Michael Brennan,
LP Michigan
Candidate for Livingston
County Commissioner
Michigan’s Livingston County has a low crime rate and a small budget surplus, but officials there want to spend $12 million on a county jail. Libertarian Party candidate for county commissioner Michael Brennan hopes he can help put a stop to these plans for runaway spending.
“This is after saying for a few years that we’re short on money,” Brennan said. “I can’t see the need for spending $12 million.”
Brennan acknowledged that so much prison space wouldn’t be needed in the first place if not for the sweeping trend of regulation, prohibition, and criminalization sponsored by Big Government politicians. Although he wouldn’t have purview over changing those laws as a county commissioner, he does hope to get other people thinking about these issues while in office.
“I think we could start the conversation,” Brennan said. “We can withhold some funds, and the townships are going to have to figure out what they call crimes.”
Currently, Livingston County commissioners are all Republicans, and Brennan maintains that having a Libertarian voice in county leadership is crucial to keeping the board reined in and accountable to voters.
“On every single issue for the past three or four years, it’s been a 9-0 vote,” Brennan said. “I’m just a little cautious about what’s going on there. It doesn’t seem like people are viewing these issues critically enough.”
Brennan hopes that his candidacy can begin a paradigm shift among Livingston County voters away from the current one-party dominance.
“There are so many reasons not to vote Republican, I don’t know where to begin,” Brennan said. “I think voters need to understand that Libertarians are offering a valid third party that is not intrusive.”
He also pointed out that voters who advocate a small government when it comes to fiscal issues need to realize that social issues are not an exception.
“They still want an intrusive government,” Brennan said. “I can’t believe we’re still having a conversation about who can and who can’t get married.”
To promote his candidacy, Brennan has been attending every public event he can, having in-depth conversations with people and handing out cards.
“People are grateful that I show up to the events,” Brennan said. “They’re actually grateful that I’m willing to take the time to talk about things. Some conversations last quite a while. I’ve won over a lot of people, as far as being a clear-headed, critical thinker. They’re happy that I know the issues.”
It’s through this kind of one-on-one interaction that Brennan believes he can make the biggest difference in gaining support.
“I’m just giving people facts, and showing people that they’re libertarian and just don’t know it,” Brennan said.
Livingston County voters will have the chance to vote for Brennan on Aug. 6.
Campaign website: http://michaelbrennan.webs.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelBrennan4Livingston
