Editorial

So Rep. Johnson doesn’t believe in govt. ‘for the people’

ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” story. It is an editorial by the editor.

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” — Abraham Lincoln

It will perish from the Earth if people like State Rep. Steven Johnson continue in office.

Lincoln’s immortal words have been a staple in explaining why the United States came up with a better idea about how to govern. So it begs the question — What is the purpose of government?

I’ve long maintained the two most important jobs for elected officials are to solve problems and to be a fair referee. I might throw in doing things for people that they can’t do by themselves. You know, things like provide police, fire, roads, schools, water, sewer.

Yet there are too many in office today who believe “The purpose of government is to create a healthy bidness climate.” (With apologies to the late, great Molly Ivins)

Then comes Johnson, who recently showed his priority agenda as keeping transgender people out of girls’ bathrooms and finally making abortion illegal. Perhaps he wants to bring prayer back into public schools as well. He apparently sees these as huge problems that only a theocracy can solve.

Meanwhile, our roads deteriorate, as does our infrastructure. Our public education system is being dragged down by Betsey DeVos’ race to the bottom. And there many other serious problems that need attention, but state lawmakers continue to be clueless. And despite term limits, we elect ’em again and again.

Johnson now owns the distinction of being the only member of the Michigan Legislature who voted against approving $100 million in federal aid to the citizens of Flint, who have done nothing wrong except watch as state and local officials and a state-appointed emergency manager caused the ruin of their water supply.

These citizens’ public water is not fit to drink, but Johnson somehow believes the federal government should not get involved with a local water system. Well then, who should? Who has enough money to correct the problem and who should pay?

Johnson clearly demonstrated he is bereft of Lincoln’s spirit of “government of the people, by the people and for the people.” Government had a huge hand in creating a dangerous, even life-threatening situation for almost 100,000 American citizens, yet Johnson doesn’t think it should somehow make amends.

Johnson was elected last August in a Republican primary that included five candidates. He earned only 30% of the total vote, but that was a little bit more than each of the other four. He picked up most of that 30% because he goes to the right church (Christian Reformed), went to the right high school (South Christian) and served a hitch in the military.

He was unemployed at the time he won the primary and was living with his parents. He received quite a windfall, $80,000 a year, with his primary victory, which in these parts assures winning the general election because only a minority bothers to vote for Democrats.

As I have so often said — “If A. Hitler ran as a Republican for office in these parts against Democrat J. Christ, A. Hitler would win.”

Johnson essentially was elected by less than one-third of the voters in the 72nd District. He will be re-elected twice more unless Republicans can get their act together and run just one candidate against him in the August 2018 primary.

Steven Johnson is a scandal-less Cindy Gamrat. By the way, he was on the staff to elect Gamrat in 2014.

Now he already is making headlines as the only “heartless” legislator to vote against federal funding (not state funding) to provide a life-giving substance for the innocent victims in Flint.

I hereby urge the GOP to get its act together and throw this rascal out of office next year in August.

 

7 Comments

  • How well I know about the Republican strangle hold on our part of the State. When at a weekend getaway with other Fellows from the Michigan State Political Leadership program, then Governor Engler’s “Spin Doctor” stated that “If there is one County in Michigan that we never have to worry about going Democratic, it is Allegan County”!

  • I take exception to your statement ‘Betsy DeVos race to the bottom.’ How about, like Trump, we give the lady a chance.

  • If Hitler was running for the Democratic party against a Republican “J. Christ” the person who wrote this would vote for Hitler. Just because your eyes are open doesn’t mean you are looking at anything.

  • One may get the impression the author of this work dislikes Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson has a lot for a Socialist to dislike, a Veteran who is God fearing and believes in American exceptionalism and smaller government. A man who feels the Federal Government is not the only force for good, and we indeed do have local government that will accomplish good more cheaply and better than the Federals.

    News flash: federal dollars, every penny, directly or indirectly come from the people, you and I, it is not “free. ”

  • Priorities like the border wall, and tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, leave little room for socialist ideas like addressing the poisoning of Flint, Michigan. It is good that Johnson was all alone in turning his back on the people of Flint. The dems, and every other republican, all saw it differently. He should be ashamed of himself, as should those that elected him to office. Speaking of embarrassments, Betsy DeVos was unable to answer some very simple questions yesterday about the role of the Secretary of the Department of Education. She seems amazingly uneducated for a person in her position. Does she exemplify the educational outcomes of private education?

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