Trebesh announces candidacy
More support for Shannon Schlegel
I am writing this today to announce my candidacy for State Representative of Michigan’s 93rd District as an Independent Conservative. The 93rd District consists of Clinton County and most of Gratiot County. I have successfully attained and submitted nearly 1,000 constituent’s signatures and will appear on the November ballot as an independent candidate.
There are several reasons as to why I have chosen to run independently.
I am running as an independent candidate rather than a party candidate because it is long past time for ‘We The People’ to take back our government from the establishment politicians of both major parties who have taken it from the people with the use of deplorably deceitful tactics. It is long past time to end the systematic shredding of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Nearly all of the problems we face as a locality, as a State, and even as a Nation could be easily corrected by simply following the Constitution.
I am running as an independent candidate because a vote for the primary nominee of either of the major parties – Democrat or Republican – has become worse than a “wasted vote”; it is now a vote that tells the politicians that the people of Michigan approve of their bitterly partisan “business as usual” approach. And “business as usual” in Lansing consists of a government that is ruthlessly manipulated by deep-pocketed campaign contributors and lobbyists who control the Party leaders who, in turn control their party’s member “representatives.”
The way our dysfunctional government works now, the people of Michigan are given a smile and cheap lip service by their representatives, who then go back to Lansing and await instructions from their Party leaders on how they are expected to vote.
I am running as an independent candidate because the people of our District and the state of Michigan are sick and tired of election years that begin with mock primaries where the establishment hand selects candidates that it considers “team members” (which in Lansing means following the party establishments orders, rather than that of the constituency), then using every underhanded tactic in the book to throw other primary candidates “under the bus”
These despicable tactics include, but are not limited to:
1) authorizing robo-calls that slander the ethnicity of a candidate’s family members
2) using “whisper campaigns” to plant false rumors about a candidate that will spread like a virus throughout the district and destroy the candidate’s reputation
3) authorizing their friends in political action committees (PACs) they illegitimately control to send out false and slanderous literature about the candidate less than a week before a close primary, making it impossible for the candidate to defend himself before the election takes place.
I cite these three specific examples because I have, myself, been the target of all three of these dirty tricks in past campaigns at the hands of the Party Establishment. The one that targeted my family is without a doubt the most reprehensible of the three.
I am running as an independent candidate because I am convinced that the people are now angry enough with establishment politics to turn to independent citizen representatives for real reform in our state government. In the past, all that one of the major parties had to do to frighten voters was to tell them that a vote for someone other than a member of one of the major parties would be a “wasted vote”. Like all of the other snake-oil salesman slogans of the past, this one is poised to go into the dustbin of history’s infamy, because the people of Michigan are awakening to the reality that they’ve been had. They’ve been had over and over again. Over this past Christmas holiday season dozens of business owners — farmers, parents and grandparents, county and township officials, Democrats and Republicans — came to me personally and encouraged me to run as an independent candidate.
Their testimonials of disgust prove to me they are tired of wasting their votes on establishment candidates who aspire to be career politicians and do as they are told by political bosses or lobbyists. For example, one grandmother said to me:
“I have voted Republican all my life, now I want real options. There is not a nickel’s worth of difference between the Republicans and Democrats.”
A prominent local business owner commented:
” I want to support someone who believes in a limited constitutional government and understands business – someone who has signed both sides of a check and works 12 to 14 hours a day like I have to do.”
I am a CPA (certified public accountant) with a family farm and a successful accounting business. I also have years of governmental, construction, and teaching experience.
These valuable experiences will give me the uniquely well-rounded ability to relate to all citizens of Clinton and Gratiot Counties and understand the challenges that we will be facing in the immediate future. Compare that to the only major qualification needed by the establishment candidates running for office these days: Move to the area that the establishment instructs you to and seek the endorsement and assistance “by whatever means necessary” from the Party they pledge their complete allegiance to. It’s time to end the era of “rubber stamp politics.”
It’s time for politicians to stop pitting the people of Michigan against each other along make-believe party lines, fanning the flames of discontent and distrust that only divides us, rather than bring us together to make Michigan a better place for everyone:
I am 100% pro-life. I believe that on this topic, a priority of our elected representatives, regardless of party, should be to streamline the adoption process and reach out to disadvantaged women with an unplanned pregnancy to provide counseling, guidance, and prenatal assistance. We should be assisting the families of pregnant teens with counseling and prenatal care that aids their family’s specific situation. Those on both the right and the left should be able to come together to make these types of alternatives easily accessible – but due to partisan gridlock, nothing ever progresses.
I am 100% pro-Second Amendment, and I believe that the criminal justice system should be given the ability to swiftly and meaningfully punish those who abuse their right to bear arms when they commit an armed crime, and restrict gun ownership by those who have committed violent offenses. Our dedicated law enforcement officers should not have their hands tied behind their backs by lenient criminal penalties that do not punish offenses surely and severely enough the first time. We do not need more laws on the books to combat gun-violence. We simply need to reform and enforce the laws that already exist.
I am 100% in favor of a part-time state legislature. As you could guess – our current representative is not. One only needs to consider all of the Michigan Legislature “Resolution” commemorations, recognizing individuals and events, to know that our current legislative process is full of wasted time and misplaced priorities.
Sure, many of us know someone who has had the honor of receiving one of these resolutions, but these are bestowed at a hefty cost to the tax-payers in time and money that could be much better used to repair roads and bridges and to support our schools. The state of Texas convenes every two years for 60 days and manages to do all of its business in that time frame. I pledge to continue to work tirelessly to promote a part-time Michigan legislature.
I am absolutely confident that we can and will win. I was without a doubt in position to win the last primary contest for state representative, but if not for the final week’s slanderous and false mailing by the “attack dogs” of the Establishment-aligned political action committee I mentioned above, I would be your representative today.
Do not be fooled by racist and untrue robo-calls, or the slanderous and false mailings and rumor-mongering that the major Party leaders will launch if they think the election will be close. It is up to you, the people of the 93rd District, to ignore the establishment’s reprehensible and underhanded tactics, and be a light for the entire state of Michigan by standing up and saying, “Enough is enough! We want our state government back! We are fed up with the “follow the leader” mentality that his seemingly infected our legislature.” It’s time to break free from the stranglehold of the two-party system.
“It’s time for independence! It is time for Mike Trebesh!”
Thank you for taking time to read; and regardless of who you think should be your representative, please vote this November!
Michael Trebesh, CPA
Support Shannon Schlegel for 65A District Court Judge
Have you ever found yourself in the voting booth staring at the names of the candidates and wondered, “Who are these people?” One candidate in particular, Shannon Schlegel, is someone I know very well. Shannon is compassionate without being weak, honest and never deceitful. She is someone you can put your trust in and feel self-assured that the job will be done right.
A while after winning an election, some candidates place themselves on a pedestal and let their egos run the job. You won’t find that in Shannon. Shannon Schlegel is the type of person who would be humbled by the people of Clinton County for voting her into office. She would take the position, the responsibility of the job as serious as her family.
So when you look at Shannon Schlegel’s name on the ballot, you can vote for her with confidence that she is the best person for 65A District Court Judge.
Sincerely,
Lisa Mulder
Dewitt MI
*****
Shannon Schlegel is the choice for our next 65A District Judge. She has diverse legal experience; an attribute that sets her apart as the right choice.
Shannon is very committed to our community and has a long standing history of this commitment. She is the Chair of the Clinton County Planning Commission, President of the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce and President Elect of the St. Johns Kiwanis. She is actively involved in several other civic groups and organizations; most importantly her church.
I have known Shannon for several years. She is one of the most humble and honest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I have no doubt that she will serve the citizens of Clinton County with the integrity and fairness they deserve. She has the experience and temperament that your next District Judge needs; that our community deserves.
Remember to cast your vote for Shannon Schlegel in the upcoming election for 65A District Court Judge in Clinton County.
Ben and Sara Cousineau
DeWitt, MI