Newsletter
AGOP HOSTS CANDIDATE EVENT
APRIL 2 NOON - 4:30
AT THE GRISWOLD AUDITORIUM IN ALLEGAN
On April 2, AGOP will be hosting a debate for candidates for the upcoming Republican primary which is held as part of the MIGOP Convention April 23. Offices nominated through this process include the Attorney General, Secretary of State, Michigan State Board of Education, members of the university boards including MSU, UM and Wayne State, and candidates for State Supreme Court. The candidates nominated by the party go on to run in the November 8 election.
We will not be having all these folks, but watch for further updates to see who will be debating.
You may know, only the convention delegates we select to go to convention get to vote for these candidates. But all AGOP precinct delegates get to vote for who goes to convention from Allegan. By attending this debate, YOU, delegate or not, have a chance to hear the candidates for yourself. Then YOU can advocate for your favorite person!
Candidates for other offices are welcome as well and will be given an opportunity to speak if time allows. Either way, this is a great opportunity for you to get involved and make a difference.
RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY AGOP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Issues & Resolutions Committee has been very busy! Since we started last spring, the AGOP EC has passed 15 of the resolutions proposed by the committee. These resolutions are important statements about policy and governance put forth by our EC for AGOP at large. Please check them out by clicking on the link below. Comment & share. And let us know if you have resolutions you would like to propose for consideration.
Contact Steve Young at youngworks73@gmail.com
or Melanie Kurdys at melaniekurdys@gmail.com
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
FEATURING REBEKAH MIKLUSICAK
It’s easy to feel helpless in today’s political climate. It often seems that those with money, connections, and established power are pulling all the strings. Where has the government “of, by, and for the people” gone?
We all know we can call our representatives and let them know our concerns (and most of us should do that more often!), but what else can we do to really make a difference in our nation and in our communities?
It’s not always easy to know the next practical step, but I know for myself, attending in-person events is key! I always come away reminded that I do indeed have agency to make a difference, and often I come away knowing the next concrete step to take and feeling equipped to take it.
I’ll use last October’s executive meeting as an example. At that meeting redistricting was a big topic. There were maps to look at and people to share their knowledge on a topic I knew very little about. I came away understanding why it mattered and what I could do about it. So a few days later I headed to downtown Grand Rapids and spent the day at a redistricting committee meeting where I shared my public statement and learned even more about the topic.
And I didn’t feel helpless anymore.
Recently, I was talking about politics with an elderly gentleman. This gentleman has spent his life fighting corruption and injustice at great personal cost. Though he’s now in his eighties and battled dementia, he still loves this country and holds the Constitution dear.
“Don’t ever think you can’t make a difference.” he says. “That’s the biggest mistake you can make. We’ll lose it all if everyday people don’t get involved.”
I think he’s right. And I know there are lots of everyday people who care, and often who are worried and anxious about the future of our country, but they don’t know what to do next. If that’s you I encourage you to start coming to meetings and events. There are county and district meetings, campaign kick-offs, township and school board meetings. If you’re feeling helpless or feeling anxious, turn it into action. We need people who care to be active or we will indeed lose it all.