There have been a number of comments on how this website and my public position re: Pete Hoekstra may reflect on other people in my family who live in Western Michigan. So, I thought the timing of this story here in Los Angeles today — Reagan grandson arrested in Van Nuys — was pretty relevant.
As I’ve said, the views expressed on this site reflect those exclusively of me, Ben Padnos, and not anyone else. My family had NO IDEA I was doing this, and I am not in cahoots with any of Hoekstra’s Gubernatorial opponents. Any suggestion to the contrary is 100% inaccurate.
My family is involved with PeteHoekstra.com no more than Ronald Reagan is with his grandson’s arrest. That said, I grew up in a family that encouraged individuality, and a sense of responsibility to speak up for what you believe in — as long as it’s done respectfully. (I would be remiss if I didn’t add that “good writing” was important to them as well, particularly my Mom, who gets a lot of credit for my writing skills!)
So for those of you who know my parents, or my grandfather, or my uncles, cousins and other family members, if you don’t like what I’m doing on PeteHoekstra.com, please don’t hold it against them.
Thanks again for following my efforts!
Mr. Padnos,
I curious as to why you find it necessary to take on Pete Hoekstra. Is it because he has the courage to stand up to the President? Or has he done something to upset the Padnos organization in Holland? Or do you just consider him stupid?
Your decision to initally refuse to identify yourself seems cowardly. Did I get that right or am I wrong?
John Vander Ploeg
Someone told me they posted a comment here and now it is not displayed, sure would be interesting to know who controls the content here. Are you any better than the people you criticize, creating and controlling your own agenda? Wheres the freedom of speech sir.
We have had a couple of people request that their comments be removed. Please also see my post re: “Comments”.
I’m not usually one to comment on news of a politically charged nature, however, I am extremely disappointed to read comments from Ben Padnos himself expressing a very “too-late-in-coming” concern that the Holland community would hold his family responsible for the tactics and comments he has most recently employed to discredit the name of Peter Hoekstra… not merely just Mr. Hoekstra’s campaign or political views, but the man himself. Most of this community appreciates and deeply respects the Padnos family for it’s evident love of our wonderful little corner of Michigan…this being demonstrated continuously by the generous gifts in the areas of the arts, community beautification, historical preservation, promotion of education and most precious of all, lasting and real employment opportunity. No, our disappointment it is with Ben alone, and as a parent, my heart goes out to his family for how his actions may unjustly reflect on them… as somehow I suspect he knew they would. Congratulations to Ben for being so clever as to purchase a domain under someone elses name for the sole purpose of discrediting that individual whose polictical views he now opposes. He seeks here to employ the very underhanded tactics he criticizes the Hoekstra campaign of using. I personally welcome dialogue when it is presented in an open and upfront manner… and may even have considered Ben’s opinions as having some merit if they had been presented in such a way. Now I’ll read anything he writes with a great deal of skepticism because I know what he is willing to do to make his point. Ben speak’s of his mother’s wonderful influence on his gift of writing, but he diminshes that gift by the lack of integrity shown in the methods used in getting his message out. By the way, I purchased my own domain so that I can keep the possibility of someone like Ben Padnos from highjacking my name to discredit and hurt me or my family at some point down the road. Ben, if you are truly the person you present yourself to be…than you owe a number of people in West Michigan a sincere apology. Sadly, I won’t hold my breath. Better yet, think twice about using someone else’s domain name to damage them and start a new web site to gather ideas on how we can get a Michigan in economic despair back on track. Invite any and all ideas with sincere merit to be honestly explored and discussed…Let’s call it “Be part of the solution and not the problem.com”.
I appreciate your perspective, Laurel. And thanks for holding me, and not any family members, accountable for PeteHoekstra.com. We obviously disagree, but I applaud you for having the courage to speak out publicly, and not hide behind a pseudonym. This blog is an attempt to “be part of the solution” in helping Michigan elect a Governor who can help make the state better. I’m sorry if you’re offended by the route we’re taking. We publish virtually all the comments posted to the blog — only deeply personal or vulgar/profane comments are deleted — and you can see you’re clearly in the minority. But that’s what makes this country great!
Laurel Beukelman says: comments he has most recently employed to discredit the name of Peter Hoekstra…
Pete Hoekstra did this all on his own long before this site was up.
Laurel Beukelman says: my heart goes out to his family for how his actions may unjustly reflect on them… as somehow I suspect he knew they would.
Okay – let me get this right, your saying you suspect Ben Padnos intentionally put this site up knowing that it would reflect negatively on his family? Honey, please go read the “We’ve Been Outed” section under Most Commented.
Laurel Beukelman says: I personally welcome dialogue when it is presented in an open and upfront manner…
No you don’t. You only welcome dialogue on your terms. You first line of your post – “I’m not usually one to comment on news of a politically charged nature” So you don’t care to comment about politics but you
have no problem speculating on how the Padnos family is percieved in relation to the politics of one it’s family members?
Laurel Beukelman says: By the way, I purchased my own domain so that I can keep the possibility of someone like Ben Padnos from highjacking my name to discredit and hurt me or my family at some point down the road.
Again, please go to the “We have been Outed” section. Besides you already own your domain name and it was purchased long ago for the
purpose of having an online presence for your business. Come clean on this one Lauren – why not just buy some ad space here. You know all
proceeds go to The Boys and Girls Club of Holland don’t you?
I have read through all the comments on this website and find it interesting that there is personal defense but no political defense expressed here for Mr. Hoekstra when the purpose of this site is to openly talk about the politics of someone who has chosen to put themselves in the national spotlight. There are no recollections here of positive & political action for our district or our nation. I wish I had recollections of someone who openly claims to being a man of God trying to stop the slaughter of 100,000 innocent Iraqi men, women & children. I wish I had memories of someone with enough intelligence to realize he is being used by the President of the United States, a member of his own party, to carry out a personal vendetta with our tax dollars and in our name. I wish I was talking about someone who understood that the Iraq War was about superiority not security. It dissappoints me to see that Americans are so desperate to be superior and preserve their cushioned way of life they are using a few terrorists to shadow the fact that everyone else in this world matters just as much as we do. I try to stand in the middle & see the good points from both sides of the aisle but the Tea Party politics of “believe as I do or I will view you as a nazi” has hurt my feelings more than you can imagine and made me want to distance myself from that kind of politics.
Enough of the discussion about the family etc! I would like to see comments about what Hoekstra has or has not done in the 9 terms we have paid his salary! National Security? Yea right that is so good! He blames Obama…who has been in office for 1 year…How long has he been on that committee? What has he done for West Michigan or for that matter the State?
Thank you Lauren, I agree on almost 100% of your content. Let these people congratulate themselves on how great they are, how “open minded” they are, how they “don’t attack” others etc. etc. but in reality that is what they do to others with opposing views and Hoekstra himself. Last post guys, I am sure you all will miss me.
“It dissappoints me to see that Americans are so desperate to be superior and preserve their cushioned way of life.”
“Theire cushoned way of life” — so you’re not an American? If you live in the United State but are somehow able to get by comfortably without the assistance of third-world labor, I commend you. But I suspect that you, like the rest of us, live a lifestyle subsidized by 6 or 7 Asian slaves (as estimated by economist Peter Schiff).
Didn’t you say over at the “we’ve been outed” string that your “last post” was last night miteeeman?
OK then, see you tomorrow….
I do agree with Betty that some substantive strings about the issues would be welcome
I am scratching my head over Sbells comment to it deserves to be said. The post is talking about the senseless killing of well over 100,000 private citizens and the response is about how many slaves each of us have? Keep on counting!
Ohhhhh nooooooo Lauren Beaukelman. Oh no. Do you care about the caliber of people running for public office? Apparently not. ” not merely just Mr. Hoekstra’s campaign or political views, but the man himself.” So you weren’t at all concerned about Bush alleged cocaine use? Clinton’s confirmed use of marijuana? Speculation that Obama had ties to terrorism? Please, get real. A person’s character has everything to do with their ability to diligently discharge the duties of an elected office. How is purchasing a web domain clever? You make it sound as though the author of this website is scheming against Ole’ Pete, when all he is doing is bringing information to light. So what if it’s slanted one way or another; it’s media in the 21st century, it’s biased, get over it. You make it sound as though Mr. Padnos has violated some sacred trust. As much as you may love Hoekstra, you can’t deny that “dropping the ball” doesn’t even do justice to the fact that his campaign didn’t purchase the domain. What an idiot. What do you mean by “open and upfront?” I think authoring a web page for the entire population of this galaxy to read is about as open and upfront as it gets. The author certainly isn’t doing anything subversive here. I’m sorry that you may be from small town Holland where everyone touts the same party line, buys their French bread from the same bakery, goes to church on Sunday morning, and hangs their clothes to dry in the fresh spring air, but this is politics – and, on the author’s part, very very good politics. I don’t know what Mr. Padnos’ family dynamic is like. I can, however, assure that if I were in his shoes, I’d be lauded by my family for my beliefs and willingness to express them – regardless of the backlash. It’s not at all your place, “Lauren” to have sympathy. Let your self righteousness go. And don’t be so naive to think anyone wants to make a website about you.