Letter to the Editor - Birmingham and W. Bloomfield Eccentrics

The letter below appeared in the 12/21/08 edition of the Birmingham and W. Bloomfield Eccentrics.

Speak up on injustice

As President Bush and Vice President Cheney give their exit interviews, we are being treated to what we haven't had for eight long years - some honesty.

America has suffered through eight years of the highest level of incompetence I can remember at the actual job of governing this country. We have also suffered at the hands of criminals and the ringleaders, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, who may have pulled off the crime of the century, and not only does it look like they will get away with it, it looks like they're not even going to be charged or prosecuted.

In an interview with ABC News on national television, Cheney confessed that he authorized the use of torture. Imagine an average citizen confessing to murder on national television and not being charged. The Bush administration's "Department of Justice" provided the legal cover to push forward with torture at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. Torture is a war crime, plain and simple, that the United States has prosecuted in the past and must prosecute against our own leaders now, in order to even begin to restore some semblance of moral authority in the world.

We, the citizens of the United States of America, must hold our leaders accountable. Democracy is dependent upon citizens speaking out on issues of importance, and even though we are in the middle of an economic crisis of gargantuan proportions, the lawlessness of the Bush administration simply cannot go unpunished.

A few months ago, President-elect Obama's nominee for attorney general, Eric Holder was even more explicit. "Our government authorized the use of torture, approved of secret electronic surveillance against American citizens, secretly detained American citizens without due process of law, denied the writ of habeas corpus to hundreds of accused enemy combatants and authorized the use of procedures that violate both international law and the United States Constitution," he said. "We owe the American people a reckoning."

In order to start with a clean slate and restore our Constitution and our moral authority in the world, we must encourage our new leader to listen to the people and numerous criminal experts, that these crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished. We must speak up with a unified voice and say with clarity, we demand that these crimes be punished.

President Obama is listening, but if we the people remain silent we will all pay a price.

Bruce Fealk

Rochester Hills

The Oakland Press covered our protest against the appointment of Conservative Republican, Glenn Clark, to serve out the unexpired term of Democrat George Suarez, who passed away recently.

Troy Eccentric Echoes My Sentiments

As I wrote last week, the appointment of Glenn Clark to the Oakland County Board of Commissioners could have a backlash effect on Republicans in November. This kind of power politics doesn't sit well with voters. This article is from the Troy Eccentric.

GOP power play could result in a backlash

August 28, 2008

Democrats are crying foul over last week's appointment of 9th Congressional District GOP Chairman Glenn Clark to fill the unexpired term of George Suarez on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.

Suarez, a Madison Heights Democrat, died Aug. 12 after battling cancer. Clark, his replacement, is considered an ultra-conservative Republican.

The appointment of Clark is a perfect example of power politics at work, and it should not have come as any surprise to the Democrats on the board.

Before Suarez's death, the Republicans held a slim, 13-12 margin on the board. They've been looking at the November election, hoping to increase that lead.

Even with Suarez's seat open - he did not run for re-election, and the race drew hopefuls from both parties - Republicans face a battle in his 24th District. A deeply entrenched Democrat in Madison Heights politics, Gary McGillivray, is running against lesser-known Republican Dan Milz.

The move is a clear-cut attempt to elect Milz, according to the board's Democratic caucus chair, David Coulter of Ferndale, who represents the 25th District. Coulter believes Republicans hope that, by having one of their own in the seat, voters may be more inclined to vote Republican in November.

That seems like a stretch. While Troy has voted Republican, some view the city as having a more "purple" tinge, meaning a growing number are voting Democratic. But southeastern Troy is only a small part of the district, the bulk of which is in heavily Democratic Madison Heights, with a smaller portion in Royal Oak.

What seems more significant is that, with the appointment, the Republicans now have a 14-11 majority on the board. Clearly any disputes or controversial legislation on the board will have a one-sided resolution, namely one favored by the Republicans.

What does that translate into in real terms?

Nominating Clark unexpectedly on Aug. 21 was an equally conservative Republican, Bob Gosselin. Both are Troy residents and both wield considerable political influence in Oakland County.

They likely will join forces in any spending and so-called family values issues brought before the board.

But there are other concerns as well. According to Coulter, the appointment was not on the agenda, and no candidates for the position were interviewed.

While it may not have been a violation of the state's Open Meetings Act, it's no way to engender the cooperation needed to move the region forward.

Keeping the seat vacant until it expires on Dec. 31 would have been a mistake, but so was the process used to fill it. Republicans could see a backlash because of it.

Republicans Replace Democrat Suarez with Far Right Winger and McCain Vice Chair, Glenn Clark

In an outrageous move, the Republicans on the Oakland County Commission replaced Democrat, George Suarez, who recently passed away, with far right wingnut, Glenn Clark, from the Tom McMillin wing of the Oakland County Republican Party. The Democrats were honoring Suarez with a black drape over his chair and the Republicans use the opportunity to make the shameful move of appointing Clark to the commission to replace Suarez until January, when the person elected to the seat formerly by Suarez will take over.

Democrats, let's use this outrageous move the the Republicans as motivation to make sure we do even more than we would have before, knock 100 more doors on behalf of a Democrat, make 100 more phone calls. If you haven't volunteered, do it now. Not one Republican deserves to be in office on the county commission. Not ONE!

If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.

Dem chair: GOP commission appointment 'outrageous'

By Steve Kowalski • ECCENTRIC STAFF WRITER • August 24, 2008

The appointment of a Republican to the Oakland County Board of Commissioners to replace Democrat George W. Suarez, the District 24 representative who died of cancer Aug. 12, has quickly drawn fire.

"I think it was outrageous what they did; it was a stealth appointment, not on the agenda, nobody was interviewed," said David Coulter, Democratic caucus chair.

Troy Republican Glenn Clark, the 9th Congressional District GOP chairman and a party delegate, was appointed at Thursday's commission meeting with a vote that followed party lines. Republicans had held a slim, 13-12 majority on the board before Suarez' death. With the appointment of Clark, the GOP majority now becomes 14-11.

Coulter, a Ferndale resident who represents District 25, said the appointment was not on the agenda. Robert Gosselin, another Troy Republican from District 13, nominated Clark during the "new business" portion of the meeting, Coulter said.

"George reflected the views and values of that district - working class, Democratic values. Glenn Clark is the opposite, very conservative, a Republican operative," said Coulter, who also represents Hazel Park and the southern end of Royal Oak.

"The most appropriate thing would have been to pick a Democrat nominee in a Democrat seat or to leave it vacant and let voters decide (about) 80 days from now (in the Nov. 4 general election)."

County commission vacancies may be filled by appointment within 30 days of the elected official's death or by special election, according to Judy Cunningham, corporate counsel for Oakland County. A special election was ruled out because elections may only be held in February, May, August and November, according to the state consolidated elections law, passed in 2005.

Coulter said nominees are supposed to be interviewed by the government committee. Gosselin said the interview process is optional.

"(The Democrats') tactic was to stall us, stall us, not have the people of the 24th District represented," Gosselin said. "We're elected to do our job. We have to remove the emotion out of it, basically do what we're elected to do. We have an agenda, they have an agenda and they conflict sometimes."

Coulter said the appointment of Clark, who will serve until Dec. 31, when Suarez's two-year term was due to expire, will increase Democrats' support for Gary McGillivray, the party's nominee in the November general election.

"We'll make sure we work hard to let voters of the district know what happened and know who shares your values and I believe that's Gary McGillivray," Coulter said.

Suarez's seat was unoccupied except for flowers and a photograph of him in his honor in the commissioners' first meeting since his death, Coulter said.

"We spent the first part of the meeting reminiscing George and remembering his legacy," Coulter said. "And at this meeting (the Republicans) choose to disrespect that legacy, replacing him with someone who doesn't share George's or the district's views."

McGillivray could not be reached for comment.

The Republican nominee, Daniel K. Milz of Madison Heights, said he wasn't offended another Republican was appointed instead of him. He said he didn't actively pursue an appointment.

"I think right now we just needed someone to fill the seat," Milz said. "Glenn's a good guy and will do a real good job until we have a candidate.

"I am the underdog, I guess you can see, and will work hard, hoping to get to people every day."

ROAD NAMED FOR SUAREZ

Another resolution by Gosselin passed unanimously that names John R Road, between 10 Mile Road in Madison Heights and Big Beaver Road in Troy, as the George W. Suarez Gentleman's Highway until Dec. 31.

The commissioners will pay for the cost of the signs made by the Road Commissioners of Oakland County, according to Gosselin.

"George was an exceptional man and he worked with Republicans and Democrats," Gosselin said.

skowalsk@hometownlife.com | (248) 901-2571

Oakland County Commissioners Replace Democrat George Suarez with McCain co-chair, Glenn Clark

I'm not even sure this is legal, since Glenn Clark doesn't reside in Suarez' district, but today at the Oakland County Commissioners, the Republicans took the step of appointing John McCain's campaign state vice chair, to the seat that was formerly held by George Suarez, a Democrat. Clark is on the far right wing of the Republican party in Michigan. I have to ask myself by what authority the Republicans have taken this step.