Hey Jack Bergman, where are you hiding today?

 I am writing as a voter and resident of Michigan’s 1st Congressional District to express serious disappointment with Representative Jack Bergman’s record and his lack of accountability to the people he is elected to serve.

Representative Bergman is absent when we need him most. Public service requires showing up, listening directly, and answering hard questions – not avoiding the people whose lives are affected by decisions made in Washington. He has not hosted a meet-and-greet or town hall in eight years.

I am troubled by reports about “pay-to-play” politics and possible staff misconduct. The ethics complaint filed highlights our Rep. Bergman regularly endorsed and campaigned for Republican candidates in Michigan who had hired his aides’ consulting firm, raising conflict-of-interest and pay-to play concerns. We can’t afford a representative who gives special access, influence, or constituent services based on political connections; we deserve full transparency, independent review, and direct answers from Representative Bergman’s office.

Representative Bergman’s votes and legislative priorities also raise alarms for seniors, working families, and veterans. He supported congressional budget resolutions that will cut funding to Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and other essential programs. These are not abstract numbers on a spreadsheet; these programs are lifelines for Iosco County.

As a district with many veterans and military families, we should also be especially wary of his efforts to shift veterans’ services away from the Veterans Administration and toward private companies; these companies may charge vets for their services. Our veterans earned their benefits through service and sacrifice. They should not have to navigate a privatized maze or pay extra to access what they are owed.

Representative Bergman owes his constituents more than press releases and talking points. He owes us accessible town halls, honest answers, clean government and votes that protect Medicare, Social Security and veterans’ care. We deserve representation that is present, transparent, and accountable to everyone – not just donors, insiders and private interests.

–Deirdre Honner
Au Sable Township

Original letter to the Iosco Newpaper

This is who we are now

 This is a true story. And it is a heartbreaking one.

In our community, there was a young man who would stop by our Dem office for a cup of coffee. We keep a Keurig there and encourage visitors to help themselves. He took us up on it.

The first time he came in, he was wearing a MAGA hat. After a while, we told him he was welcome to the coffee, but he needed to take the hat off while he was in the office. He did.

Over time, we got to know him. We heard pieces of his story. He worked part-time as a dishwasher. He relied on disability funding, food assistance, and subsidized housing. And he voted for Trump.

When we had the chance to talk with him, he tried to explain why. He felt pressure from his friends. His father supported Trump. He felt boxed in, like the choice had already been made for him.

And then the consequences stopped being abstract.

He lost his job. He lost his housing assistance. His SNAP benefits were gone. He was homeless, sleeping in the park. For some, this may look like the FO part of FAFO. But when the person living it is vulnerable, isolated, and already hanging by a thread, it feels less like a lesson and more like a failure.

Who are we, as a society, if we allow the people with the fewest resources to lose access to the most basic necessities? Who decides that food, shelter, work, and medical care are only for those who can afford them? And then tell ourselves and others they should have known better?

He came into the office to say goodbye. He was heading west with a cousin. Their plan was to stay in a shelter, look for work, and hope they could eventually find a place to live. That was the plan: leave the community where he had come in for coffee and go looking for survival somewhere else.

When we stop caring for those who struggle to care for themselves, who are we?

Land of the Free because of the Brave

At home, we have a coaster that reads, “Land of the Free because of the Brave.”

It is a lovely sentiment. I know it’s meant to stir gratitude for our servicemembers who have defended this country and helped our allies around the world.

But the question I have to ask is harder than the slogan: are we truly the Land of the Free?

My husband served 22 years in the US Navy and there is no doubt that this country is full of brave people. I have seen that bravery up close. We know people who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving. But bravery alone does not guarantee freedom. Freedom is not measured by how proudly we say the word; it is measured by whether we, the people can live it.

If our movements are be tracked by surveillance cameras, if women can be monitored for reproductive decisions, if our reproductive rights are eliminated, if our right to vote is made harder to exercise, and if our freedom of speech is treated as a threat rather than a right, then we need to be honest about what that means.

It means freedom is not being protected equally. It means some people are freer than others. And a country cannot honestly call itself free while basic rights are being stripped away from the people who need those rights most. My favorite meme is this: Men’s rights don’t change from state to state.

 

If we want to call ourselves the land of the free, then freedom has to be more than a slogan on a coaster, more than a phrase we repeat on holidays, and more than a tribute we offer to the brave.

Freedom must mean the right to vote without unnecessary barriers. It must mean the right to make decisions about our own bodies. It must mean the right to speak up without fear. It must mean the right to live without being constantly watched. The brave have defended this country. Now the rest of us must show up and be brave enough to defend the freedoms that make it worth protecting. 

Hey Michigan, today is our day to vote!

Today is our day to vote.

Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. If you are in line by 8:00 p.m., stay in line—you still have the right to vote.

Find your polling place, check your registration status, view a sample ballot, or track an absentee ballot at Michigan.gov/vote.

Questions about candidates or what is on your ballot? Review your sample ballot before you go so you can make informed choices.

Bring a photo ID if you have one. If you do not have photo ID, you can still vote by signing a brief affidavit at the polling place.

Need to register or update your address today? Visit your city or township clerk’s office with proof of residency. Your clerk can also answer questions about absentee ballots and local voting procedures. We have SAME DAY REGISTRATION to vote. 

Need assistance at the polls? Ask an election worker. Accessible voting equipment and help are available for voters who need them.

Please be kind to the poll workers. We are certified every two years and are here because we are committed to serving our communities—not for the money.

Questions about voting? Visit Michigan.gov/vote for official Michigan voter information.

GOTV!

 Well, it’s political season, which means many of us are getting calls and texts from candidates and campaign volunteers about the upcoming primary.

A couple of friendly reminders: if you receive a text and do not want more messages, simply opt out. 

If you receive a phone call, please remember that the person on the other end is likely a volunteer. We may be calling during dinner time or when you are trying to relax, but we are donating our time because we care deeply about getting out the vote.

The person calling could be Paul. It could be me. We are calling and texting to help GOTV in August.

If you answer, please be kind. Thank them for calling, thank them for their work, and let them know if you have already voted or plan to vote. And if you are not up for a conversation, no problem—just let it go to voicemail.

Show up and vote on August 4th!