Endorsements -- 2012 Election
We stand on the eve of the 2012 elections. Although I’m a political junkie, I’m ready to
bid adieu to all the robocalls, ads, and mailings (most of which get dumped
into the recycling sack unread). Unless
you’ve already voted (if early voting is possible or through absentee voting)
perhaps you’ll be joining me at the polls tomorrow. I know that some who might be reading this
will choose not to vote (or you’re reading this out of country to see what an
American in Michigan might have to say about the upcoming vote). So, here are my candidate “endorsements.” I don’t pretend to speak for my congregation
or my denomination or even for my family.
My choices are influenced by my faith, but also by practical
considerations – competence, wisdom, experience, or simply party. Yes, party is involved. You see, ultimately when we vote we’re voting
not just for a candidate, we're often voting for a party as well.
Many people are frustrated by the
partisan tone of our elections, but if there are to be choices parties will
ultimately develop. George Washington abhorred
the idea of political parties, but two very different political ideologies
emerged early on – a Jeffersonian and a Hamiltonian perspective. And so today, we have two primary political
parties. This is in large part due to
the type of government the Founders set up.
So, for good or ill, what is, is.
And so we make choices. Even
choosing not to vote is a choice. It’s a
choice to let others decide the future course of the nation.
My ballot is rather long, but my “endorsements”
will focus on a just a few of the races present on my ballot.
President
Barack
Obama. I have been a supporter of the
President since the day he announced his candidacy in 2007. I saw in him qualities that I value – calmness,
steadiness, perceptiveness, a degree of charisma, and a long-view of reality. Although some who backed him did so with
messianic expectations, I never had such beliefs. No President, no matter how gifted, is the
messiah. Politics is too complicated for
one person to turn everything around over night.
It’s been a rough four years, but the results, though often
unnoticed, are clear. He helped turn
around an economy in free-fall. Did he
make mistakes along the way – probably – but he showed a steadiness of hand
that allowed the economy to turn the corner.
He moved toward ending one war and set in motion the ending of another –
both the result of an earlier President’s decisions. He got rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,”
recognized the importance of allowing gays and lesbians to marry, and most
importantly he set in motion the process that will enable the vast majority of
Americans to get affordable health care coverage. The Affordable Health Care Act isn’t perfect,
but it is a step in the right direction.
It’s something that American President’s have struggled to achieve for
than a century. Are
there things I wish he’d do differently?
Yes. Like many some of the
security decisions he’s made have gone too far.
I wish he’d done more with immigration.
But in a second term more progress can be made on these issues.
And when compared to his opponent, Mitt Romney, who has shown
himself to be a chameleon when it comes to his positions and values, it’s clear
who should be the next President. It
should be the current President – Barack Obama.
Senate
Debbie
Stabenow. Our junior Senator from Michigan isn’t
the most charismatic of politicians, but she seems to have demonstrated a clear
ability to work for the things that the people of Michigan desire. Her opponent, Pete Hoekstra has hung out with
the Tea Party folks, and represents a far right option that I don’t think is
healthy. So, I’ll go with Debbie
Stabenow, who has shown herself to be a thoughtful, moderately liberal voice in the Senate.
U.S. House of Representatives
Syed Taj -- Due to the vagaries of
gerrymandering, I have fallen into a rather strangely drawn Congressional
District. It was drawn up so that the
incumbent, Thad McCotter would have an easy time of being re-elected. That is, this long, narrow, snake-like district
was drawn up to contain as many Republicans as possible. So, I was taken out of Gary Peter’s district
and thrown into this new district (#11).
Well, McCotter isn’t on the ballot because his aids cut corners and
submitted fraudulent petitions. That
left the Republicans with a candidate who no one would have taken seriously
under normal circumstances, but since he was the only person on the ballot, he
got the nod. So, the “favorite” to win in
my district is a reindeer farmer who apparently isn’t sure whether he’s Kerry
Bentivolio or Santa Claus. His opponent
is a physician who was Chief of Surgery at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn. He’s on the Township board of Canton. Unfortunately, he’s a Democrat running in a
strong GOP district and the fact that he’s a Muslim of Indian descent may work
against him. We’d like to believe we’re
a post-racial nation, but it’s clear we’re not yet there. For
those of us on the far side of this bizarrely-drawn district it’s hard to get
to know the candidates. I’ve not had
much chance to engage the candidates, but Dr. Taj is obviously a much more
qualified – and mentally balanced – candidate. I’m hoping my GOP friends will
look beyond party and pull the lever for Dr. Taj.
Michigan House of Representatives:
Mary
Kerwin. This is an easy choice for me. I’ve gotten to know Mary fairly well over the
past few years. As a member of the Troy
City Council, including service as Mayor Pro Tem, Mary demonstrated a keen
insight into the needs of the city. She
understood that if we wanted strong services that we needed to pay for them and
she worked to protect the city’s investments and long-term future. She’s practical, wise, and willing to work
hard to make the community a better place.
As for her opponent, as I’ve watched him over the past few years, as he served
on the same City Council, I’ve been more than unimpressed. He’s shown himself to be dishonest,
deceitful, and self-serving. So it’s an
easy choice. Mary Kerwin will represent
all of her constituents, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, with integrity and honesty. Local papers, in endorsing her campaign have noted her independent spirit! If you live in Michigan House District 41, I
hope you’ll join me in voting for Mary Kerwin.
Troy Mayoral Recall
A
Strong Yes! Now, I rarely support recall efforts,
so if I’m going to back one, then there has to be a strong for it. I’ve found that recalls are often divisive
and counter-productive, but when it comes to the mayor tenure of Janice Daniels,
I have to make an exception. She has
shown herself to be incompetent, narcissistic, and ultimately an embarrassment
to the community she represents. If she
were simply one council member among many, that would be one thing, and we
could live her antics. But she’s the
mayor and as mayor she is the face of the city.
In that guise, Mayor Daniels has introduced a partisan tenor into the
council that is according to the charter a non-partisan body. I need to note here that this isn't about political party, it's about character and commitment to the good of the city.
Mayor Daniels has berated city staff, misrepresented
the facts on issues including the library, taxes, and transit. She has expressed herself and/or embraced
persons who have spewed racist and anti-gay sentiments. And most recently, she embarrassed herself in
front of the Council when she took it upon herself to misrepresent a Council
Recognition of a community leader. She
refused, even after being corrected by the recipient of the award, to acknowledge
who had originally honored this person (who happens to be Mary Kerwin). She has shown herself incapable of working
with colleagues on the council and with the city staff. So, it’s time for Janice Daniels to leave
office. Since she refuses to resign,
then the citizenry, using the levers of our democracy, must make this decision
for her.
There are other important offices to be considered, but I’ll
leave my endorsements at these few.
Note: This posting essentially serves to answer Question 12 of the Energion Political Roundtable
Note: This posting essentially serves to answer Question 12 of the Energion Political Roundtable
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