HD105: And then there were three

by: Eric B.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 at 23:51:54 PM EDT

You know, the first impression I got from this photo of Dennis Lennox was that the glasses were Photoshopped onto his face.  The second impression I got was that maybe the frames were genuine but that maybe there were no lenses.  The third impression was that maybe he should shut his mouth, so as not to look so stupid.

But, that deer caught in the headlights is indeed our friend Dennis Lennox, formerly of Central Michigan University and now focused on winning the Republican nomination to represent Michigan's 105th District in the State Legislature, taking over for Kevin Elsenheimer, who'se chosen not to seek a third term so he can run for a seat on the appeals court.

The deer in the headlights routine might not be so accidental.  There are now three Republicans running for the 105th seat, a Charlevoix-area business owner named Tim Boyko and, today, the chairman of the Otsego County board of commissioners, Ken Glasser.  There is also one Democrat running.

Ken Glasser would like you to meet 1984:

“We need to stabilize the business environment by reducing excessive regulations and tax burdens so that small businesses can expand and provide jobs,” Glasser said. “Government needs to be trimmed back in these difficult times. It’s time to understand that government doesn’t have all the answers. Government should be more responsive to its citizen owners.”

Loud groans.  Haven't we been trying this for, like, the last decade and a half to no benefit?  Yes we have.

“I think we should see what we can do. If we can’t save the plant, we need to at least help these people with retraining for a new job and I think we have to be actively recruiting new businesses to come here,” she said. “You don’t sit at a desk and say you want someone to take a job, you recruit them. You put an ad in the paper, you make it known you need someone to come to you.”

Saltonstall also cited her work in trying to secure funding for Boyne City-Charlevoix Road.

“Kevin Elsenheimer two years ago said that maybe he could work on getting the Charlevoix-Boyne City Road to be an extension of M-75,” she said. “And now two years later he was helpful to arrange a meeting for MDOT to tell us that, no, that is not going to happen.”

She added, “We need people in the legislature who are willing to put aside partisan politics and create solutions, and that’s what I want to do.”

Saltonstall feels providing universal health care will also aid the economy by reducing the burden on business owners, and she also wants to work toward protecting Michigan’s land and water to maintain a healthy environment for residents and tourists.

“I think Kevin is a nice person. He’s smart, he’s a good attorney, but I think I can offer a greater involvement in our northern Michigan issues than we’ve seen,” she added.

By "the plant," she was referring to a Mancelona plant that is closing and the 300 jobs eliminated as a result.  But, Jesus, doesn't this sound like someone who belongs in the state Legislature?

Update! ... This, according to this article, is her platform:

• Platform: Universal health care; renewable energy; job creation; environmental protection

Oh my.