Positions on Political Issues

This section is a compilation of policy positions addressing some of the major political themes that will define my campaign. 

It must be understood that these Policy Positions are not intended to cover all issues and positions.  Many of these positions are items taken directly from the Democratic Party Platform that I wish to highlight. Others are positions that are my take on the Party Platform and positions from the Obama Campaign.  Others are issues that are my unique positions that I want to put forth and would pursue as an elected legislator.

As a Candidate for the Senate, I support the Michigan Democratic Party Platform

Political Topics covered in this section.  (Scroll to the various topics)

Disclosure of Personal Finances

Freeing Politics from Money Influence & Special Interests

Full Disclosure of Political Contributions

Openness and Transparency in Government

Part Time Legislature

Promote Positive Issue Discussions between Candidates

Provide Public Airways for Public Campaigns

Taxation and Fiscal Responsibility

Disclosure of Personal Finances

Candidates and officeholders should reveal their income and personal wealth when they seek and hold office.  (Federal elected officials already do so.)

·         As a candidate, I will make a full disclosure of my income and personal wealth.

·         I will do so using the federal disclosure model.

Freeing Politics from Money Influence & Special Interests

The obscenely large amounts of money raised in the political campaigns basically make the politicians beholden to those special money interests. 

As a candidate for public office I take the position that I want to assure that our government is not for sale to the highest bidder and that the people’s voice is always heard.  If elected I will actively work to:

·         Enact reforms that diminish the role of special interests and make government more accountable and responsive to the people rather than large contributors.

·         Limit contributions from all sources to all political action committees (PACs) and parties each year as well as putting limits on contributions to candidate’s campaigns.  I recognize that some people believe that limits on campaign contributions are unconstitutional.  I categorically reject the idea that unlimited spending to influence judges or legislators is a fundamental right of free speech, and I will work to achieve workable limits on financial contributions.

·         Enact stronger ethics legislation requiring candidates and elected and appointed officials to reveal and avoid conflicts of interest, prohibit the payment of honoraria to state officials, ban the solicitation or receipt of political contributions in state buildings, and require public disclosure of legal defense fund contributions and expenditures.

• Enact Voluntary Public Financing Program for all Statewide Elected Officials

o   Seven states and two cities have Clean Elections, or full public financing, for some political offices.  Three states—Arizona, Connecticut, and Maine—provide full public financing for all statewide and legislative races.  These laws have been approved through a combination of the ballot process and by legislatures. 

·         Michigan currently has public financing for gubernatorial elections.   This program that allows candidates for office to voluntarily limit their spending on campaigns in return for a share of a public financing pool liberates candidates and elected officials from being beholden to interest groups, frees them to talk to citizens and do their job, and not having to constantly raise money.

·         I encourage a statewide system that includes many of the above measures and a public financing component.

o   As a first step the Michigan gubernatorial system of public financing should be expanded to include all statewide-elected officials including judges.

In the current process of political fund raising, some rich individuals, organizations and PACs can give unlimited amounts to a variety of groups to buy influence in elections and government.  The rich and heavily funded causes should not have any greater opportunity than the ordinary citizen in getting government attention and action.

Full Disclosure of Political Contributions

Currently many campaign donors and sources of money aren’t disclosed.  If disclosed, they are not made public until it is too late for voters to be informed with regards to who is funding a particular campaign.  Often the rules that exist are inadequately enforced, or the penalty is inadequate to deter efforts to “buy” an election or to disguise contribution sources.

·         My campaign will report all contributions from all sources to ensure full and complete disclosure, in a timely manner. 

·         I will categorically repudiate any third party effort to use funds raised outside my campaign to assist my election by using dirty tactics on my opponent. 

Openness and Transparency in Government

Many citizens are frustrated with the inefficiency of governmental and elected officials who seem incapable of solving problems and are unwilling to share vital information with the people.  Making Michigan’s government transparent, open and effective will enhance credibility with the public.  George Weeks, in his Record Eagle column, 2/15/09, said it well: “It all too often is a struggle to apply the bright light of public scrutiny that is a tonic for the stealth that ails government in Washington, Lansing and all levels of local government.”   

Part Time Legislature

It is my position that there are too many resources spent on the legislative process.

·         Michigan legislators are the second highest paid state legislative body in the nation.

o   I support reducing the pay of legislators

o   I do not support the system of automatic pay increases for legislators.

·         I support exploring a unicameral legislature

o   One legislative body as opposed to a House and a Senate

o   Does the state really need 148 legislators to conduct state business?

o   Currently Nebraska is the only state to have a unicameral legislature.

o   Nebraska’s state legislature is unique in that it is the only legislature that is entirely nonpartisan. 

·         I support a part time legislature.

o   We need to return to a citizen Legislature where lawmakers work part of the year in the Capitol and then return to their homes to hold jobs outside of state government.

o   We need legislators who understand the everyday needs of their constituents, not politicians who see the Capitol as a place for political gamesmanship. 

o   40 states have a part time legislature.

o   According to data from the National Council of State Legislatures (data from January 2008)

·         10 of the  legislatures are full time

o   Spend 80% of their time on legislative and constituent business.

o   Have an average of 8.9 staff

·         23 of the legislatures are two thirds time.

o   Spend 70% of their time on legislative and constituent business.

o   Have an average of 3.1 staff.

·         17 of the legislatures are half time.

o   Spend 54% of their time on legislative and constituent business.

o   Have an average of 1.2 staff.

o   Some say that MI already has a part time legislature, with full time pay. 

o   An example is the 2008-2009 holiday break, which totaled 27 days.  When they returned on January 14^th, one of the first acts of the House was to adjourn until January 27^th.

o   According to Tim Skubick, a member of the Capitol press corps, “Last year the House and Senate spent around 100 days in Lansing”.  (Leelanau Enterprise, 1/29/2009, page 5)

·         This sounds part time to me. 

·         Of course some lawmakers spend time working in their home districts.

o   If they spent a day a week, that is only another 50 days.

o   Most persons who work full time would spend at least 229 days working.

·         This is deducting weekends, 12 holidays, and 4 weeks of vacation.  (Most workers do not enjoy 4 weeks of paid vacation.) 

·         I believe that the salary and benefits of legislators should be tied to the salary and benefits of state employees.

o   It makes no sense that legislators after 6 years qualify for lifetime health and pension benefits.

Promote Positive Issue Discussions between Candidates

In campaigns and in the legislative process we need to quit throwing mud and repudiate extreme partisanship and focus on the problems of real people.  Persons should be able to hold very disparate political beliefs and positions and have a passionate, civil and reasoned debate on those issues, without disparaging each other.  I will run a positive campaign focusing on the issues.  I will not resort to negative personal attacks on my opponent. 

In regards to political decorum: 

·         I will work with all elected officials in a spirit of civility and decorum to work out compromises that are in the best interest of our state and citizens. 

·         Over the last few years, the rancor and partisan bickering in dealing with the state budget crisis and other state wide issues has been an aggravating and distracting embarrassment.

o   This is indicative of how most issues in Lansing are handled (or not handled).

o    All the politicians involved in those fiascos should be sent to the wood shed, until they learn what we were taught in kindergarten; “to play well with others”.

·         Years ago there used to be civility and respect in the political process, even when the legislators and candidates engaged in philosophical and policy discussions that represented very divergent points of views. 

Provide Public Airways for Public Campaigns

Money drives campaigns, and a large proportion of campaign expenditures is due to the high cost of TV and radio ads.  I would strongly support an effort that encourages our Congressional Delegation to enable our publicly-funded communications channels and the companies that operate them to participate in a plan for free TV communication during campaigns.

Taxation and Fiscal Responsibility

For most individuals and businesses, taxes can be burdensome.

• We need to explore ways to make the tax burden fairer.
• Taxes need to be balanced with those services and protections that are the responsibility of government.

I believe that State Government absolutely needs to live within the dollars that are available.

In making reductions in state budgets the legislature needs to show leadership.

·         If the legislature makes cuts to state government (example 10%), then I think that is absolutely necessary that the legislature cut the legislative budget by at least that amount.

·         If the legislature makes cuts to the salaries and/or benefits of state employees, then I believe that it is absolutely necessary that the legislators take similar reductions in their salaries and/or benefits. 

o   February 2009, the Legislature enacted a 10% reduction of elected officials’ salaries.  What is hypocritical about this is that is does not take effect until 2011, when most of the current elected officials are out of office.

o   The financial crisis is now.  The Legislature should have had the courage to make those cuts now.