Up North Progressive

Bill Huizenga and Dean Vanderstelt disclosed campaign fund raising to the Federal Election Commission. Huizenga raised nearly a million dollars, while Vanderstelt raised twenty thousand. On the surface, the money may appear to favor Huizenga, but it’s important to pay attention from whom the candidates receive their money.

Bill Huizenga is running for a third term in Congress. His financials look impressive, until you dig deeper and discover most of his money comes from a few people and companies, and they’re related.
Individual members of the DeVos family gave Huizenga $5,000 each. This contributes to a large portion of his contributions, but it still only shows us part of the picture. The DeVos family also runs a company called Amway/Alticor, and Amway donated $21,600 to Huizenga’s campaign this year. There are other contributions from Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Haworth of Holland and members of the Haworth family giving Huizenga money. In fact, Huizenga enjoys a larger war chest thanks to these very rich people and their corporations donating money to his campaign. And we also can’t forget the PACs.

Dean Vanderstelt on the other hand has raised money through small individual contributions. The DeVos family is not giving Vanderstelt money. The Haworth family is not giving Vanderstelt money. The Koch Brothers are not giving Vanderstelt money, but they did give Bill Huizenga money. Dean Vanderstelt’s contributors are individuals living in the 2nd District and money from the Michigan Democratic Party. No PACs have contributed to Dean Vanderstelt either. Just individual people, who Congressmen are supposed to represent in Washington DC.

The DeVos family are responsible for Michigan becoming a freedom to freeload state. The DeVos empire is devoted to union busting in Michigan and it was their behind the scenes check writing in December of 2012 that pushed Michigan legislators to vote in favor of a law that the DeVos family benefits from. Patrick Colbeck bragged about the money flowing from the DeVos family into the chambers of the Michigan Capital. The DeVos family are also responsible financially and politically for Michigan being a leader in for-profit charter schools, using organizations such as GLEP to push for eliminating public education in Michigan.

So as you look at this information on who is giving these candidates money one thing is for certain; Bill Huizenga represents the DeVos family et al when he is in Washington. Dean Vanderstelt will represent the people of Michigan’s 2nd District. Do the people of the 2nd District want someone on Washington who only represents the DeVos family, or do we want someone who represents all of the people of the 2nd District? My choice is obvious, The 2nd District deserves someone who respresents the people, not the DeVos family’s large bank account. Your vote for Dean Vanderstelt will make sure all of the people in the Michigan’s 2nd District are represented in Washington.