10/31/2006

Editorial

Project Vote Smart gives voters plenty to chew on

If this election year is becoming one big blur, there is clarity — for some.

It comes from Project Vote Smart, probably the single biggest collection of data on political candidates ever assembled.

Every candidate for state and federal office in America was given the chance to respond to Project Vote Smart's exhaustive series of questions on a vast range of topics — abortion, budgets, spending, taxes, guns, the environment, energy, drugs, immigration, Social Security and more.

Their replies are listed on the Web at www.vote-smart.org, or can be accessed by calling 1 (888) 868-3762.

If a candidate you're watching responded, his or her answers are right there, along with biographical information; links to campaign finance information at the Open Secrets Web site; ratings from more than 100 interest groups; his or her voting record, if applicable; and selected speeches or public statements.

It is a treasure trove of information that tells voters not only where candidates stand but who agrees with them — or doesn't.

The great disappointment is that the great majority of candidates at the state and federal level, from both parties, incumbents and challengers alike, simply didn't respond.

The biggest disappointment is that Gov. Jennifer Granholm and her Republican challenger, Dick DeVos, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow and her GOP challenger, Michael Bouchard, all declined.

Virtually the best turnout in the state was in the three northern Michigan U.S. House races, where incumbents Bart Stupak, (D-1st District), Peter Hoekstra (R-2nd District) and Dave Camp (R-4th District) all responded, as did their three challengers: Republican Don Hooper, Democrat Kimon Kotos and Democrat Mike Huckleberry.

But it goes back downhill from there.

Incumbent state senators Jason Allen and Michelle McManus, both Republicans, said no, as did Allen's challenger, Democrat Sharon Unger. Democrat Antionette Schippers participated.

The three Republican state House incumbents whose districts include most of northern Michigan — Howard Walker of Traverse City (104th District), Kevin Elsenheimer of Bellaire (105th District) and David Palsrok of Manistee (101st District) — all declined.

Two of the three Democratic challengers, Roman Grucz of the 104th and Daniel Scripps (101st), participated. Democrat Tom Hay Bauer declined.

One last piece of bad news. DeVos also refused to respond to questions from the Michigan Press Association dealing with the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings acts. Granholm's answers are available at the MPA's Web Site, michiganpress.org.

One has to wonder why a candidate refuses a perfect opportunity to let voters know where he or she stands on a host of key issues.

Here's a thought. Maybe they don't want voters to know where they stand.