Dick DeVos, Jr., whose family is Michigan’s version of the Koch brothers, is one of the richest people in our state. After getting beaten by Democrat Jennifer Granholm in 2006, he turned his attention to changing the face of Michigan by using his vast wealth behind the scenes to affect state policy. Whether it’s spending money against Democrats or threatening to spend money against Republicans who don’t toe his line, DeVos is the corporatist money machine for some of the most odious and damaging policy changes in our state.
At meeting of the West Michigan Policy Forum last Monday, he bragged about one of them: making Michigan, the birthplace of the modern labor movement, a right to work state. He called the success “the most fun” thing he’s accomplished:
Getting right-to-work into law in Michigan was “the most fun” so far in the WMPF’s efforts to influence public policy in Michigan…
DeVos wants to be sure that he remains in the backseat driver’s seat by making sure Rick Snyder is reelected. He told the WMPF crowd that everyone should vote for Rick Snyder, another multi-millionaire, “to continue freedom to work here in Michigan.”
Isn’t it nice to have these masively wealthy self-interested corporatists telling average Michiganders how to vote against their own self interest?
