ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” story. It is an editorial by the editor.
I’m sick and tired of the modern Republican Party’s insistence that everybody march in lockstep together on the issues. Though the GOP was characterized by Colin Powell 20 years ago as having a big tent, it has since shown time and time again its intolerance for differing viewpoints.
This is just a warmup for the reasons I support the candidacy of Jennifer Antel for state representative in the 72nd District. I expect the likes of Ranger Rick, Free Market Man and “Don’t Tread on Me” to trot out accusations that she’s a Remocract, a Republican in Name Only (RINO).
Indeed, Antel doesn’t appear to be 100% in line with the Republican talking points on the environment and human rights. She is Pro-Life as a lifelong Catholic, but probably not as rabidly as party bosses insist.
It wasn’t so long ago that Gerald Ford was a Republican, yet he was adamantly Pro-Choice. It wasn’t that long ago that GOP State Rep. Paul Hillegonds, co-speaker of the Michigan House, was deeply concerned about environmental issues.
But now I’m seeing too much of a Republican Party that insists all its candidates walk, walk and think alike to the point it’s really difficult to tell them apart when they run against each other in a primary. Good examples are Bob Genetski vs. Aric Nesbitt and John James vs. Sandy Penslar.
Now comes Jennifer Antel, a member of the Wayland City Council for the last 13 years, mayor pro tem for the last nine, a public servant in Otsego and Kalamazoo city government, teacher, coach and owner of a master’s degree in public administration. She has been an effective and sometimes controversial city council member. There have been times I haven’t liked what she said or did. But when I add up the score, she always seems to come out on the positive side.
Credence Clearwater Revival might have applied their classic song “Fortunate Son” to current State Rep. Steve Johnson, who received just 29.3% of the total vote in the GOP primary in 2016, but according to the wrong-headed primary election rules (victory by plurality rather than majority) and the one-party system that prevails in West Michigan, he was elected and has set his sights on spending six years in Lansing.
I cannot think of one piece of legislation he has introduced or shepherded through the State Legislature that has benefitted the good folks of the 72nd District, which takes in the cities of Wayland and Kentwood and townships of Wayland, Dorr, Leighton and Gaines.
Johnson has spoken with puffed pride about his Christian conservatism, which I believe will help him avoid solving any problems in Lansing if he is returned for another term. Though he has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, he was reported two years ago to have said he was looking to support a minor party or independent candidate for president because “I only support candidates who will follow the Constitution and unfortunately neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump will follow the Constitution.”
Add to this the unpleasant fact that Johnson was the only member of the State Legislature to vote against a federal grant to help the people of Flint with their water crisis, which wasn’t their fault. Johnson explained the problem wasn’t the federal government’s. Using his logic, any small town or city that becomes a victim of catastrophe is on its own.
In other words, he believes government does not exist to help those who cannot help themselves. So then why does government exist?
The choice in this race is clear. Jennifer Antel is likely to do the research, do some thinking on her own rather than do as she’s told and perhaps accomplish something of value for the citizens of this district by working with rather than against people with whom she disagrees. And what a refreshing change that will be! Choose Antel.
In Mr. Young’s defense, I’m sure his memory is at fault in his summation.of the Flint water situation. The people of the once prosporus city of Flint voted for city council members to represent them and they decided to forgo the water supply they had and switch to the Flint river source of water, not the state or federal governments. Rep. Johson was correct in his reasoning and not political in his vote. The relief should have come strictly from the state and only applied for federal help through the state if they couldn’t bear the cost. It was a city and state problem, not federal.
As for your support of Ms. Antel, I support her as the Democrat she is, as there is not a Republican idea or principle she possesses. Her support of gun control, gun free zone signs which only encourages
those intent on doing harm to feel safe in doing so, her.past support of high taxation in the city and always ready to support spending your tax dollars without much thought or debate.
She would be a poor representative for this district.
Rep. Johnson has done a commendable job, answers questions from constituants, either by email or phone call and attends township meetings when possible. Answering questions is not in the vocabulary of the Wayland City Council and Ms. Antel. They do not govern in the interest of the taxpayers and are contemptuous of a direct question, only saying they are there to listen, not to provide answers. I wonder what they believe their job is? Evidently not answering questions.
Well said, Don’t Tread on Me. Ms Antel is a Democrat in Republican cloth.
I got a mass mailed campaign letter from State Representaive Steve Johnson late last week and after reading, it created more questions than reason why I should vote for him in the primary and if he wins Tuesday, why he deserves my vote in November.
It’s nice Mr. Johnson still respects his parents, but the second paragraph is no more than pandering to people who attend churches who adhere to the teachings of John Calvin.
As a fellow veteran (USN), I think its laudable Mr. Johnson enlisted in the USAF, reached the rank of Staff Sargeant, that rank (E-5), is where a significant number of four-year enlistees are at the end of their four-year hitch. Anyone who’s been in the U.S. Military knows the leadership, being the boss starts at E-6,Technical Sargeant.
Steve Johnson to this point appears to be a state representative who follows orders in Lansing just like he did in the USAF on every point of what he said he stands for. To me, Steve Johnson seems to be an agreeable fellow with little life experience outside military where he got out before he was 23-24. Nowhere in his letter did he mention he was living at home with his parents looking for a job when he decided to run for state representative in 2016 nor did he mention his prior political experience was working for Cindy Gamrat’s campaign for state representative in 2014. We all know how that ended.
I will be casting my ballot for Jennifer Antel. She happens to worship at a Roman Catholic church and like Steve Johnson is an advocate for Right to Life. The biggest differnce I see is Jennifer Antel has had many more real life experiences and challenges, being married, raising a family, having jobs while serving the community in local government along with Wayland schools in multiple capacities.
Conversely, Mr. Johnson is 27 year old who has either lived with his parents or been housed by the USAF for more than two decades and has never faced the choices his parents or Jennifer Antel have faced working, paying for housing, food or medical and dental for a family.
The lack of experience explains Steve Johnson’s absolutist ideals like opposing all tax increases and fees. If he truly believes that he must not realize the state incurs annual costs such as increasing labor and material costs for everything from building maintenance to road and bridges construction plus inflation. I also wonder how many officials from Grand Rapids South Christian he’s spoken to about their ideas of expanding conceal and carry laws.
Tomorrow I will vote for Jennifer Antel because I believe she will represent the 72nd District and ask many more questions on how the vote effects all people of the 72nd than Steve Johnson has or will if re-elected.
It’s good to know voters in the 72nd district voted for the real Republican instead of a Democrat in disguise.
Evidently the USN doesn’t trust their E5 members to be crew chiefs. Rep. Johnson was a missile technician, requiring a long training technical school time and there were not many in the field at times. Being in the USAF, I witnessed a few crew chiefs at E-5 because of their technical expertise and maturity.
Evidently, SSgt. Johnson was such a person.