Five Reasons For Hoekstra

As Detroit’s band of minsters begin their campaign against Pete Hoekstra, let’s review why things should be called for what they are.  These are facts, not made-up xenophobia rants, racist rhetoric, or any other fantastic and farcical ideologies that only liberals harbor.  Here are five things that Pete Hoekstra doesn’t think about, because he’s too busy baiting the crowd.

1.  Debt.  Maybe Pete should just go ahead and make a specific debt ad against “my people”.  Specifically against Japanese owners of the US Debt, who are already in over their own heads, and carry a significant portion of our public debt.  You think China’s the problem?  Try looking over my shoulder at the country that controls 20% of our debt, and operates at a ratio of 197.5% debt-to-GDP.   If there’s anyone who doesn’t understand the business, it’s Pete.  China has been on a tear of purchases of our debt, because it’s the safest venue of investment around.  It’s not lucrative, but it’s safe (for now).

2.  Jobs.  Holland, Michigan’s 5 top employers all have some presence in China.  Furniture companies Herman Miller and Haworth operate facilities there, Johnson Controls is there, and Gentex has a nice building outside of Shanghai.  Even Perrigo has 2 suites in Shanghai.  When Pete says attacks on his ad are because we don’t understand business, he might want to check his own hometown first.

3.  Pete’s Stabenow Syndrome.  It’s no secret that the two parties fight purposely to retain their base.  Outside-the-box thinkers like Clark Durant figured this out already.  If there are people to blame for TARP, or China, or ARRA, it’s the people who have held office already, and have done little to stop spending in any manner to date.  Let’s be honest, not even 1st-generation TEA Congress made a dent, as spending continues at the same pace it was on before the 2008 election.

4.  Race.  I would’ve handled the ad better had there been some sense of specific Xenophobia. I’m not looking for racism.  I don’t want laws barring racism, because in a free and decent world, it is not necessary to codify it.  I’m fine with some sense of free speech, no matter how stupidly racist it is.  So long as I get to say something, it’s fair.  Ask Pete about censorship, as apparently it’s “okay” to remove negative Facebook comments?  Free speech isn’t filtered.  Keeping it civil, I can understand, but wholesale bleaching of a page is wrong.

5.  Taste. It’s the weakest form of criticism, but I think it’s valid for someone running a US Senate position.  There’s still a sense of duty in government, and the one way to destroy that nuance of a Senator is by race-baiting and simply tasteless advertising.  The last thing I thought Pete Hoekstra would do, he actually did.  And I’m more critical of my own background than others.  In fact, as one reader pointed out, there is a serious issue of backlash against mixed-race families living in Japan.  It is a serious issue that’s been washed over for generations, and it’s not a joke.  It’s a cultural stigma that runs deep.

Are we better than this?  Yes.

Pete’s lost my vote, just like Joe Knollenberg did when he let the idea of Xenophobia run through his office staff.  And if Hoekstra wins the primary, he won’t ever hear the end of it until he owns up to his ignorance.  Debt is owned by a lot of people.  China was buying more of it up because they had to shore up their growth. And in our own interest (even bad interest), we have to shore up our own debt in both Japan and China.  Remember the 80′s sentiment against Japanese in Michigan?

I do.

Mako out.