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Interviews with news makers and discussion of topics important to Southwest Michigan. Subscribe to the podcast through Apple itunes and Google. Segments of interview are heard in WestSouthwest Brief during Morning Edition and All Things Considered

WSW: Lorence Runs Again As A Libertarian, This Time For Congress

WMUK

Lorence Wenke has lived in Kalamazoo for “most of my years,” and for much of that time was a Republican. But he’s now the Libertarian candidate for Congress in Southwest Michigan’s 6th district. 

Wenke owns greenhouses in Michigan and Georgia. He served on the Kalamazoo County Commission, then in the state House for six years. Wenke ran for state Senate twice, he lost a three-way race for the Republican nomination in 2010. He was the Libertarian candidate for state Senate in Kalamazoo County two years ago. He spoke with WMUK’s Gordon Evans.

National Debt

Wenke says his first priority is the national debt. He calls it an issue that needs to be dealt with, but admits that solutions are not easy. He describes the amount of debt as immoral, and says the country has no means of paying it back.

Health Care

Asked about specifics to tackle the debt, Wenke says it will require many different actions, including an increase of revenue, and curbing Medicare costs. He says people who can afford to pay more for health care should see higher Medicare premiums. Wenke says people should pay for poor health care choices, but he says families should not go bankrupt over health care expenses.

Children

Wenke says he wants to provide free birth control to anyone who wants it. But he says 12 months after that, taxpayer assistance should not be provided for any newborn babies. Wenke says if people can’t take care of children, they would be placed in foster care. Wenke wants to use a Colorado program to provide long-term birth control as a national model. But Wenke says he still against abortion, and doesn’t think it should be a choice.

Gay Rights

Support for legalizing gay marriage is the highest profile issue where Wenke parted company with the Republican party. He considers the war on gay marriage to be finished and the battle won. But Wenke says he expects more skirmishes on the issue of gay rights, and he plans to continue advocating for the rights of LGBT people.

Campaign

Two years ago Wenke got just under 9% of the vote as a Libertarian state Senate candidate. But Wenke says his percentage could be smaller this year, since he’s not well known outside of Kalamazoo County. However, Wenke says Libertarian candidates throughout the ballot may get a boost from the unpopularity of both Presidential candidates. Wenke says he got involved with Libertarians to help build the party for the future. He says there should be changes to current law so minor party candidates have a chance to get their views heard.

Discussion of other issues can be heard in the extended version of the interview. 

lorencewenke101216-web.mp3
Interview with Lorence Wenke - web version

Government Workers

Wenke says government needs to hire people who have better management skills. He says that might require higher pay. Wenke has long criticized government at all levels for high salaries. But he says for some managerial positions, it may be necessary to pay more for talent.

Immigration

Wenke says he supports a barrier along the Mexican border to control drugs coming into the United States. But he says Donald Trump’s call for Mexico to pay for a wall isn’t realistic. Wenke says there should be a path to legal status, although not necessarily citizenship for people who come to the U.S. illegally. Wenke says the U.S. economy would take a big hit if all of those workers went back to Mexico, including his greenhouses.

Military Action

Asked about foreign policy, Wenke says he would be reluctant to authorize use of military force. He follows the Libertarian position of promising to only use force if it is used against the United States first.

More on Gay Rights

Wenke says the federal government seems to have if right on the rights of LGBT people. He says Washington should step in when states try to pass so-called “trans-gender bathroom laws.”

Election

Wenke says he doesn’t think his campaign will influence the outcome of the Congressional race, but he says it’s good for people to have options and hear different views.

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.
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