Monday, July 31, 2006

Muskegon Chronicle "gets it" - Governor's race isn't just about the economy
Signs of life on the editorial pages.

Up for grabs is not only the governorship, now in the hands of a Democrat, but the Republican majority in the Legislature, whose leadership and membership seem more in tune with Pat Robertson, who helped galvanize the Religious Right in Michigan, than the last GOP governor, John Engler.

Ada businessman DeVos, whose family built the Amway/Alticor empire, is in that mold as well. DeVos has yet to address any social issue stands in his multi-million dollar campaign blitz, but if he does succeed in knocking off Granholm, it's a good bet that if he also inherits the same Legislature, the balance of power in Michigan in all ways will take a very sharp turn to the Right.

Which is exactly why I have been screaming about this for months now.
When DeVos spoke before the Muskegon Economic Forum earlier this year, he was asked if he would sign any bills presented to him by the Legislature that would allow for the teaching of any form of creationism in the public schools. DeVos pointedly refused to answer the question. He was equally reticent when asked recently about specifics on the abortion issue, another question that very well may hinge on the next governor's frame of mind.

So there's more to it then economics. In her three-plus years as governor, Granholm has vetoed 101 bills from this Legislature -- that's 100 more vetoes than the guy in the White House has put his pen to. Some of Granholm's veto messages stated: "Constitutional deficiencies ..." "Fails to solve regional problem, instead pitting suburbs against city ..." "Not fiscally responsible ..." "... Does not include exception for life and health of mother ..." "Bill fails to close and instead expands a tax loophole ..." "Would ... reduce public scrutiny and accountability ..."

She has kept the wingnuts at bay- for that alone she deserves a medal. These guys have been a model for fiscal, social and legislative irresponsibility.

But back to the Dick-


How would DeVos wield his veto pen on charter schools, abortion, creationism, open meetings, embryonic stem cell research, business regulation, environmental oversight issues and more? We strongly suspect the differences between the candidates couldn't be more pronounced. The voters need to hear more about them.


If DeVos won't speak to the issues, then I guess that Michigan should look at the list of extreme right-wing foundations and causes that the DeVos family has poured their time and money into over the years to see where they are coming from and which direction they would take us.

During the past quarter century, the DeVos family has funded and supported just about every major right wing think tank and public policy institute. It is not an exaggeration to say that the DeVos' largesse helped change America's political landscape.

The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation has supported a panoply of right wing groups including the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, the Media Research Center, and James Kennedy's Coral Ridge Ministries. Foundation money helped build the State Policy Network, an association of state-based conservative think tanks. In Michigan, the foundation provided funding to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, which uses its research to propose and promote various policies in Michigan.

DeVos money has also gone to Paul Weyrich's Free Congress Foundation, the man considered as the godfather of the modern conservative movement and a proud purveyor of America's culture wars.

The Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation provides funding to many of the same organizations as the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation.

And a few other names of note...
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.

Google any one of those outfits and a true picture emerges on the DeVos philosophy.

Need I say more?

Not only will he not answer these questions, he will accuse you of nefarious motives if you even ask.

This is where Truscott clued us in on their "mud" defense; simply pointing these truths out equals "mudslinging". If you ask Dick about his support of the extremists, you're slinging mud. Why is that?


DeVos campaign spokesman John Truscott said Democrats attacking the DeVoses for their contributions amounts to mudslinging.

And when you challenge Dick on job creation, you're slinging mud.
On Wednesday, Brewer said DeVos laid off hundreds of Michigan workers while at the same time creating thousands of jobs in China.

"When Dick DeVos had a choice, he chose to do nothing for the workers and the voters and the people of Michigan, and chose to invest overseas," adds Brewer.

It's a charge that DeVos spokesman John Truscott strongly denies. "I don't think people are ready for this kind of mudslinging this early to begin with."

That was from July of last year.

Apparently we shall have no criticism of the King. Anything you ask about, from his record of supporting radical right wing foundations, to his record on job creation, equates to mudslinging. Question Dick, and there is something wrong with you.

Does this line of defense sound familiar to anyone?

Anyone? Anyone? How about you, Karl?