Meet the 87th candidates- Brian Calley

Brian Calley — This fair-haired golden boy is a Yuppie throwback from Portland who works at a bank and is an Ionia County commissioner. He says all the right things, knows how to kiss babies and schmooze with all the right-thinking, well-connected people. He's gone to virtually all meetings of villages, cities and townships to introduce himself as a clean-cut boy next door developing expertise in how to blow smoke up your ass. Hence, he's a terrific slick politician, well versed in the art of telling you what you want to hear rather than what you need to hear. His broken record mantra is a carbon copy of so much of what we've heard from before — "tax cuts... tax cuts... tax cuts..." We've been cutting taxes for over a decade in Michigan and yet the state economy still flounders- usually, the first step to getting out of a hole is to quit digging but that's a message lost on the people living on our dime in Lansing. Calley is a man of money, well established in mainstream conservative GOP political circles. The difference between him and Newell politically is very little. The difference between him and the philosophies handed down by most on high from the GOP power brokers in Lansing and Washington is even less. Expect Calley to be just another puppet of the lobbyists who now control our state capitol by showing the wet-behind-the-ears legislators the way the game is played and making it known to them that the only way they get to keep their cushy jobs is to play along.

To support Calley is to support the status quo, to affirm the notion that everything is going just fine, stay the course. It also is to ignore, as the State Legislature routinely does these days, that there are serious problems that need swift and decisive action. Because of this guy's slick skills and ability to attach himself to the movers and shakers and special monied interests inside and outside of the 87th District, he's considered the man to beat in the August primary. And remember, he (or she) who wins in August most certainly wins... period!

GOP Commissioners say DeVos lacks candor

In the Thursday, February 14, 2006 edition of the Hastings Banner it was reported that some Republican members of the Barry County Board of Commissioners were less than impressed after a meeting with the billionaire-heir of the scAmway fortune- Richard "Dick" DeVos. I would link to it but they don't have a web presence so here's the relevant quote:

"The County Board of Commisioners was meeting Wednesday instead of its customary Tuesday because most members attended the Michigan Association of Counties Winter Conference in Lansing Monday and Tuesday. Commissioners had a roundtable discussion about what they saw and heard during the two-day conference.

(Republican Commissioners) Gibson and Nevins complained about Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard DeVos' lack of candor and understanding about state revenue sharing issues. Both said DeVos seemed to lack knowledge about revenue sharing itself and did not adequately answer questions."

The DeVos campaign is surely in trouble if he can't even hold the Republicans in west Michigan.

On WKAR he also said he didn't know where he stood on stem cell research and was vague on many issues. Is DeVos afraid to admit what his true positions are or does he just not have a clue where he stands? His wife knows where she stands...

"Many, if not most, of the economic problems in Michigan are a result of high wages and a tax and regulatory structure that makes this state uncompetitive."

Meet the 87th candidates- Mark Doster

Mark Doster — Mark Doster has a reputation as being a bit of an electoral loser, having lost at the ballot box almost as often as John Loftus- Barry County's poster boy for futile campaigns. Back in the early 1990s, Doster ran as a Democrat against State Rep. Bob Bender and lost (strike one). He switched parties and ran for county commissioner and won. Two years later he was defeated in his bid for re-election. That's two. Then, in 2000 he returned to politics and ran for Prairieville Township Supervisor and won. Then he lost his bid for re-election to Tom Guthrie in 2004 (there is no smaller unit of government to lose at- maybe he should be trying for Township Board of Review on the Socialist Worker's Party). That's three strikes. Then managed to create a position for himself as manager of the Southwest Barry Sewer Authority for $25,000 a year. Now he's shooting for his fourth electoral loss in a little more than a dozen years. I wonder if anyone has mentioned to Doster that the Democrats have no candidate, that he could be virtually guaranteed a spot on the November ballot if he switched back to his original team.

I know Abraham Lincoln was said to have lost three elections before he became president. But Mark Doster is no Abraham Lincoln.

Meet the 87th candidates- Susan Vlietstra

Susan Vlietstra — This is a young woman with very little experience in running for office or competing in the political arena, and it shows. Her campaign literature and her website mention only two issues — guns and abortion (guess which side she's on?). Somebody older and wiser needs to tell her abortion may be decided soon in the U.S. Supreme Court and no one is going to take away anyone else's guns. Meanwhile, there are a hell of a lot of other issues more pressing, though she seems not to be aware of them. What about jobs, education funding, the infrastructure, the Great Lakes, special interest money, and the list goes on. We can't afford to send a nice old guy like Frank Campbell to Lansing because he'll be taken advantage of. We can't afford to send Ms. Vlietstra because she's politically naive and thus far has reduced her legislative campaign to just two issues. Her only experience has been a brief stint as Thornapple Township Clerk. I think she would do much better to wait two years and challenge Deb Smith for county clerk if she really wants to pay her dues and gain some needed seasoning. In short, she's not ready for prime time.

Meet the 87th candidates- the small town mayor

I have some pretty good sources on the 87th state house open seat primary and I will share some of the insights I have gained into the race in the coming days and weeks. So, let's meet the first candidate...

Frank Campbell — This is a very nice man who probably will be chewed up and spit out by Lansing insiders and lobbyists. Frank, a small-town rube who talks like he just stepped out of an episode of "Green Acres," likes to think of himself as a maverick, yet he's enamored with the pomp and circumstance, the ribbon cuttings, glad handing with "Howdy friends and neighbors, I'm former Mayor Frank Campbell, and I'd be pleased as punch to be your state representative." Frank would be on the team in Lansing, and though he likes to think he roars like a lion, he's gentle as a lamb. With Frank, we could expect more of the same old, same old because he lacks the savvy to understand the nuances of state-level politics, and would be taken advantage of. I suppose it'd be a bit like "Mr. Smith Goes to Lansing," but this is 2006, not 1946. I'd almost be horrified at the prospect of Mayor Frank winning this race if it wasn't for some of the other candidates who don't seem any better or brighter.

87th District race

It seems the race for Gary Newell's open seat in the 87th state house district is well underway. According to this link we have four candidates who have already filed, one reportedly about to file, and at least one other rumored candidate who may or may not be running (stay tuned for updates as we get them). The deadline for candidates to file for the August primary vote is May 11 so we could end up with a pretty crowded race.

I only bothered with the GOP candidates since the primary will almost certainly determine the eventual winner as the last 2 Democratic Party candidates haven't been able to crack 36% of the vote.

Brian Calley (R-Portland)
Ionia County Commissioner, Chair of the Ionia County Republican Party
2006 Status: paperwork filed 3/23/05

Frank Campbell (R-Hastings)
Hastings City Councilman, former Mayor
2006 Status: paperwork filed 6/2/05

Mark Doster (R-Prairieville Twp)
Former county commisioner. Former supervisor of Prairieville.
2006 Status: Running

Brian Reynolds (R-Hastings)
Barry County Surveyor
2006 Status: paperwork filed 8/24/05

Susan Vlietstra (R-Middleville)
Thornapple Township Clerk
2006 Status: paperwork filed 7/13/05

Welcome to West Michigan Politics

The site will be your source for coverage of the West Michigan political scene (as well well as state and national politics especially when it affects our area). We hope to bring you the news that the mainstream media won't dare to cover. I will rely on you, the reader, to help by supplying me with leads and background info that will help to uncover the stories that will shape our area and our state for years to come. Stay tuned...