The Doctrine of Dick DeVos

by: Hector Solon

Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 15:18:23 PM EDT

The citizens and voters of Michigan owe it to themselves to become fully informed about the inner workings of Republican Dick DeVos as they make their choice and cast their votes in November.

Who is Dick DeVos and why does he want to be elected governor of Michigan?

The first and most obvious question:

Why does Dick with all those billions at his disposal--who lives the life of a jet setter with all the accoutrements (complete entrée to private jets, helicopters, ocean-going racing yachts, four palatial homes, a private Caribbean island, etc.) want to become governor of a state he portrays is in a crisis of historic proportions?

Secondly, the following questions:

What does the public know about DeVos’ history, his political involvement and his specific issues? Are there critical concerns about Dick’s agendas and his views on social and moral questions that should alarm or concern us as citizens?

More on the DeVos Doctrine below…

Many proposed changes in taxation, vouchers, reproductive rights, the right to organize and belong to a union, public education, insurance, investment in infrastructure, aggressive privatization of civil functions, pensions, Medicaid, and the environment would all be under the influence and power of a political buyout in devious Dick’s hostile takeover of Michigan.

DeVos’ campaign would have people believe that Dick DeVos holds no past position on a given issue. The fact is Dick and Betsy DeVos’ money, inside and outside the RNC, and active participation in a long list of radical right organizations and movements leaves a clear trail of evidence on what his ideals and beliefs are and how the DeVos doctrine has been formed over years and years of financing, campaigning, influence peddling and political favors for profit.

Listed below are some of the elements of DeVos doctrine and DeVos funding and political relationships which demand clarification and further disclosure:

• Aggressive privatization of public services
• Harvesting of public funds by private companies and business interests
• Elimination of the Single Business Tax (SBT) and other special favors to big business
• Anti-union pro right to work state without representation agenda
• Privatization of social security and healthcare
• Funding raids on state pensions and health care benefits
• Rejection of the historic principles of separation of church and state
• Christian Dominionist ideal that America should be officially a “Christian Nationâ€�
• Taxpayer funded vouchers for private religious education
• Evangelical centric prayer and curriculum in public schools
• Vigorous expansion of for-profit charter schools
• Opposition to equality and equal rights for women and minorities
• Opposition to reproductive rights
• Public display of the Ten Commandments
• Promotion, legitimization and expansion of off-shoring and outsourcing
• Continued transfer of US capital and intellectual property flight to communist China
• Elimination of tax obligations of business and individuals thru estate tax and tax havens
• Insurance coverage and financial services revisions
• Environmental degradation by legislation and by executive order
• Opposition to stem cell research and other biomedical related advances
• Vigorous pursuit and political leveraging of anti-gay provisions
• Covenant marriage (faith based restrictions) via state marriage licenses
• Radical reductions in Medicaid--ala the proposed Blunt Model in Missouri
• Degradation of support systems for state welfare and aid to the poor and disadvantaged (ala Marvin Olsaky and the Acton Institute)
• Establishment of “faith-basedâ€� control of public funding for welfare and other social programs

Dick and his highly paid or pro bono professional advisors with their nefarious tactics would rather that inquisitive citizens not delve in to these dark side ideologies and agendas. If the DeVos team can focus all the attention on the narrow topic such as the economy and jobs they are more than happy.

Do not be fooled, this list of far right sectarian objectives is being pushed and polished by the Foundation for Traditional Values (FTV), a DeVos family funded and promoted religious political cartel that organizes and utilizes conservative Fundamentalists, Pentecostals, conservative Catholics, church pew political campaigning, and an assortment of other divisive tactics to pursue political objectives.

The objectives of the FTV are those of Christian Dominionists, members of the Council on National Policy, Free Congress Foundation, Family Research Council, Third Century, Christian Freedom Foundation, Federalist Society and other ardent activist groups and individuals who actually believe it’s their mission to dominate US policy and politics for the purpose of being solely in charge of the government religiously for those who claim to seek a pure “Christian Nation� under such tag lines as “Restoring the American Dream� and “Our Godly Heritage�.

Without a ranging debate and discussion on the DeVos Doctrine the public will be denied a proper understanding of the ramifications and dangers of DeVos’ long term and sub Rosa efforts to put Michigan politics into his religious cohort’s framework using his slick soap selling style.

Many Michiganders will doubtless see little out of place in the recitation of DeVos doctrine. Only the thousands of angry former Amway/Alticor distributors and Republican and conservative insiders have had any real contact with Dick, who remains silient on issues that matter.

Some lobbies, not interested or willing to turn a blind eye for their own profit to a the radical social agenda of DeVos, organizations such as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and other government and tax-haters, will welcome his limited public face and sparse set of position statements that fit hand-in-glove with their goals and desires.

While business expects, based on DeVos promises and insinuations which he will never "put in writing", to harvest big profit and benefits and the politicized religious hold faith they will find salvation from a DeVos administration, the rights and the freedoms of everyone else will be subject to increasing elements of doctrine of a nascent theocracy under Dick DeVos.