Part 1 is here.
The Zakos: MI 107, state rep ... Parker Fairbairn, who ran for this same seat two years ago and lost to State Rep Neil Friske, is once again challenging Friske. Here, too, many of our conservative friends are perplexed why we would support Fairbairn two years ago and are supporting him once again. After all, Neil Friske is 100% conservative, voting ‘no’ (and losing) on every single bill submitted by the majority Democrat Party. Not only does Friske reliably vote ‘no,’ and every bill passes anyway, he is the only member of the House who is on no committee whatsoever. What this means is that your rep and mine from northern Michigan is not even in the room when a bill is first discussed in a specific House committee and therefore has absolutely no influence on the shape of the final bill.
While there is significant controversy over serious criminal charges being considered in Lansing over recent alleged conduct by Friske, until all the facts are disclosed, your vote should not depend on such charges, which may turn out to be legitimate or bogus.
ERG: Well, Zakos, we still have no reason to vote FOR Parker, only against Neil, and those reasons don’t cut it. First, voting ‘NO’ is the only acceptable vote when every bill is sponsored by the Dems and furthers their demolition of our society. Second, degrading Neil for being on no committees is a hollow criticism, since Republicans on House committees have no voice anyway. Republican amendments are not even allowed to reach the floor for votes, and many of the bills are presented right before a vote is taken, with no opportunity to read/discuss their contents or implications. No committees = No problem. Third, Republicans can’t shape bills in this legislature. Over 200 amendments were offered by Republicans for the current budget bill and ALL were rejected. Legislators were given the bill ($80-plus billion and 1500-plus pages) after midnight and given 3 or 4 hours until the vote. Thank you, Dems!! A ‘NO’ vote is the right vote, under those circumstances. How could Parker have done better? Fourth, Parker is all about ‘bringing home the bacon,’ * but we all know that is code for Socialism. Not only that, but our district gets only ‘bacon bits’ at best, while down state districts get pork loins, roasts, and thick chops. More pork = higher taxes, more regulations, and bigger government. End the pork!
Now, please explain why we should vote FOR Parker. How would he govern differently? How would his elder signatory enablers counsel him to make a difference? How could he be better than 100%?
The Zakos: Emmet County sheriff ... This is an interesting race. Sheriff Wallin is retiring, and two of his deputies are running for the open seat. Both appear to be qualified, which is refreshing. When two good candidates run, the voters cannot lose, regardless of which one wins. We have heard and met both candidates and have spoken with several friends in law enforcement who know them both. We are going to recommend Randy Kloss over Matt Leirstein.
ERG: We ask, “Why?” The out-going sheriff is endorsing his undersheriff, Matt. Why is that? This is indeed an interesting race. ERG has heard both of them, too, and would like to hear more about law enforcement (drugs, illegal aliens, squatting, election integrity, red flag laws, etc.) and less about charity events, school resource officers, and mental health. If signage is an indicator, this race is close and hot!
The Zakos: County Commissioner for the 2nd District (the townships of West Traverse, Friendship, Pleasantview, and Maple River) ... Neil Ahrens, the incumbent, is running for his 5th (?) term for commissioner as a Republican. He is being challenged by Brett Gooding. This is the first time Ahrens has a challenger, having been automatically elected and re-elected in the past. We are recommending a vote for his challenger because, although Ahrens runs as and labels himself a Republican, he generally votes like a Democrat.
ERG: Does that mean that we can count on Brett to NOT vote like a Democrat? And what does that mean, anyway? If Neil A. usually votes like a Democrat, why is it that the Commission (which is 6 R’s and 1 D) has so much consensus on most agenda items? Are other R’s also voting like D’s? And, if we use this voting standard for other races, why would we give a pass to Mike Rogers (who frequently voted like a D), Jack Bergman (remember the 61% score?), or Parker Fairbairn (who complains incessantly about Neil Friske’s 100% conservative Republican voting record, saying that he will vote differently)? ERG likes the standard but would apply it evenly across the board.
The Zakos: West Traverse Township Supervisor ... Current Supervisor, Jim Bartlett, who has done a really good job, is retiring. We recommend Edward Murphy over Dawson Moore. Several trusted friends who know Moore for his service on the planning commission describe him as a Democrat running as a Republican.
ERG: "Democrat running as a Republican" seems to be an appropriate descriptor for the candidate challenging the incumbent for the Resort Township Supervisor office, also.
The Zakos: ballot proposal ... Vote NO on the Separate Tax Limitation Proposal. For far too long most of us, including the Zakos, have been voting ‘yes’ for school millage after school millage, in spite of the fact that public education is a national scandal and disgrace and that, while the number of students continues to decline, the number of administrators continues to increase.
ERG: It baffles us why anyone would vote YES for ANY school millage, since the scandal and disgrace of public education has been present and accelerating for decades! Not only has the number of students been declining, but also the quality (breadth and depth) of the education these students are receiving. Indoctrination frequently replaces information and somehow costs a lot more to deliver. This monopoly must be broken up!
To conclude, ERG thanks the Zakos for being informed and involved, traits way too often lacking in our community. And thanks, Lou and MJ, for sharing your thoughts with us.
We encourage ALL freedom-loving, constitutionally-minded, responsible-government-seeking, legal citizens to vote in this ongoing primary. Maybe even pray for wisdom first.
May the best candidates win!
*1:09 mark
Thanks for the voting guide. I'll be voting the opposite on every single recommendation. You guys are nuts.
So true! Democrats never want to openly debate or discuss policy. And Republicans are always the more civil of the two parties--they're even kind enough to self-censor (e.g. the family friendly "Let's Go Brandon!"). The U.S. is indeed starting to resemble Cuba and Russia. Our leaders can get away with anything! It's scary.
At the risk of being boringly repetitive, this post by ERG brings joy to my heart. An open and civil discussion, with some areas of agreement and other areas of disagreement. This kind of discussion would be impossible in Communist China, in North Korea, in the old Soviet Union and its successor, Russia, in Cuba, in Venezuela, and in a USA under total control (God forbid) of the Democrat Party.
Mary Jane and Lou Zako love and respect Izzy and Wid Lyman, while not agreeing with them on every single issue, just as Mary Jane and Lou do not agree in our personal lives on every single issue, but remain happily married for almost 67 years.