Say No to Trevor Thomas: Part 1

There are two Democratic candidates vying for the great privilege of losing to Justin Amash this November. I've covered one, Steve Pestka, along with his lunatic ideas, already. There's another one, though. A man by the name of Trevor Thomas.

Trevor Thomas: Somehow more smug and arrogant than Steve Pestka

From his campaign website, one can gleam the following.

•  He begins by proudly proclaiming his membership in the SEIU, a union.
• He then asserts that he's the only candidate in the race that has worked to pass federal legislation. Except for, you know, Justin Amash. The guy who has been in Congress for two years.
• He's also fighting for "a woman's voice", whatever that means. Probably a stance that supports the violation of the right to life of millions of unborn children.
• He also proudly proclaims his endorsement by Jennifer Granholm, or as I like to call her, Canadian Mole-Face. You know, the same woman who drove Michigan into the ground and set it on fire. Great support you got there, Trevor.

Keep in mind, that's just from his official campaign website. In addition, he's released a virtual tome of titled "Trevor's Plan", twenty pages of big-government propaganda. I've procured a copy, and will now begin with a page by page rebuttal of his sheer lunacy.

For conveniences sake, today I'll cover Section 1: Create West Michigan Jobs and Grow the Economy (boy, you're just starting off great, aren't you Trevor. Falling for one of the biggest fallacies of politicians today (the idea that the government can create jobs) and right in the title, too!)

Page 1:

• This is just the title page. However, the title in and of itself is a sign of who Trevor Thomas thinks he is. He has the audacity to think he can "plan" an entire region (West Michigan). 
• What's more, the "plan" would "Create Jobs and Growth" and "Build a West Michigan for Us All". Yeah, Trevor. That's what we need. Federal government intervention in the affairs of private citizens. I'm sure EVERYBODY wants more of that.

Page 2:

• This page consists of a personal message from Trevor, who has the kindness to address me as a "friend". I've never met him, nor do I support what he stands for, but nonetheless, I am apparently a "friend".
• The second paragraph in, he details how his values were influenced by his parents, noted union flunkies, and West Michigan public schools, which, surprise surprise, are run by a monopolized teaching union. Yeah, that didn't indoctrinate your way of thinking at all, Trevor.
• He specifically calls out an "out-of-touch ideology" in the fourth paragraph, no doubt referring to, you know, fiscal conservatism and fidelity to the Constitution. Yes, those are out of touch. Following an oath, that's out of touch. Not spending and taxing your way into oblivion? I guess that's out of touch too, according to Trevor.

Page 3-4:

• These pages merely consist of a table of contents.

Page 5:(National Debt, Taxation)

• "It's not secret that Michigan was hit hardest by the recession." Well, it might be, Trevor, seeing as how one can't measure how hard a hit is over a period of economic downturn, or what even caused it. 
• To support his claims, Trevor asserts that the cause of this is the fact that small business don't have access to credit (in other words, he wants an expansion of credit at the hands of the Federal Reserve, which of course would simply lead to another recession via the Austrian Business Cycle theory).
• In addition, he claims that automobile manufacturing is hurt unfairly due to "unfair advantages" of foreign competitors. Would those advantages be making better, cheaper, cars? Cheaper manufacturing? Non unionized laborers? Heaven forbid the free market WORKS, Trevor.
• "Many of the jobs that have remained here require skills our workers haven't had the training or resources to develop". In other words, unskilled labor is leaving to where it works best, for non-unionized workers willing to work at a lower wage. The currently unionized unskilled laborers in Michigan, of whom Trevor Thomas is just a flunkie, demand a return to their cushy union jobs.
• "We need policies that favor our working and middle class families...rather than the privileged". In other words, instead of having the Federal Government STAY OUT OF THE WAY in the economy, Trevor would rather they loot the money from the rich and redistribute it to the poor. Great plan, Trevor. 
• One of the easiest to recognize signs of an uninformed politician is the idea that the government can make jobs, or that the government should help to make jobs. Trevor Thomas is an uninformed politician. "I will focus on measures that will help small business grow...and that ensure workers have the training to be hired...". Not only does Trevor want to indirectly subsidize businesses, he wants to use tax money to train workers to work in those businesses. Tell me, West Michigan, does that sound like a good use of your hard earned money, stolen from you by the Federal government?
• Under his strategy for "The National Debt", he specifically calls for "increasing revenues", by increasing taxes. He also reiterates his idea that "rigid ideology" won't work, because morphing into an amorphous blob that has no principles works so much better, right Trevor?
• Under his section on taxation, he essentially takes potshots at the wealthy and insists that they pay more than everyone else, despite the fact that they already pay the majority of tax revenue. Instead of a nice, sensible plan, like eliminating the federal income tax in the first place, Trevor blindly takes shots at those who earned their own money.

Page 6: (Taxation, Business Relations)

• He plans to "reduce the Corporate Tax Rate", yet immediately turns and says that those paying less of a corporate tax should pay more, which could be used to "pay down the deficit". As opposed to simply spending less, Trevor would rather just fleece hard-working Americans more to pay for the rampant welfare state growing in Congress.
• For the second time, Trevor asserts his love for "Senator Levin", the odd balding man who wants to indefinitely detain American citizens without trial.
• Oh, this is a good one. "Too often, individuals, small business owners, and entrepreneurs starting a new business miss out on significant tax credits and other governmental resources available to them". So, despite the fact that the last paragraph he was deriding tax credits and loopholes, he now clamors for more of them. He's inconsistent with himself and he isn't even in Congress yet. 
• Worse yet, he actually wants business to "succeed" with the help of "governmental resources". A business aided by the government (indirectly aided by all American taxpayers without their consent in the matter) which succeeds doesn't truly succeed at all. Men like Trevor Thomas support a distortion of the free market, which always results in less prosperity.
• He now moves on to his plan to "Bolster Manufacturers", no doubt by government subsidy, again, and "Level the Playing Field", which, again, refers to government subsidy. I think Trevor Thomas should change his name to Subsidy-Man. Catchphrase? "If you have a problem, I will blindly throw stolen money at it until it goes away!"
• Trevor is now defending the bailout of the automotive industry. The free market is an incredibly efficient machine. Businesses that fail to satisfy the wants of the consumer fail to make a profit, and then fail, to be replaced by business that do satisfy the wants of the consumer and who do make a profit. Men like Trevor Thomas would rather ignore that, and blindly throw money at whatever will result in more votes for them. 
• The man already asserted his pride of his parents being union members. All Trevor Thomas is is a front man for the UAW, or really any union in Michigan.
• "Communities affect by job losses and plant closings need assistance." So any time any business has the audacity to move, White Knight Trevor will come riding in on his stallion and blindly throw out money, much like his alter ego, Subsidy Man.
• He also blindly rails against anyone who has the audacity to have jobs overseas. You know, those same jobs that make lower prices possible, and profits for those back at home. He will also "take a stand to fight for" any company that happens to be located in Michigan.
• He wants to "level the playing field" so that businesses can create jobs. In other words, he wants to start a trade war with China. Those NEVER turn out bad, do they Subsidy Man? I really wish politicians would wise up and understand that the surest path to prosperity lies in a free, unfettered market.

Page 7:(Loans, Taxation)

• He wants to improve "access to loans", essentially more subsidy OR forcing banks and other loan providers to give out loans to essentially whoever asks, which I believe is the plot of a chapter of Atlas Shrugged. It ends up completely decimating the state of Wisconsin.
• He wants to fund start-up companies using the U.S. Economic Development Administration. This is an agency in the unconstitutional Department of Commerce. You know what that means! That's right, more blind money throwing by Subsidy Man! Look at him go! Faster than a speeding bullet, he's throwing away your hard earned tax money at whatever business comes crawling to his door.
• He also wants to extend the payroll tax cut, that is, "until unemployment falls below 6 percent". In other words, as soon as there's enough people on one side of his imaginary line, then he feels he has the go ahead to start fleecing the workers. Again.
• Trevor now introduces his oddly titled program "No Worker Left Behind". He begins by saying that foreign workers essentially shouldn't be allowed into the United States on work visas, asserting that instead of allowing companies to hire skilled laborers, even if they're foreign, they should instead higher unskilled domestic workers.
• He wants a federal program based on Michigan's program, apparently called "No Worker Left Behind", wherein the government, you guessed it, blindly throws money on "training" programs in hopes of creating a basic degree of skill.
• Hold up, it says here that he worked in the Granholm administration. Is that supposed to be endearing? Good gravy, not only is this guy terrible in his own right, he worked for one of the worst governor's in Michigan's history!

Page 8: (Unions, Tax Credits, Land)

• Trevor understands the alleged "important role unions play in our communities". To him, unions aren't freedom-limiting distortions of the free market that refuse to grant employment to anybody not in their special club. No, to him unions are essentially God. He even has the audacity to claim that the future success of manufacturing "will depend on unions (and employers)". But of course, unions first. Isn't that right, Trevor?
• He claims there is an "us-versus-them" mentality with regards to unions and employers. Because obviously the group of people who try to demand things from the people who make it possible for them to have a job in the first place would just love to "work together" with the employers, wouldn't they? Oh, Trevor, Trevor, Trevor. I feel sorry for you, man. Indoctrination must be a terrible thing to live with.
• He also wants to fight "wage theft" the alleged illegal "underpayment" of wages. Personally, I fully believe that there should be no wage laws or restrictions whatsoever, leaving businesses free to pay people as they please. Like it was for thousands upon thousands of years. Coincidentally, one period free of wage laws (The so called "Gilded Age"), resulted in one of the most spectacular economic growths in recorded history.
• His solution? Hire more people for the (also unconstitutional) Department of Labor. Subsidy Man once again shrewdly throws money at "problems" in hopes that they get "fixed". 
•  Trevor moves on to his support for a measure that blindly throws money at landowners in hopes that they'll "conserve" their land, the Conservation Easement Incentive Act.
• He goes on to spout politician-speak about "fighting for farmers", or some other such nonsense. You know what would really help farmers? Less restrictions, less regulations, and a free market. It's really a simple solution, Subsidy Man.