Up North Progressive

The 102nd State District is made up of Mecosta, Wexford, and the western portion of Osceola Counties. The Democratic Party candidate for this district is Reed City resident Doug Gabert.

Gabert studied history and philosophy at Central Michigan University, earning a Master’s Degree in history. He worked as a counselor for the State Department of Mental Health and the Department of Social Services in Detroit. Gabert opened a bookstore in Reed City that fell to the big box stores and Internet booksellers. Doug Gabert has first-hand knowledge of working with people and being a business owner. He currently lives with his wife, Jodi, in Reed City.

Issues Doug Gabert wants to address include eliminating Right to Work and other labor-crippling plans such as the Republican Party’s Prevailing Wage Law. Laws like this weaken the economy for workers and enable the wealthy to lower wages while making workers pay for the corporate tax cuts they enjoy.

Education is vitally important to Michigan, and Doug Gabert knows the budget cuts the Republicans made and continue to make hurt our public schools. Gabert wants to change that, including the high cost of attending post-secondary education. Public education should be about raising future generations of American citizens, not a cash cow for corporate interests.

Doug Gabert has been falsely accused by his Republican opponent that he wants to take away guns from Americans. This is not true. Doug Gabert is a gun owner and supporter of the 2nd Amendment. He also supports common-sense reforms to our gun laws that would keep assault weapons out of the hands of people who want to do others harm, and put a stop to the cowardly practice of carrying assault weapons in public to intimidate others.

Women’s reproductive freedom belongs to women. The right to choose is necessary as long as Republicans continue to make raising a child today difficult. Supporting mothers and education that will teach people how to effectively stop unwanted pregnancies should be the focus of people who truly support life. Until then, Doug Gabert knows abortion must remain legal for all women.

Doug Gabert’s endorsements include the UAW, SEIU, Planned Parenthood of Michigan, and the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union. To learn more about Doug Gabert, you can visit his website, and his Facebook Page.

The November 8, 2016 general election is weeks away. The people of the 102nd district have a real choice who will make a difference in Lansing with Doug Gabert.