Guest Opinion: Mike Who? for Congress

— from David Turnoy —

If you follow politics at all in San Juan County, you are probably aware that our current Congressman is Rick Larsen, a Democrat from Everett. Rick has served seven terms in Washington, DC, and is running for his eighth. Perhaps you attended Rick’s campaign kickoff meeting at the Oddfellows’ Hall a month ago. If you did, you saw a politician who is pretty solid on most safe Democratic issues but who is not interested in listening to the serious concerns of citizens of this county. Perhaps he takes us for granted, perhaps we are too few votes to matter, or perhaps we don’t contribute to his campaign as much as shipping, energy, and defense contractors do.

At his campaign event on Orcas, when confronted about the coal terminal, Rick defended himself by referring to the jobs it will create. In fact, after the temporary construction jobs end, there will be only a few hundred permanent jobs on the plus side. On the negative side is a huge risk that a massive ship will have an accident, fouling our waters and ruining our tourism industry, among other awful consequences. Rick looked at his decision as being based on jobs versus the environment, when what he needs to realize is that we should be long past the point of playing off these two interests against each other. At the meeting, one of our citizens pointed out that there are plenty of jobs which can be provided that deal with renewable energy and won’t cause the harm that fossil fuels cause either when burned or leaked.

Rick was also confronted about the Growlers, perhaps an issue many of you here on Orcas are not yet aware of, but which will be in your awareness soon. These Navy jets from Whidbey Island simulate taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier, often registering over 100 decibels. People on the southern parts of Lopez and San Juan Islands especially have had their quality of life altered by these ground and building-shaking jets, which often fly at night when people are trying to sleep. Rick was asked point-blank if he could come to the affected islands to experience what these jets are doing to people, and he was asked what he would do if it was his family being impacted, but he didn’t answer. He has actually been a big supporter of bringing these jets to the local Navy bases.

So we have a Congressman who will not listen to us or represent us. There is a Republican running in this race, and his main interests seem to be in replacing the federal income tax with a national sales tax [one of the most regressive taxes in existence] and Bitcoin [which I still can’t really figure out]. Both major political parties, especially at the national level, are owned and run by big campaign donors. So who will represent us?

Mike Lapointe is an independent from Everett. Along with two others, I sat down to talk with Mike on July 1 in order to get to know him and his positions. Mike has been a machinist and a union officer with the Electrical Workers Union, he has worked at a shelter for teens, he was involved with the Occupy Movement, and he is currently co-owner of a wonderful coffee shop in Everett called the Firewheel. He started the coffee shop as a community meeting place for organizations, it has musical performances and open-mic nights, and it can also be used for weddings and Sweet 16’s. Teenagers from the shelter Mike used to work at are brought there to receive work experience. One whole long wall is filled with books that people can either buy or check out. The coffee shop also serves as Mike’s campaign headquarters. Overall it is a very impressive set-up.

Mike ran a campaign for the same seat two years ago, but most of us have probably not heard of him before. He is really just a regular guy who wants someone to represent us regular folks, and he is willing to step up and be that person. He believes that the two major parties are pretty useless, at least at the national level, as they are bought and paid for by large campaign donors. As a result, he is running as an independent to represent the 99% of us who are not large campaign donors. He accepts no corporate contributions. If he happens to receive one, he will hold a ceremony where the check is publicly cut into small pieces. So his whole campaign will be financed by people like us. I was impressed enough that I made a small contribution before I left.

Here is what Mike would do on our two major local issues:

• Growlers: Mike would go to the Navy to stop the flights. Mike wants to represent what is best for the people, and he will not be tied to defense contractors as he will accept no corporate contributions, so he would do everything he could to end this.
• Coal terminal, oil trains: Mike is against these and would do everything he could to stop them.

Here are some of Mike’s positions on other important issues:

• Minimum wage: favors $15 minimum. He says that this actually isn’t enough, that it should really be $22 to be livable.
• Tax reform: needs to be more progressive, fewer corporate tax breaks, move subsidies from fossil fuels to green energy.
• Immigration: need amnesty and a pathway to citizenship.
• Death penalty: opposes.
• Foreign policy/defense: no more war, bring troops home, provide jobs for them, cut defense spending but increase VA spending.
• Campaign finance: overturn Citizens United and McCutcheon, also favors instant runoff voting.
• Women’s issues: women and minorities need opportunities to address inequality, women are entitled to medical treatment without government coming between a woman and her doctor.
• Free trade treaties: dump them. Workers in other countries should also have rights, not OK for US companies to go there and treat workers like slaves. Mike
• says that Larsen wants US corporations to go to China to employ Chinese workers to make things for China, Mike wants US corporations here.
• Guns: would get rid of assault rifles, require registration of other guns, but says we need to have a national conversation about gun violence and the reasons for
• it, like stress and lack of jobs. Mike says that gun violence is a symptom of what is wrong with our society.
• Social Security: don’t privatize.
• The Post Office: don’t privatize, get rid of prepaid benefits requirement which is just a ploy to bankrupt it so it can be privatized.

Mike is in this to be a representative of the people. If elected, he would want input from as many as possible, because he regards the seat as the people’s seat. He plans to operate on issues, and when he believes he is right on an issue, he will not compromise or make concessions.

Washington election law provides that we vote in an open primary August 5. If Mike can come in first or second in the primary, he then goes to the general election in November. Because the primary election is so soon, we are hoping to bring Mike up to the islands for at least two, possibly three, events so people can hear him and get to know him. I am excited about the prospect of a candidate not bought by corporate interests who will actually represent us on the issues we care about.

Please look for news of his appearances and/or visit his WEBSITE.