by Mark Ludwig
I’ve run twice for office in GOP-dominated Allegan County. It was mostly cordial, a pleasant experience. No more. I’ve watched my State Rep. (Mary Whiteford) and worse my State Senator Aric Nesbitt bow down to obvious bullshit claims of voter fraud to appease an unpopular defeated president.
Nesbitt, in his role as Michigan Senate President, flew to Washington D.C. to meet personally with President Donald Trump. All those who fed these conspiracy theories, indulged this madness to boost their own local political fortunes are clearly unfit for office.
I will continue my political efforts, but after this disgusting two months I pledge my total, unrelenting hostility to those who fed this monstrosity from positions of power. These liars need to be driven out to preserve our democracy.
And GOP friends, you get the first go at cleaning house. Every elected official who supported this insanity needs a primary challenge. Please get busy.
EDITOR’S NOTE; Mark Ludwig, a Fennville area farmer and substitute teacher, ran for state representative against Mary Whiteford in 2018 and for Allegan County Drain Commissioner against Denise Medemar in 2020. He was a Democrat running against incumbent Republicans.
Mr Ludwig
Your statement ” I pledge my total, unrelenting hostility to those who fed this monstrosity from positions of power”.
Sir, with a statement like that what makes you think I as a voter or citizen would support you? This is the same rhetoric that streamed from the “monstrosity ” you so detest.
You and those with the same mindset have now become the exact same people you hated for the previous four years.
I may stand corrected but this column may become the “downfall ” of your political endeavors, unless it’s a political activist.
Harry, this started as a Facebook post. David asked to put it up. It’s strongly worded because this is dangerous, irresponsible, unAmerican and anti democratic. Five are dead, hundreds will be arrested and prosecuted and our global reputation is shattered. All to score points with a losing candidate. I’m done pretending this is OK.
Mr Ludwig
I understand just saying one in the political arena. Must and has to choose their verbiage very carefully. It either makes you no better than whom you are speaking of, or can be used against you in futher political endeavors.
Yes, this was not OK, It has been building for at least 12 years. Finally all the tolerance has “boiled over” ..the next few years should prove very interesting.
No one party or person is to blame. We were definitely on the “eve of destruction “
Oh give me a break. Where were your articles condemning months of rioting and pillaging when it was leftists responsible? How many of those people died? How many law enforcement officers? Where was Biden on that until the very end when his handlers realized it was hurting his poll numbers?? I totally condemn what happened at the capital, and those responsible. Drop the outrage until you are willing to be intellectualy honest.
Mr. Ludwig,
I too am troubled and puzzled by the current Trumpian logic and promotion of the 2020 voter fraud myth.
President Donald J Trump lost MI to former VP Joe Biden by more than 154,000 votes. A margin 14 times larger than Candidate Donald J Trump beat Hillary Clinton in MI in 2016 yet there wasn’t a peep from Mary Whiteford, Aric Nesbitt or any other Republicans and Trump sycophants questioning if Michigan’s 16 electoral votes should be awarded to Candidate Trump in 2016.
But former VP Biden’s win by over 154,000 votes in November 2020 should be investigated? Because President Trump claimed the election was fixed, even through dozens of lawsuits making that claim were tossed by federal judges? Even federal judges appointed by President Trump said the claims were baseless. The Supreme Court (which has three Trump appointees) refused to hear any arguments brought by the Trump campaign. Should President Trump’s baseless claims be deemed valid because President Trump uttered those accusations multiple times? Are the claims valid because they were repeated so many times by so many individuals on multiple media platforms?
Steve Johnson won re-election. He lost the vote in a portion of his district that’s in Kentwood; he carried the Allegan County portion of 72nd District by a 2-1 margin winning the race by 5,500 votes. That’s the way the vote came down. Should the people who voted for Lily Cheng-Schulting be accusing Allegan County officials of rigging the election? Absolutely not. But it seems there are members of the MI GOP who think if their candidate doesn’t win the election result must be suspect.
The only thing the current GOP spreading doubts about the integrity of elections does is weaken our representative democracy. Perpetuating ideas that only one party can win elections with integrity does nothing but create a foundation for authoritarian rule.
Most revolutions aren’t successful on the first try. Some initial coup attempts are laughed at but no one is laughing when second or third attempt to overthrow of a freely elected government succeeds.
As usual, a Democrat talking about the D.C. rally as a riot, as in the media, and the “protesters” of last summer in major cities looting, burning, killing and raping. What nonsense. I didn’t like what happened in D.C. either, but 6 years of hate Trump, Russia, Russia, Russia, false impeachment, and now pinning the action of many on the president – what horse manure.
And Ludwig, we are a republic, not a democracy – never have been a democracy, but Democrats love the word, as in “mob rule”. And get another picture, you look like someone who actually might work with that hat. We all know Democrats would rather rule than work.
Thank you for sending me the obituary of my brother, Gary Smith. The comments by Sheriff Frank Baker were a great honor to my brother. They also organized a drive by my brothers house a few weeks ago while my brother could enjoy it. They had Allegan Sheriff cars, fire trucks, Wayland City police and school busses because at one time he drove school bus. It was so special for my brother.