Fear and hope in Ottawa County

Marxist-turned-conservative author David Horowitz once wrote: “The weapons of political war are symbols invoking fear and hope.”

Ottawa Impact knows this and practices it well in Ottawa County. We have seen two years’ worth of fear from OI and their diehard supporters. Their lies and falsehoods mask an undemocratic desire for power at their opponents’ expense, not for the common good of all in their community.

Indeed, some in the OI quarter attempted to spin the “common good” as a “socialist ideal.” Little could be further from the truth.

Do you know what the “common good” really means? It means a Republic.

The root of “Republic” is “res publica” — the public things, or the common things. It is the same as the term “commonwealth” (what some of our states are officially still called), which comes from the “common weal” or “common good” of the society.

Our Founding Fathers were common good Republicans who hoped we’d keep the republic they gave us.

Ottawa Impact wants you to be afraid of your own good.

Among other surprises in this race for county commissioner, I’ve been baffled by the ignorance those attacking the “common good” as a concept have shown.

A Republic — a society of the common good — seeks the advancement of all regardless of their political disposition. The left, the right, and everyone in between.

My opponent has said “it is [his] honor to stand between the left and the people of Ottawa County.”

I say he imposes himself between the people of Ottawa County ... and the people of Ottawa County.

Let’s tell him to sit back down on Aug. 6.

Mark Northrup

Boersma best choice for clerk in Spring Lake Township

There are two candidates for clerk in Spring Lake Township: Carolyn Boersma and Martha Adamczyk. Let us compare the two.

The July 10 Grand Haven Tribune reports that Adamczyk is a 77-year-old local realtor who completed two years of community college in 1969. She worked various clerical positions at a Chicago firm for several years then took a community college real estate class in 1976. She was a licensed realtor in the state of Illinois until 1992.

From 1992 to 2014, she owned and operated the Rosebud Restaurant in Grand Haven, redeveloped several properties, and became a realtor in Ottawa and Muskegon counties in 2001. She is still a realtor. When asked what her qualifications are to become the township clerk, she replied: “I was personally involved in all aspects of my business and my experience stands on its own merits.”

But does it?

The July 14 Tribune reports that Boersma (no age reported) holds advanced certification from the Michigan Municipal Clerks Association and has been township clerk for 20 years. She is past president of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks and the Ottawa County Clerks Association. She received the Michigan Township Clerk of the Year Award in 2011.

The township clerk is in charge of keeping elections secure. Who do you want in that position: a longtime realtor and retired restauranteur with absolutely no special training or experience or a highly trained municipal clerk with 20 years of experience?

I know how I will vote.

Putting someone with no relevant training or experience in charge of election security is a bad idea. The stakes are too high; the learning curve is too big. My vote will be for experience, Carolyn Boersma. She is by far the better choice.

Ken Willison

Spring Lake

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