Chris Christoff rides in with a cavalcade of facts on DeVos and his background. Suddenly I can breathe again.
Spending millions of dollars of his fortune on a relentless flow of TV campaign ads, Republican Dick DeVos has turned a quixotic quest for governor into one of the nation's hottest races.
While smashing spending records and gaining early momentum, DeVos is reshaping Michigan's political landscape in the 2006 election season with a personal mission closely linked to the nation's most politically and culturally conservative niches. Thus far, he's spent more than $5 million. That's the most ever spent this early for TV ads in the governor's race. DeVos' TV image shows a nonpolitical successful businessman.
In fact, he and his family have been among the nation's biggest donors to Republican and religious-conservative causes -- a partisan generosity that could both reap returns for Dick DeVos' candidacy and make him a very large target for Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm's reelection team.
Large target, indeed. An overwhelming one in fact. There is a reason I quickly backed off from doing a blog on Dick- there was just too much. Looking at Dick is like looking at the whole illness of the modern GOP- he is but a symptom of the disease that currently afflicts this nation, tearing the country apart with divisive "moral" issues, funneling all the money to the wealthy, and at the same time spending us into bankruptcy.
Christoff goes on to talk about the big political stars that will be drawn to Michigan to campaign for the contenders; I want to highlight more of Dick's GOP involvement and extremist ties.
But in political circles, the DeVos family is known for its close ties to the Republican Party.
In the 2004 election cycle alone, the DeVos and Van Andel families gave more than $4.7 million to GOP causes in Michigan and Florida.
Alticor's family owners and affiliates are ranked among the country's top 100 political contributors to national campaigns -- all of it to Republicans -- according to the Center for Responsive Politics, based in Washington.
The DeVoses have supported such right-wing advocates as the Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Council for National Policy and the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty in Grand Rapids, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and Michigan Right to Life.
The organizations promote conservative economic and social agendas: free trade and less government regulation, school choice including vouchers, the infusion of Christian beliefs into public life and opposition to abortion and gay marriage.
I still want to know more about the Council for National Policy. I want some reporter to ask about it, I want to know why they have to keep their agenda and membership a big secret. That link above takes you to an ABC story about them- and this story drops the names of a bunch of ultra right-wing members. It's the All Star Team of the Radical Right.
Do we want a governor who is involved with some "secret" cabal that won't tell us their plans for the people of Michigan? And, when you think about it, we have seen the "conservative economic and social agenda" of the folks of the CNP on parade in Washington, and look at the country now. Imagine the damage they could do here.
Chris DeWitt hits a home run with this next statement.
"Dick DeVos is so far to the right it would make Rush Limbaugh blush," DeWitt said. "He has supported groups that oppose all abortions, oppose stem cell research, oppose affirmative action, support outsourcing and unfair trade agreements, school vouchers, worked against the environment.
"The DeVos camp has gone out of its way to avoid answering any questions. What they can't hide is the fact that DeVos' actions in support of these groups speak very loudly."
Now, I doubt anyone could make Rush Limbaugh blush- the man is totally delusional and shameless. But, Truscott goes on to do just what DeWitt said he would do, avoid answering any questions, and tried to paint DeVos as some kind of generous philanthropist. You know, helping all those starving, underprivileged souls in the GOP's divisive pet causes.
"I don't think anybody can question the DeVos family's philanthropic efforts to help the underprivileged," Truscott said. "They're giving their money to people and causes they believe in, and which will improve people's lives."
Yes, the Family Research Council has improved so many lives hasn't it. I'm sure they have improved the lives of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church. When you round up their quotes, you would almost call them a hate group.
What I want to know is- what has DeVos done with the past four years besides try to influence politics with his money and racing his yacht? He quit Amway abruptly in 2002, saying he wanted to pursue "other interests"- and at the time he said that did not include public office.
Where are those jobs he supposedly created? Why doesn't the media ask him to prove that statement? How, exactly, does he propose to create jobs? "More tax cuts" doesn't count, I want details. Yeah, yeah, I know- patience.
Christoff also has a sidebar story highlighting the DeVos family money flooding into the GOP. My mind keeps going back to Betsy's now famous quote-
"I know a little something about soft money, as my family is the largest single contributor of soft money to the national Republican Party," Betsy DeVos wrote in an op-ed for the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. "I have decided, however, to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect some things in return.
Quite simply, they are trying to buy the government for their own return. Not the for the good of the people, for themselves and their radical agenda(s).
Get a clue, Michigan.
And thank you, Mr. Christoff, this is a great start.