There’s a push on right now across several states, including Michigan, to limit the impact of big money in politics. It’s high time! Corporations, PACs, and even out of state donors have no business trying to buy off Michigan politicians.

Anytime a campaign accepts high dollar donations, the assumption is that there may well be a quid pro quo involved, where the accepting politician will send favors back to the donor in return. We see it action in obvious ways in the present administration in Washington, but it’s been around for a long, long time. I’ve heard it suggested that our Senators and Representatives should be required to wear suits with the logos of the organizations that supported their campaigns and ply them with lobbying perks so we can tell who is working for whom. It’s got to stop!

We will never get representation for the common people and the common good as long as politicians have to rely on these huge donations (or have huge expensive campaigns against them by the opposition).

But there is another ugly problem in politics, and it is rearing its head as we speak. There are some in the system (politicians, leaders, and media) who spend an inordinate amount of time slinging personal insults and calling names instead of campaigning on what they stand for and what they hope to accomplish.

Frankly, as a voter, I do not care what out of context quote you can dig up to smear a candidate. I do not care what connections his or her

parents or spouse may have had in the past. I do not care what ugly names you try to hang on the person. My vote is based on platform and evidence of reliability, the more recent, the better. My vote is based on my perception of the candidate’s integrity right now.

So let’s make a commitment to get back to real debates, real policies and plans put forward to solve real problems, and real integrity. Let’s leave heritage, 20-year-old out-of-context quotes, and racial slurs out of it entirely. Let’s vote for intelligence, humanity, and common good instead of constantly needing to choose the lesser evil from among candidates.

Support your candidate with your votes, your (individual) donations, and your enthusiasm. Learn about their platform and what they stand for. When we demand these things from our candidates, we will get what we ask for.

Your Cass County Neighbor,

Sandy Fleming

Opinion Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Cass County Democratic Party, its members, officers, or affiliates.