This article is by Bankole Thompson and is a reprint of the article "DeVos Pick No Friend of Detroit" from The Michigan Citizen, an excellent African-American-owned newspaper from Detroit.
GOP billionaire gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos’ running mate Ruth Johnson, as a former state legislator, voted against urban needs in favor of big business.
Johnson, now Oakland County clerk, served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1999-2004.
Her record of voting during that time demonstrated strong support for big business and little or no concern for issues relating to public education, urban communities, or people of color.
As chair of the natural resources and environment committee, she worked hard against restrictions on Canadian waste, said Paul Gieleghem, Macomb county commissioner and former State Rep.
Gieleghem said Johnson, like DeVos, is a big supporter of charter schools and vouchers at the expense of public education.
She voted “yes” on the passage of a Republican budget plan HB 4371 that cut more than $529 million from public education over a three period from 2001-2003. She voted “no” on Senate Bill 1107 in 2002 that would have provided up to $45 million for early childhood education.
“She stands for the unchecked expansion of charter schools and taking away money from public schools,” Gieleghem said in a phone interview.
Johnson is also on the record opposing affirmative action.
“No state institution of higher education shall receive funding under this act if the state institution of higher education discriminates against or grants preferential treatment to, admission applicants on the basis of race, religion, creed, or national origin,” Johnson said in the House while voting yes on GOP plan to ban affirmative action.
She also voted against an amendment to House Bill 4049 to increase the minimum wage in Michigan from $5.15 to $5.65.
During her tenure as lawmaker, Johnson also supported a series of bills in favor of corporations and fought against measures that attempted to hold big businesses accountable.
Some of those votes directly cost urban dwellers. She voted against an amendment to House Bill 4268 that would prohibit insurance companies from using a person’s credit rating history in determining insurance rates.
In 2000, she voted against an amendment to HB 5576 that would have compelled HMOs to be liable for damages caused by failure to exercise ordinary care.
“A health carrier shall exercise ordinary care when making a health care treatment and is liable for compensatory damages for harm to a covered person proximately caused by its failure to exercise ordinary care,” Johnson said at the time. In the same vein, Johnson voted against another amendment that would have allowed doctors – not HMOs – to determine the medical treatment of patients.
“Johnson is an extreme conservative,” Gieleghem said. “These are the things that stand out against her.”
Johnson also voted against an amendment to HB 4299 that would have allowed the use of $6 million in tobacco money for prescription drug assistance for seniors in 1999.
