Why You Should Fear Dick DeVos

[Dr Ron]

From Liberal Values
See original post for links and further information

http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=35

DeVos Goons Try To Silence Web Site

Dick DeVos, who is trying to use the Amicare/Alticore fortune to buy the Michigan Governor’s office (as a stepping stone to the White House) doesn’t seem to like bad publicity. In July the Grand Rapids Press ran a story entitled Alticor leaders cheated investors, suit says, with the suit naming Dick DeVos. Quixtar Blog and Michigan Liberal are reporting on a letter received from Scott Larsen who runs the AmQuix.info website. The letter was from attorneys representing Alticor denying the validity of the suit, accusing Larsen of bias, and request that he “Please take immediate action to correct your website’s misleading impression of the Wardrop lawsuit.”

I am not in a position to judge the merits of the case. Perhaps DeVos is innocent of this. It is even possible that Scott Larsen is biased. What a shocking discovery this would be: there are biased web sites out there which take sides in a political race. Who would have thought this could happen? It is even conceivable that such biased web sites would link to articles with negative information about a candidate from local newspapers. Who would have guessed that this could take place out on the internets?

Enough sarcasm? After the DeVos attorneys, who apparently are unaware of the First Amendment, harass little web sites, will they next go on to try to prevent editorial writers from writing biased editorials opposing DeVos or supporting Jennifer Granholm? As Quixtar wrote:

"The First Amendment allows us to be biased. People may not like that but it’s our right to be as biased and unfair in our coverage of public figures and corporate entities as we desire. As long as that coverage is true (and sometimes when it isn’t) our speech is protected. There’s absolutely nothing obligating us to be fair and balanced and communicate all sides of any given issue.

"It’s that very freedom that allows companies like Alticor and Quixtar to publish reams and reams of rosy reports and testimonials without sharing less rosy reports and complaints. No law requires Alticor, Quixtar or Dick DeVos to publish criticism or unfavorable reports in publications they control. It’s their right to be biased. That’s the American Way!"

Such disregard for civil liberties is just one reason to be very afraid of Dick DeVos succeeding in his political ambitions. I’ve previously reported on the far right wing organizations he supports with an agenda to increase the role of religion in public life and government.

Don’t think you’re safe from Dick DeVos if you don’t live in Michigan. John Kerry has warned, while campaigning for Jennifer Granholm, that Dick DeVos has already purchased the DeVosforPresident.com web address (copy of email below). I verified this at whois:

Domain Name………. devosforpresident.com
Creation Date…….. 2004-12-18
Registration Date…. 2004-12-18
Expiry Date………. 2007-12-18
Organisation Name…. Richard Devos Iii

Note the date. Well before winning the nomination for Governor, DeVos was looking ahead to other offices. Besides purchasing this domain, he has also purchased several others, including for Senate as well as President.

[longship]

1. The man is stark, raving mad.

Christian wacko. Wealth from illegal AmWay pyramid scheme. Delusional on so damned many issues. I can't think of a worse person to put into a position of power.

[MichiganVote]

2. DeVos wants the WH. Michigan is for business,

the WH is for power. He will buy either office and doesn't care who he shoves over to do it. The SCAMway business practices at work. Karl Rove and DeVos= birdie's of a feather.

Think LIEberman is bad...ain't seen nothing yet...

[MichiganVote]

3. BTW---Its no secret that DeVos wants to host the GOP convention

in 2008 in Grand Rapids. Pay attention people.

[Lefty48197]

4. He is one scary SOB

His family got ultra wealthy from running the (Sc)Amway pyramid scheme, where by 81% of the products are never sold at the retail level and are actually purchases by their "independent distributors", very few of whom wind up making any money, while the DeVos family is now worth billions. With their billions, they have tried to destroy Michigan's public education system, by taking out huge sums of money, and putting it in private schools. Meanwhile, they've joined with about ten other ultra-wealthy families to fund a push to repeal our estate tax laws, even though such a small percentage of survivors actually pay any estate tax at all.

The DeVos family is nuts. The nuttiest of all is Dick's wife Betsy. She puts the nuts in that fruitcake family.

[MichiganVote]

5. Betsy is nut isn't she, but a very determined nut too...

They all act like they never stink, which they probably don't given the amount of money these psycho's have.

[etherealtruth]

6. He is the most frightening person in Michigan politics ...

I am very fearful, Michigan's economy has remained poorer than the rest of the nation; this does not bode well for our once popular dem. governor (Granholm)... Devos is trying to present his corporatism as some kind of perverse populism (?) and sadly there are many buying into it.

[skipos]

7. DeVos = Bush with more experience and less money

read my sig line for more info

[Hidden Stillness]

10. Just Went to the Website First Time Today

I have just started reading and learning about this horrible bastard DeVos--starting with your website (or the website you have as a link)--and am going to start working on a quick, shorthand, but clear and expressive, way of telling what DeVos is, and what will happen to us if Granholm is "taken down." I don't know if anybody happened to catch "The Millikens" on PBS recently, an interview with both former Governor William and Helen Milliken, but it contained a very interesting and "strangely" under-reported part about how the Michigan Republican Party was taken over by anti-abortion/archconservative extremists during the 1980s, when they launched their anti-ERA/anti-feminist campaign, and since then, have not represented Michigan or the sane middle ground, (which is pro-choice), since. It was really nice to hear the kind of shock and worry they both have about their Party and its total subversion, but when the corporate media completely censors these things and you get the kind of brain-dead, "Oh, I don't really like Granholm's handling of the economy, they keep outsourcing jobs, I think I'll vote for DeVos instead," then you realize you have to be ready with a persuasive response of fact, to this frightening stupidity. It reminds me of the infuriating old "Reagan for Jobs" bumperstickers, when Reagan was running against Jimmy Carter and the economy was troubled then. Surprise--Reagan was a liar.

After Engler ran up the biggest State debt ever, sold off State-owned nature areas to business, dismantled the mental health system, tried to sell Great Lakes water to other States and was stopped, etc., etc., and Granholm has made many accomplishments while fighting vicious Republican partisans the whole time, and then you hear this stupid crap that "DeVos has a business and so therefore knows more and will be better for the economy," etc., then you realize, you have to start coming up with quick answers for some of this shit. Not "framing"--answers that respond to their false notions. I have just started reading and learning things to answer with, as of today.

[skipos]

11. I agree.

"DeVos has a business and so therefore knows more and will be better for the economy,"

No DeVos ran DADDY'S business, Amyway, and laid off many MI workers while doing it. Amyway as invested about a quarter of a billion dollars in China. If Michigan voters want someone who knows how to create jobs in China, they should vote for DeVos.

[Robbien]

8. He is scum. I was just reading a dkos diary about DeVos and the

far right religious movement. I really wish there was a Progressive movement organized in Michigan to fight this scary sob.

In "The Doctrine of Dick DeVos" some of the elements of the DeVos Doctrine were listed. However, in order to understand any doctrine the founding principles and philosophy (in this case better described as a strangely twisted "theology") need to be thoroughly examined and explored.

While the real objectives of the DeVos Doctrine are basically simple self-enrichment and profit, the Doctrine and Dick DeVos for Governor campaign in Michigan are infused with a special sort of Christian Fundamentalist rhetoric and the ambitions of political power using organizations within the Christian Right, many of which were setup and financed directly by the DeVos Family for their select purposes and coordinated with other groups with likeminded agendas and goals. They form a cooperative network of burrowing idealogues and market fundelmentalists.

A major source of mission and vision statements behind the DeVos Doctrine finds its roots in the writings of D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries.

More on the Mission of the Doctrine of Dick DeVos below...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/11/14245/7863

[etherealtruth]

12. This particular brand of religious perversion ...

...doesn't play well in metro-Detroit; however, it does on the west coast of the state.

Sadly, many may be willing to overlook the fact that Devos IS insane due to the poor job/economic situation in Michigan

[AnnieBW]

9. Scamway

What do you expect from the founder of Scamway? I mean, these are the people that have perpetuated the "Procter and Gamble Satanic Logo" urban legend for decades now, just to steer people to their own products.

I guess they want all of Michigan to be run like a Scamway operation?