By Rob Rodriguez-Pelizzari
Chair, Livingston County Republican Party
I typically take Judy Daubenmier’s comments with a grain of salt, understanding that she will find fault with the actions of a Republican.
I also do not take issue with her complaining about the Republicans voting contrary to how she believes they should vote. Livingston County’s prosperity — largely due to the votes of those Republicans — speaks on their behalf.
But to say in her opinion piece, published on March 19, 2024, entitled, “Nakagiri should have directed thanks to Biden and the Democrats,” they should thank President Biden and Democrats warrants a response.
If I were to direct “thanks” to Joe Biden, it would be this way:
Thanks, Joe! Since you took office in January 2021, your energy policies have increased the price of gas that fuels our vehicles and heat our homes. Your monetary policies have inflated the cost of all basic necessities – including food. Thanks to you and your policies, our real wages have decreased, and our U.S. economy is stagnated.
Thanks, Joe! Your foreign policy put us in danger of nuclear conflict with Russia and put our young men and women military in harm’s way via your funding of Iran — which in turn funds terrorists throughout the Middle East. Thank you, Commander in Chief, for causing the death of 13 of our military members during your embarrassing and incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thanks for giving away the Kabul airport, thus leaving $85 billion of our military equipment to terrorists, as well as selling millions of barrels of our fuel reserves to your friends in China.
And thanks for giving more than $100 billion of our tax dollars to Ukraine – homeless and hurting Americans don’t really need that money anyway.
Thanks, Joe! Your January 2021 executive orders eliminated your predecessor’s “remain in Mexico” and other border security measures. Thanks for facilitating that invasion of millions of illegal immigrants at the southern border and to 48 airports across the U.S., which needlessly contributed to crime in every major city, cost the lives of dozens of U.S. citizens, and burdened taxpayers by you putting these invaders on public assistance. Thanks for providing more financial assistance to illegal invaders than to veterans and to citizens who suffered catastrophe in East Palestine, Ohio, and Lahaina, Maui.
Closer to home, your open border policy has led to the rape of a young right girl right here in Livingston County. Yes, one of the illegal invaders you welcomed into our country has been charged with raping a 15-year old girl in Green Oak Township. Thanks a lot, Joe.
Thank you, Joe! You’ve made life harder for the average working citizen, leading to Americans owing a record amount of credit card debt to simply make ends meet. And since your monetary policies result in both inflation and high interest rates, the average annual income needed to purchase a home rose 80% from $59k per year to $106k – that’s $30k above the current median household income, according to Zillow. Thanks for robbing this generation of young citizens of the American Dream of homeownership.
On the other hand, thank you to the Livingston County Board of Commissioners for wisely spending our tax dollars, including the ARPA Funds. The Republican-controlled board is the reason why Livingston County has the lowest county property tax rate of all 83 counties in the state, a AAA bond rating (higher than the feds!) and a balanced budget.
While I don’t agree with the policy of robbing future generations of Americans with excessive government spending and debt, I am thankful Livingston County has elected leaders who made the choice to spend the ARPA funds Ms. Daubenmier referred to on American seniors, as opposed to illegal invaders – like Joe does.
