no longer catch fire and are cleaner, along with the air, than they were 60 years ago.
All of these benefits, and many more, we take for granted every day, They define our quality of life and are the source of our freedoms. Sure, the system that provides all of this is not perfect. It requires continuous refinement and modification and that is what our elected officials are supposed to do. However, republicans seem to be on a mission to discard much of what has been described in the name of getting big government out of our lives. Is that really what the American people are demanding? Countless polls have shown that a significant majority of Americans actually support this government presence in our lives. So it becomes paramount that every citizen contact their representatives to let them know that, Hey, “You work for us and we expect you to continue to provide the services and support that we value”. That’s what government of the people, by the people, and FOR the people is all about. We must all keep reminding our representatives of that singular American truth.
Gary Madden, Manistee County DEMS Chair
The recent mass shootings in Las Vegas, NV, Parkland, FL and, closer to home, at CMU, continue to remind us of how dangerous our country is becoming. In today’s America we are increasingly afraid to go to any outdoor or indoor activity where large numbers of people gather while many of our children are afraid to attend school. Today, in addition to children practicing fire drills, they also train for lockdown and active shooter situations. Yet we are told that the solution to all this is to arm everyone. Really! Will we really be safer with more guns on the streets?
Recently, I heard some statistics on TV that got me thinking a lot about gun control and safety. The reporter said that a recent survey found that only about 37% of Americans own a gun. He went on to say the only 3% of the 37% or just over 1% of our entire population, actually own more than 14 guns. This means that nearly two thirds of Americans don’t even own a gun let alone possess an arsenal of weapons. Most gun owners own just a few guns that they use for hunting or personal protections in their homes! So why have we adults allowed a very small minority of our citizenry to dictate government policy?
On the bright side of this national disgrace, young people who attend the high school involved in this latest mass shooting, have declared that they have had enough of this tragic failure of our political system to respond to a clear need for reform. They know what it feels like to cower in fear while their classmates and teachers are callously murdered. Many of them have met with local, state and national officials and appeared on TV to demand change. They have held vigils, staged demonstrations and vowed to continue to challenge the adult community in this county to do what most of us know is the right thing. Personally, I have been deeply moved and inspired by these young people. I can only pray that their inspiring behavior moves enough concerned citizens to accomplish real and substantial reform so that we can all live in a safer community and country.
I urge all adults who feel as I do to find ways to support these inspiring young people, not just in Florida, but also right here in Manistee. There has been a call for demonstrations on this critical issue across the country on March 24th. If joining our demonstration and waiving a sign is not for you, then write some letters or call your representatives and let them know how you feel. Talk to friends and neighbors, and especially young people, about this issue. Contact local merchants who sell guns and urge them to stop selling assault weapons and the ammunition they use. In other words –“make some waves” – and pay close attention to the positions politicians take this year and hold them accountable when you vote. If enough of us do these things we will be heard.
Gary Madden
Recently, I heard some statistics on TV that got me thinking a lot about gun control and safety. The reporter said that a recent survey found that only about 37% of Americans own a gun. He went on to say the only 3% of the 37% or just over 1% of our entire population, actually own more than 14 guns. This means that nearly two thirds of Americans don’t even own a gun let alone possess an arsenal of weapons. Most gun owners own just a few guns that they use for hunting or personal protections in their homes! So why have we adults allowed a very small minority of our citizenry to dictate government policy?
On the bright side of this national disgrace, young people who attend the high school involved in this latest mass shooting, have declared that they have had enough of this tragic failure of our political system to respond to a clear need for reform. They know what it feels like to cower in fear while their classmates and teachers are callously murdered. Many of them have met with local, state and national officials and appeared on TV to demand change. They have held vigils, staged demonstrations and vowed to continue to challenge the adult community in this county to do what most of us know is the right thing. Personally, I have been deeply moved and inspired by these young people. I can only pray that their inspiring behavior moves enough concerned citizens to accomplish real and substantial reform so that we can all live in a safer community and country.
I urge all adults who feel as I do to find ways to support these inspiring young people, not just in Florida, but also right here in Manistee. There has been a call for demonstrations on this critical issue across the country on March 24th. If joining our demonstration and waiving a sign is not for you, then write some letters or call your representatives and let them know how you feel. Talk to friends and neighbors, and especially young people, about this issue. Contact local merchants who sell guns and urge them to stop selling assault weapons and the ammunition they use. In other words –“make some waves” – and pay close attention to the positions politicians take this year and hold them accountable when you vote. If enough of us do these things we will be heard.
Gary Madden
Lately, I have become very concerned about the issue of firearm safety and more generally, the rule of law in our community, in our state, and in our country. I was troubled a couple of weeks ago when I read an article in the News Advocate that concluded with the suggestion that it is perfectly acceptable for individual citizens to use firearms to oppose what they perceive as government overreach.
Really? Does this mean that it is OK for me to judge the merits of any law passed by any level of government and use my gun to oppose its enforcement? I don't think so. I always thought that my personal responsibility as a citizen of this country was to obey the laws. I know that I am always free to oppose laws that I strongly disagree with by joining with other like-minded citizens to get them changed. I know that I can pursue legal remedies if I care to, or I can write to my representatives in government. I am also free to actively protest laws that I don't support. But I am not and should not be free to use violent means whenever I disagree with my government over an issue.
A few days later I learned that a group of 2nd amendment supporters were planning to ask our county commissioners to adopt a resolution making Manistee a 2nd amendment sanctuary county, meaning that our county would then refuse to obey any state or federal law that infringed upon our 2nd amendment right to bear arms. To my mind, this effort also seeks to circumvent the rule of law in our society. Many people came to the latest county commissioners meeting to speak in support of and against the adoption of this ill-conceived and dangerous resolution. Thankfully, the commissioners declined to act and Manistee did not join the list of counties that have already adopted it.
Finally, we have the spectacle of our President all but directing the US Attorney General William Barr, via twitter, to alter the sentencing recommendations for one of his longtime friends! While this is technically not against the law, it does certainly undermine the independence of the Justice Department and the public's respect for the law. Are we headed to a time when the law is whatever the president says it is? Isn't that the way it is in a dictatorship like Russia? Are we heading in that direction? I wonder!
I think we all need to pay very close attention to events like these and take every opportunity to speak out against the erosion of the rule of law in our society. We must not be afraid to speak up to friends and family about this and other serious issues. Our failure to do so may very well embolden others to continue along the dangerous path to anarchy. This year we have a chance to correct many of the dangerous trends we have recently witnessed. We need to pay very close attention to what is happening during this election year and take our responsibility to vote seriously. Remember these words of Thomas Jefferson: "We do not have a government of the people; we have a government of the people who vote!"
Gary Madden
Really? Does this mean that it is OK for me to judge the merits of any law passed by any level of government and use my gun to oppose its enforcement? I don't think so. I always thought that my personal responsibility as a citizen of this country was to obey the laws. I know that I am always free to oppose laws that I strongly disagree with by joining with other like-minded citizens to get them changed. I know that I can pursue legal remedies if I care to, or I can write to my representatives in government. I am also free to actively protest laws that I don't support. But I am not and should not be free to use violent means whenever I disagree with my government over an issue.
A few days later I learned that a group of 2nd amendment supporters were planning to ask our county commissioners to adopt a resolution making Manistee a 2nd amendment sanctuary county, meaning that our county would then refuse to obey any state or federal law that infringed upon our 2nd amendment right to bear arms. To my mind, this effort also seeks to circumvent the rule of law in our society. Many people came to the latest county commissioners meeting to speak in support of and against the adoption of this ill-conceived and dangerous resolution. Thankfully, the commissioners declined to act and Manistee did not join the list of counties that have already adopted it.
Finally, we have the spectacle of our President all but directing the US Attorney General William Barr, via twitter, to alter the sentencing recommendations for one of his longtime friends! While this is technically not against the law, it does certainly undermine the independence of the Justice Department and the public's respect for the law. Are we headed to a time when the law is whatever the president says it is? Isn't that the way it is in a dictatorship like Russia? Are we heading in that direction? I wonder!
I think we all need to pay very close attention to events like these and take every opportunity to speak out against the erosion of the rule of law in our society. We must not be afraid to speak up to friends and family about this and other serious issues. Our failure to do so may very well embolden others to continue along the dangerous path to anarchy. This year we have a chance to correct many of the dangerous trends we have recently witnessed. We need to pay very close attention to what is happening during this election year and take our responsibility to vote seriously. Remember these words of Thomas Jefferson: "We do not have a government of the people; we have a government of the people who vote!"
Gary Madden
I want to thank everyone who participated in our first ever virtual Don Jennings event. Considering the difficulty that some of us face with accessing Zoom meetings, our event was very well attended this year. It was personally so frustrating to so suddenly lose our internet connection in the middle of our program. Thanks to Meg Batzer for her quick thinking in inviting us down to her home and getting us back on. I was so honored to be this year’s recipient of the Don Jennings award. It means a great deal to me to be recognized in this way.
Everything is running smoothly at our office on River Street. It is turning out to be a better location than we expected with lots of people coming in every day. Of course, everyone wants Biden/Harris yard signs. We are doing our best to keep them available. We have had many out-of-towners stopping in looking for signs. Apparently, everyone around the state is having trouble keeping up with demand. If the demand is any indication of how fired up people are then we are in for a very big blue wave in November. If you haven’t stopped by, please do so soon. We have plenty of materials for all candidates including local candidates and others. In particular, pick up some materials about our MI Supreme Court candidates McCormack and Welch and share them with friends and family. They will, of course, appear on the non-partisan portion of the ballot, so don’t forget to vote for them.
In the coming weeks we will be asking for volunteers to help out in various ways. Look for volunteer notices as they come out. We must all do our part to defend our Democracy against this assault from extremists who are playing on fear and division and even, in recent days, sowing the seeds for civil war. Simply making financial contributions, while very helpful, is not enough in these troubled times. We all need to stand up and not be afraid to express our opinions, however and whenever we can. We need to write letters, make calls, demonstrate, attend rallies, and make some noise. If we fail to fight for our principles, our freedoms can easily slip away, as they did in Germany in the 1930’s.
Everything is running smoothly at our office on River Street. It is turning out to be a better location than we expected with lots of people coming in every day. Of course, everyone wants Biden/Harris yard signs. We are doing our best to keep them available. We have had many out-of-towners stopping in looking for signs. Apparently, everyone around the state is having trouble keeping up with demand. If the demand is any indication of how fired up people are then we are in for a very big blue wave in November. If you haven’t stopped by, please do so soon. We have plenty of materials for all candidates including local candidates and others. In particular, pick up some materials about our MI Supreme Court candidates McCormack and Welch and share them with friends and family. They will, of course, appear on the non-partisan portion of the ballot, so don’t forget to vote for them.
In the coming weeks we will be asking for volunteers to help out in various ways. Look for volunteer notices as they come out. We must all do our part to defend our Democracy against this assault from extremists who are playing on fear and division and even, in recent days, sowing the seeds for civil war. Simply making financial contributions, while very helpful, is not enough in these troubled times. We all need to stand up and not be afraid to express our opinions, however and whenever we can. We need to write letters, make calls, demonstrate, attend rallies, and make some noise. If we fail to fight for our principles, our freedoms can easily slip away, as they did in Germany in the 1930’s.