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 72^nd 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.