Someone asked me recently why I'm a democrat, and that's a question I enjoy answering.
I'm proud to call myself a democrat because I believe in the party and what it stands for. The Democratic Party is the oldest political party in the world. It was founded in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Today when a politician puts that "D" behind their name, it means something. It means you're holding up the legacy of those founding fathers and others leaders who came since like Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy.
It means you believe in a government that works for everyone. It means you understand that it was millions of working people whose sweat and blood built this country and we all hold a stake in its future.
It means you stand up for people when they need it. Whether it's a sick child lacking health insurance, the student living in poverty who deserves a college education, or the working family struggling to make ends meet, being a democrat means understanding you don't leave people behind.
I'm a Democrat because I believe the Constitution is an amazing document and our constitutional rights should always remain inalienable.
I'm a Democrat because I'm a proud union member. And whenever working people in America have organized for dignity and respect in the workplace, it's been democrats that have stood with them.
I'm a Democrat because we understand how to balance budgets. At the Federal level, Democrats were responsible for the largest surplus in American history. At the state level, we understand that roads, schools and hospitals cost money, but also that these things are well worth the cost.
I'm a Democrat because we're the party that won two World Wars, ended segregation in America, contained Communism, founded the UN, got us out of the Great Depression and set up Social Security.
Finally I want to say that how a candidate campaigns is a good indication of how they will perform in office. That's why I urge you to watch my campaign over the coming months.
I believe in openness and accountability that's why I fully participate in the campaign finance reporting. You can find every dime I've received or spent listed on the Secretary of State website. I would suggest you look this up for all the candidates. If there's someone whose information isn't listed, you should ask why.
I believe in grassroots democracy. That's why you may have seen me knocking at your door collecting signatures. Some other candidates choose to skip this step by buying their way onto the ballot. That's of course, the quickest route, but I believe it's more important to include people in the process. That's why I'm going door to door with petitions, even in the middle of winter. Because I believe politicians have to be willing to talk to people.
The other thing I want to say is that the people of Muskegon will always be my top priority. I see other local candidates going to lansing to hold $100 per plate fundraisers for lobbyists. While they're doing that, I'm going to be back here listening to you. We may not have the champagne and caviar the Lansing lobbyists are used to, but what you will have is my undivided attention, and when do, hopefully, send me to Lansing as your representative, I'll go there without owing any favors to anybody in that town.
Those are my priorities. I am asking for your support. Thank you.
(Welcome back LG Cherry! - promoted by wizardkitten)
Pam and I started our day at Thornton's Restaurant in St. Joseph. A friendly, family restaurant, Thornton's breakfast menu features a signature item-Big Bob's Big Bomb. The Big Bomb is an outrageously huge omelet whose consumption will earn you a place on Thornton's Hall of Fame. I passed up the opportunity to leave a historical mark at Thornton's, but we had a great breakfast anyways.
After breakfast we headed to Muskegon. The name "Muskegon" comes from the Ottawa Indian term "Masquigon" which refers to a marshy river or swamp. The area was home to native Americans from the earliest of times. Wikipedia points out that when the Wisconsinian glaciations retreated "nomadic; Paleo-Indian hunters" moved into the area. Subsequently in time, Muskegon became inhabited by the Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes.
Muskegon Lake, our first stop, can be found at the mouth of the Muskegon River. During the lumbering era, the banks of Muskegon Lake, which served as a natural harbor on the Lake Michigan shoreline, became a site for a number of sawmills for logs floated down the Muskegon River. Later as the State industrialized, factories replaced the sawmills. The legacy of the area is a body of water contaminated by toxic sediments, industrial waste, and the filling of shallow water habitat and wetlands.
