Issues
Conservation & Preservation
Once it's gone, it's gone – and those of us who call this beautiful area home are passionate about conserving our natural resources. Michiganders have a rich history of hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, riding, and nearly any other outdoor recreation activity – it's who we are and why we are so passionate about our conservation efforts.
One of the great conservationists of all time was our own Teddy Roosevelt, who said, "The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value."
This is an area that I am taking the lead on - if we do not remain the voice of reason, the people who want to use these issues to further their agenda are lying in wait, ready to act without respect for business, personal property, or the liberties we've enjoyed for generations. As your State Senator, I will work with people of all persuasions to ensure that we promote conservation of our incredible natural resources within a pro-business, pro-resident framework.
Economy & Infrastructure
I believe the principles of hard work, self-reliance, and limited government line up with moral laws built into the very fabric of human society. In order to make life feasible here in our part of the world, the economy is one area in which we can't afford to mess around. Since we are removed from some of the protections and conveniences of bigger metropolitan areas, it is even more important that we foster good jobs with higher wages.
To do that, we need an economy that works 12 months a year. We need to implement ideas that foster skilled trades and give our students the skills and resources they need to secure great jobs in manufacturing and other industries.
And, to facilitate all of this, we need a government that is responsible enough to build up a storehouse and spend it only in areas that are within the responsibility of government - like building and maintaining our roads and working to ensure a level playing field for small businesses.
Look at any political candidate's website in Michigan, and they all talk about infrastructure. It's been like that forever. So why are things so slow to improve? This isn't brain surgery. The money is there, we just need to fight for it - especially since our entire region is so dependent on long distance travel for supplies and commerce.
The Second Amendment
The 2nd Amendment is really easy for me because the Constitution is absolutely crystal clear - “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
The Founding Fathers didn’t mess around on this point.
My support for the 2nd Amendment is unwavering - not only because I’m a gun owner and member of the NRA, but even more because I am a firm believer in the US Constitution and view it as the greatest governing document in the history of the world.
This belief is why I support constitutional carry, and why I pushed for so many bills like HB 5187 - 5188 and Sb 0011 - guaranteeing that the state cannot use emergency orders as an excuse not to issue CPLs.
Even more, it’s why I worked to stop so many bad bills that would have restricted our Second Amendment rights. As the next State Senator in the 37th District, you’ll always know where I stand.
And on the issue of our right to bear arms, I stand for freedom.
Patriotism
I was in the Pentagon on 9/11 in the very corridor when the plane hit. There were so many things I will never forget, but one emblazoned in my mind was evacuating the building and seeing an F-16 circling overhead. When we saw that military plane, we knew the attack on the Pentagon was over. We truly had America’s finest on guard, and we knew everyone owed that courageous pilot a debt of gratitude.
Over the years, I have had the honor of working closely with America’s top military leaders, including numerous Secretaries of Defense and Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs. I’ve been humbled by getting to know and working on projects with our greatest heroes - including dozens of living Medal of Honor recipients and members of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society.
We’ve honored military families, and helped launch the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. In the course of these and so many other projects with the Department of Defense, I’ve seen first hand what the phrase “freedom is not free” means. I’ve met the families whose loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice, and I have seen the devastation of terrorist attacks on American soil.
This real world experience has brought a certain gravity to the work I do as an elected official. Knowing the sacrifices made to maintain our system has given me a sense of duty and obligation in Lansing.
We do not need people who just play politics or look for personal gain - that is an offense to anyone who has served our country. We need people who will dig deep, wrestle with big ideas, and pour themselves into solutions that work. We owe it to those who gave so much.
Small Business
Small businesses are the root of our economy. And as a small business owner and operator for more than two decades, I understand the dramatic ups and downs that come with carving out a living for yourself.
I have written the paychecks, negotiated the health insurance plans, filed the taxes, managed the Quickbooks, carried the gear, sold the projects, and done the work. This experience has given me a wide-ranging look at the challenges and opportunities faced every day by the people who run their own businesses and their employees.
Helping to foster and grow small business is fundamental to my legislative priorities. Whether it was introducing legislation to limit restrictions and reopen our businesses during the unprecedented shutdowns of the past two years, or fighting to pass relief for businesses that were told they could not work, I have been a champion for those businesses throughout our District who keep our local economies moving.
And, as the next Senator from the 37th District, my goal is to continue address the key issues facing our businesses - from helping to develop affordable workforce housing to helping attract and retain talent, and everything in between.
Rural Broadband
We are faced with an unbelievable opportunity here in northern Michigan and the Eastern UP. Over the course of the pandemic, millions of people realized they could work from anywhere, and many of them decided to seize their dream of living “up north.” Attracting more full time residents to our region is good for our communities. These residents tend to make a much deeper investment into our area than seasonal visitors. Key to making this happen, though, is access to broadband.
Rural broadband is a far more complicated issue than it may seem on the surface. As Vice Chair of the Communications and Technology Committee, I have worked hard to address some of the roadblocks to progress - whether that be working with railroads to speed the approval process for laying fiber cables, or working to offer tax incentives on broadband equipment.
I have fought to ensure the massive resources pouring into the state from the federal government are not only appropriated in southern Michigan - a constant battle on almost every issue in Lansing. And, I was proud to play a role in fighting to fund Michigan’s High Speed Internet Office, which will help coordinate the efforts of the private and public sectors so that everyone has affordable access to high speed internet.
Broadband is no longer a luxury. We need it for schools, businesses and families. This is an effort I will continue to focus on intensely in the Michigan Senate.
Life
"Life. What a beautiful choice." I still remember those great television ads from the 1980's, and have had the chance to get to know the people behind those ads - a great Michigan family. This was my first exposure to the issue of "life," and it cemented my beliefs.
I simply cannot understand how anyone could think abortion is acceptable, but I don't hate the people who claim to be "pro-choice.”
For me, this issue isn't about the mother or father, it's about the third innocent person. Perhaps there are some things we can all do together that would reduce the number of children lost. For example, what about things like strengthening laws surrounding the responsibility of the father? If fewer young women were left fearing whether they have to support a child on their own, that would save a few lives, right? Or what about strengthening laws that people present life and adoption as a choice? More informed choices cannot be bad, right? This one is personal for me because my wife, brother, sister and nephew were all adopted as babies, and I can't imagine the world without them.
One day it would be wonderful to live in a world where there were no unwanted pregnancies and therefore no abortions. In the meantime, I'll bet we can get more people on our team than we think by simply showing some grace, civility and creative thinking.
Liberty
As a general rule, we must always be on guard against the threat of infringements on liberty. Freedom is the easiest thing to lose, and next to impossible to get back once we've sacrificed it to the government.
I like how Alan Keyes put it:
“The gun control mentality is ruthlessly absurd. It suggests that you pass a law which will bind law-abiding citizens — they won't have access to weapons. Now, we know that criminals, by definition, are people who don't obey laws. Therefore, you can pass all the laws that you want, they will still have access to these weapons, just as they have access to illegal drugs and other things right now. That means you end up with a situation in which the law-abiding folks can't defend themselves, and the crooks have all the guns.”
There are two sides to every fight in preserving our liberties - the first is to protect our fundamental rights, and the second is to fight with a common sense approach against things in our society that enslave us. There are complex issues facing our state every day, and confronting them requires a person who can clearly see both sides of the equation.
Pursuit of Happiness
Michigan is the greatest state in the union to pursue happiness – yet, there is still room for progress. Like so many others, our family is almost always on the go - camping, skiing, hiking, shopping, visiting other towns and villages - you name it. On a typical Saturday, we will drive 2 hours just to get a burger at West Pier in the Soo or go shopping in downtown Petoskey, Traverse City or any of the small towns that dot the coastline where we live. We'll take our camper to Wilderness State Park or spend the night staring at the Mackinac Bridge from Straits State Park. There is just so much to do here that doesn't cost a fortune!
I will always work to preserve and share this great state of happiness we have just waiting to be enjoyed - whether through policies that foster new small businesses to build the local tourist economy, or through new ideas to build more affordable housing so our residents can really thrive in our area.
The goal is simple - to protect the natural beauty of the region, enhance our ability to live here by fostering good-paying jobs, and make it possible for us to stay by improving housing and infrastructure.
Contact Us
Contact Us
Paid for by John Damoose for State Senate. P.O. Box 95, Harbor Springs, MI 49740