He's right. It shouldn't. But what is an issue is how you acquired the wealth, and what you intend to do with it. Brewer gets it right-
"The fact that he is rich is irrelevant," said Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. "It's what he's done with the money that's important. He's used his money to advance political causes that we think have been harmful to the people of Michigan."
And now Dickie wants to buy himself a political office. That is the issue. Any other person of Dick's caliber (no experience, no real vision or plan, and the word that keeps coming up is "vapid") would have been laughed out the race.
Click the link for a fabulous picture of Dick's spread out in Ada. Gotta sell a lotta soap (or motivational tapes) to build something like that.
Ahh, Forest Hills. I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. I'd much rather live in the city, odd as that may sound.
This is where it all turns very personal to me. Dick is 10 years older than I am. We went to the same schools, roamed the same halls, had the some of the same teachers, sang in the same choir. (Was Dick in the Honors Ensemble? I was. Ha. Take that, Dick.)
I had spent a few years in the city schools before I moved out to lily-white Ada, so I had a basis for comparison. I knew the city kids, I knew poor. Actually, I owe a lot of my leftist views to growing up in Forest Hills- so maybe I should say "thanks" to people like Dick. Ever see "The Breakfast Club"? That was my era. And that's exactly what it was like. A school populated with a bunch of over- privileged brats. All they cared about was money. They had no concept of misfortune, no concept of what it was like to struggle. They had zero compassion for others, and they thought that was a good thing.
One anecdotal story that kind of wraps up the mentality of the place- one day I was sitting in Math, and this kid looked straight at our teacher and said-
"My Dad can buy and sell you. How does that make you feel?"
And then he laughed.
I will never forget the look on that teacher's face. It was a mixture of sorrow and anger that was heartbreaking.
That was Forest Hills Central in a nutshell. I thought, "If this is success, I want no part of it". So I hung with the stoners and gave up on the idea of college. Now there is a lot more to it than that, of course. There were some cool kids, too. I'm painting with a real broad brush- but this was the general atmosphere.
They had no soul.
Should Dick DeVos have to move his family into the ranch-style Michigan governor's residence in south Lansing next January, the new digs would clearly be a comedown.
And so would the $177,000 annual paycheck.
While the multimillionaire candidate has declined to reveal his tax returns or his net worth, his trio of Michigan homes valued at about $7 million signal that he's probably the wealthiest man ever to run for governor of this state.
He's the son of Richard DeVos, a co-founder of Amway, who with a $3.4 billion net worth is the 65th richest man in the country -- just behind "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, according to Forbes magazine.
The elder DeVos is the second-wealthiest man in Michigan, second only to William Davidson, owner of Guardian Industries, the Detroit Pistons and The Palace of Auburn Hills.
There can be little doubt that Dick DeVos and his family have been successful. Property tax records show candidate DeVos' main home in Ada Township near Grand Rapids, a multistory brick house with a gabled roof set off from neighbors by a gated fence is valued at $2.6 million.
And the house is in Betsy's name, too. That struck me as strange. But what do I know about the tax games of the uber-wealthy.
The sprawling 16,000-square-foot mansion sits on 16.8 acres of rolling, wooded land near the Thornapple River. By contrast, the Michigan governor's residence has 6,000 square feet of living space along the Grand River on the south side of Lansing.
Amenities at the DeVos homestead include an indoor underground swimming pool, a tennis court with a $22,000 lighting system, a wine room, a billiards room, seven fireplaces, a Jacuzzi, eight bathrooms, five bedrooms and a four-car garage connected to the main house by a covered walkway.
I cannot wrap my mind around this kind of wealth. I think I'd be incredibly uncomfortable with so much space and stuff.
I would love to give it all away though. That would be fun.
One disturbing note: this article says that Dick has invested in the Whitecaps. Damn. Hate to think my money is going to him in any way, shape, or form- so I guess I just won't think about it. ;-)
Something tells me Dick wouldn't live in Lansing- he would hop in the 'copter and commute. If he bothered to show up at all.