A search on "Dick Devos is Rich" leaves little doubt that Google still has no love the Disembodied Head. It also finds that Diamond Dick is the richest man to run for governor in state history. This little lady notes that Dick Devos has bucked tradition and refused to disclose his tax returns. Memo to Michigan from the gold-plated desk of Dick Devos: You don't care how much I pay or don't pay in taxes, you care only about your own taxes. If for some reason you do care, my finances are "an issue we will address openly and directly at the appropriate time". Which is not now. So bugger off!

Still, voters are a curious lot (at least as compared to say ... reporters) and many still want to know "Well how much money does Dick Devos have?". The Granholm campaign tried to make this an issue (story) saying   "DeVos' arrogant refusal to open his tax return to public inspection, the way Gov. Granholm and every other recent candidate has done, makes it clear that he is hiding something." The campaign responded that the allegation was "ludicrous", which was apparently code for "nothing to hide ... except Alterra".


During the final debate, the Tricky Dick was accused of setting up a Bermuda tax haven to hide profits from Amway's overseas operations. Sadly, the crack delegation of journalists dispatched to investigate the claims vanished in the Bermuda Triangle.

So how much money does Dick Devos have? The answer is: Dick Devos sure as hell isn't going to tell you.

(If you know how much money I have, please post it below!)

Bonus Fact of the Day & Special Prize!

Feel free to steal this for your web page - Dickie Rich feels free to steal from all Americans!

DeVos supports a campaign, secretly funded with $490 million since 1998 by the 18 wealthiest families in the country, to repeal the estate tax. This campaign misleadingly claims that the estate tax affects ordinary working families, small business owners and family farmers. The truth is that only one quarter of 1% of all estates (billionaires like DeVos) will owe any estate taxes this year. Giving a massive handout to the wealthiest families would gut $1 trillion from the federal treasury in 10 years and cause severe financial shortfalls in education, health care and disaster-preparedness, and add to the ballooning budget deficit.

Spending Millions to Save Billions: The Campaign of the Super Wealthy to Kill the

Estate Tax, Public Citizen Congress Watch, April 2006

CleanUpWashington.org

Michigan is on the rocks, your life sucks and we're all doomed. The one chance we got is to make this state boom again with business. The auto industry is gone and she ain't coming back. Michigan needs to find a new business to be in, and Dick Devos knows business.

There are those who say that it's a bad time for a billions in Michigan tax cuts, but everyone knows that when the going gets tough, the tough cut taxes. The best place to start cutting is for the most wealthy and that means me! Sure, Dick Devos would benefit from the elimination of the personal property tax and the schools and local governments that depend on the tax for 15/20/50%+ of their operating budgets would be in trouble, but Dick Devos is a businessman, just like Dick Cheney or George W. Bush. Dick Devos will figure it out ... after you elect him. Probably.

There's some pink panties out there (Yeah, I'm looking at YOU L. Brooks Patterson!) saying "We can't keep the police and firemen on the street and the school doors open if you take away this tax." Quit yer whinin', I'm telling you that I'll figure it out - I'm a businessman. In business.  You know, Amway.

So just close your eyes, send in your absentee ballot early, buckle up extra tight and get ready to ride with Dick Devos into a tax-free future, Michigan.

PS: If you're thinking that you can escape your fate by voting against Dick Devos, maybe you can ... a little, but check out the riff Soup Lady is laying down:

For 99 percent of Michiganders, the Bush tax cuts are much smaller than the share of the increased national debt they'll have to pay off. Only the wealthiest one percent are net winners.

Everyone in the wealthiest 1% raise your hands. Go on, stick 'em up, Michigan.

Fear the Head people, Fear the Head.