Allegan County Clerk and former 80th District State Rep. Bob Genetski is becoming the poster boy for what’s wrong with the modern American political system mistakenly believed to be a democracy or a republic.
As comedian George Carlin warned a decade ago, “The game is rigged… but nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care.” And former President Jimmy Carter acknowledged we no longer have a democratic form of government, we’re living under an oligarchy, the rule of a few.
And by now we ought to understand that term limits isn’t the answer to career politicians, who just find new and creative ways to stay in power by taking advantage of a predictable electorate not paying attention.
I hear tell Genetski will seek election in 2018 to the 26th District State Senate seat now held by Tanya Schuitmaker, who will be term limited next year and is running for attorney general. You understand,
politicians who are term limited just show up elsewhere using their name recognition to get elected to other posts, regardless of whether they’re qualified or not. And voters don’t seem to care.
Kenneth Yonker, who was 72nd District State Representative for six years, is back on the public payroll, using his name recognition to get elected Ken County Drain Commissioner. Former State Rep. Tom Hooker at the same time was elected supervisor of Byron Township. And Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is running for governor as Rick Snyder is term limited.
Genetski was elected Allegan County Clerk in the August 2016 primary. I have no clue whether he has the necessary skills to do a good job. I’m not sure he has a clue either, because with less than a year on the job, he’s running for a state senate seat he chose not to seek in 2014 because he said he had lots of family type commitments, such as weddings, a First Communion and a reunion.
I wrote three years ago, “It’s a pretty good excuse, but about the same as the corporate ruse of telling everybody he resigned to spend more time with his family… I believe instead he decided against running (in 2014) because he doesn’t think he can beat incumbent State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker, who has announced she will seek her second four-year term. Schuitmaker, who lives in Antwerp Township in Van Buren County, was elected senator from the old 20th District in 2010 and perhaps has a lot better name recognition.”
Genetski really spread the BS around when he told the Globe, “While I very much wanted to bring the (senate) seat to Allegan County and ensure that its constituents had a limited government, common-sense, conservative representing them in the State Senate, the timing of this year’s election does not work for me and my family.”
But two years later Genetski decided to go back to the public trough by getting elected county clerk by an unwary public that sleepwalks through elections by consistently voting for Republicans, especially incumbents or those with name recognition. And if he wins the race for the Michigan Senate, Allegan County will have to appoint his successor in the clerk’s post. That person will be blessed with the power of incumbency and name recognition when the 2020 election approaches.
Once again, as Carlin said, “The game is rigged… but nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care.”
Shame on us for allowing these charlatans to get away with their cynical and manipulative games at our expense.
“President Jimmy Carter acknowledged we no longer have a democratic form of government, we’re living under an oligarchy, the rule of a few.” Two words Donald Trump, the establishment left and right nor both parties fully backed him.
Voters would do well to remember then State Rep Genetski was a sponsor of pattern legislation to freeze tuition in 2011. He and other GOP sponsors were outraged when Michigan State and Wayne State raised their tuition for the summer term after their lawyers actuall read the bill and found the loop hole. Fact was both universities faced rising costs and that same year the state support was cut by $15M.
This may seem like old news but it exposed how Genetski took pattern legislation, the same bill was passed in Wisconsin that was written by special interests associated with A.L.E.C. (American Legislative Exchange Council) . Long and the short of it was Representative Genetski sponsored the bill with others without actually reading or understanding what the verbage entailed. Bob Genetski did what the special interests who wrote the bill told him to do without truly understanding what the legislation actually said.
Now Mr. Genetski wants a chance to return to Lansing for a possible 8 years (two 4 year terms). If Allegan County wants more legislative sessions with Bob Genetski promoting legislation that’s handed to him when he he doesn’t read or understand, do so at your own risk.
Yeah, it’s really outrageous when someone in the legislature wants to reign in spending – on education no less. You’ve got to fund those “rising costs”. Colleges are like government – they can’t do with a dollar less in funding.
Sounds like the same thing Nancy Pelosi said about the “Affordable Healthcare Act”, they wouldn’t know what was in it until it was passed! See how well that worked out.
I never knew any Democrat to stop spending what we don’t have, and the establishment Republicans pile on – me too, me too!
I’m with Mr. Traxler – Donald Trump is the antidote to the out of control Washington D.C.
spending.
As for Genetski,, there are a certain number of people with a vendetta against him. I don’t have a dog in the fight, but they certainly do. I think they are just upset the Democrats have no standing in this area of Michigan. There hasn’t been a sensible, middle-of-the -road Democrat for years running for office. They all have to serve the radical side of the party (as if there is a difference in Democrats!).
As a parent who sent 2 children to Big Ten universities the idea that cutting higher ed spending and implementing a limit on tuition increases shows an inability to understand economics and responsible legislators don’t grandstand like Genetski and others did.
Imagine you are a contracted employee who is told your pay is being cut by 4% while your living costs are climbing at 5% and oh, by the way you can’t get other revenue that exceeds 4.5% so you are (4.5%) in the hole.
Next time you need an accountant, lawyer, engineer or medical professional are you going to look for the one who had the lowest education costs? Education has value to you even if you didn’t attend a 4 year school.
There are will be other candidates unless Mr. Genetski’s history of being a champion of pattern legislation is applealing and a candidate who is bailing on a 4 year commitment to be county clerk two years early is a good quality then Mr. Genetski might be the guy to get your vote.
Since the Big 10 is now the Big 14, don’t you think the Big 10 is a misnomer? Or can’t “professionals” count anymore? The MAC produces great graduates at much lower cost overall than the Big 14. And no, I’m not a graduate of a MAC college.
Your assertion that “professionals” only come from Big 14 universities is a farce. All colleges are like government, they suck up all the dollars they can, and most professors are overpaid and underworked. Most undergraduate classes are taught by assistants while professors are working on their pet projects. I doubt their pay has been affected one bit while a lower amount of state aid for education is budgeted.
It’s about time government and those getting support from government do with less like the rest of us. The country and state need to wake up and face the enormous debt they’ve piled on the backs of taxpayers.
Oh, and Mr. Couchman, I never employ professionals from Big 14 colleges for services. There was a doctor that received his undergraduate degree from MSU, but not his doctorate degree. Most are from colleges out of state and not Big 14 affiliated. I’m very satisfied without Big 14 professionals.
Genetski was a state rep for 6 year s and never penned any significant legislation. Now he wants to get his nose back in the public trough. He won’t get my primary vote.
Missing the point and/or attempting to flip the conversation.
The intent of bringing up the higher ed tuition limit legislation and where my children attended university (Still officially Big Ten unless you want to debate that too) was an example of what Bob Genetski did in his 3 terms as a state rep.
Maybe your idea of Free Market includes having state representatives and state senators get bills sent that are written by A.L.E.C. or another national group that distributes the same law propsal to legislators in multiple states. Then one or several of the legislators submit the proposal verbatim, without fully reading or understanding what is in the bill. Essentially its mass mailing, fill in the blank for a state’s name and attach your name to it.
Although we disagree on higher ed spending, the point is Bob Genetski, our legislator at the time, was very critical of what Michigan State and Wayne State did when their lawyers saw how the law Bob Genetski co-sponsored and voted for was written. Then admitted he wasn’t aware that the law he voted for as witten allowed their actions. Some may want to give Bob Genetski another job as a legislator with 4 year terms to vote on legislation he doesn’t understand and let him bail on the second half of his Allegan County Clerk commitment. There will be better choices.