Had a very contentious primary here in my township of Oshtemo in western Michigan. The big issue was construction and mandatory hook up to a new sewer system. Once residents learned it would cost them in the range of $12,000 to $25,000 plus they were up in arms. 890 homes were affected by Phase 1 & 2. So forces came up with a team to run in the primary.
Here is Michigan, as in much of the country, municipalities and districts are so polarized that elections are now decided in the primary, something Pat Voter can’t grasp. Places are democrat or republican and never the twain shall meet. There is no competition between parties, just within the party.
So we have a team of democrats, Change Team, running against the incumbent Team (with 2 newbies). Change Team were unknowns, first timers, babes in the political arena. No money, no fundraising and corona virus putting everyone in lock down. Meanwhile incumbents were financed by a PAC! Who at a township level uses a PAC? That’s a tale to unweave on a different post.
So we have the Change Team of 7, only one of whom spent more than $1,000. And the incumbents using the PAC spent over $7,000! Guess who won? Yes, money will buy an election because the voter base is too dumb to look beyond the direct mails and local party endorsements.
Yes, that’s another facet. The Kalamazoo County Democratic Party endorsed the incumbent team. I didn’t think that would matter in this community of generally better educated folk. Well apparently it does as even the 2 unqualified no name newbies got elected! Go figure! Interesting is the tight relationships between the incumbents and the county Dem party: Township Clerk Farmer’s brother is the party treasurer, Township Treasurer Taylor’s brother is former party Chair, another county party member is treasurer for several incumbent campaign committees. Incestuous. A cabella!
Can even look to a county level election to prove money buys elections. There we had the County Deputy Clerk, Joshi, running against a person who never previously held office, Place, who also happens to be sister-in-law of our Township Treasurer, wife to that former party Chair mentioned above. Are you following this? (Really need a diagram with all the crossing lines, sort of like a family tree where cousins are marrying other cousins.) Joshi has $8,000 campaign fund; Place had $27,000. Need you ask who won?
So how do you break the hold of a party that has gone off track with a handful of career politicians. How do you begin to get new blood in office when voters fall for party endorsements, plenty of direct mail, and incumbents who win some 85% of the time. It is disheartening.
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