Bill Zoyes Jr.

Green Party Candidate for Oakland County Commissioner (District 24)

I began my involvement in politics during my tenure at Michigan State. I was working part time for the Democrats in Lansing and East Lansing, while obtaining my Bachelors in Philosophy.

The Democrats, for the most part, had been fairly progressive. We passed some local gay-friendly partners benefits legislation, and registered the always growing flock of new students every year to vote. Year in and year out the local activists would work hard and build the liberal wing of the Michigan Democratic Party.

But along with this, we: of peace and justice, gay rights, labor, disenfranchised, all had to sit back and watch as the Democrats started looking more and more like the Republicans. This merger is continuing today. As the two millionaire parties come closer and closer towards one another, consider this: it is time to whack the political system!

Locally, my campaign for Oakland County Commissioner (district 24) in Madison Heights and S. E. Royal Oak will focus on:

• greater access to bus routes, east and westbound bus routes where there are none

• use of existing buildings and structures first

• limiting sprawl and the paving over of our county

• better communication with surrounding counties for traffic flow

When November comes, I will initiate a grass-roots fund-raiser for local river clean-ups.

America is too big for two parties!

Vote Green and make a difference.

Bill Zoyes Jr.
Send an e-mail
or phone: 248-542-5495

If you would like to make a donation, make checks payable to:
Committee to Elect Bill Zoyes Jr.
87 E. Brockton Avenue
Madison Heights, MI 48071

Bill Zoyes Speech at Nader Rally, Labor Day 2000, Detroit

Good afternoon everyone, I am Bill Zoyes, Jr. and I seek the office of Oakland County Commissioner in Madison Heights and S.E. Royal Oak. I stand on the Green Party Platform. I agree with Mr. Nader’s recent article in the Rolling Stone magazine in which he indicated just such sentiments as I mentioned above. The issues facing Americans today are far more complex and overwhelming than in the past. There is definitely more than ONE issue.

If you elect me to the office of County Commissioner I will serve our entire community by focusing on the issues. To name just a few:

• Supporting local efforts to establish a living wage

• Fight for better and wider application of mass transit

• Re-utilization of existing structures in our area to continue towards a sustainable environment

• Mobilize additional community efforts to clean up the Great Lakes and improve the ecology of our watersheds for clean water not only today but for our future.

As each of you look at me, I know you’re wondering, "Who is he and what does he stand for?" I want you to know that I stand for the belief in our Constitution and for the pillars of the Green Party. I stand for the possibility that everyone was created equal, deserves a voice and deserves to live unafraid, unfettered and without limits.

I want to share with you a story about a friend of mine who works for $10 hour, has a $500/month rent payment, a $200 /month car payment (excluding gas, insurance, repairs, etc.) - (Do the math.) Many of you too, live this everyday. Pay check to pay check making many hard choices. And you, like my friend, are taken advantage of by not being provided health insurance or living wage or the tools to live successfully.

Picture this, how would my friend choose between going to the Doctor, paying rent or adding gas to her car to go to work? How often has she had to drive on bad tires or not eat in order to sustain herself? Wouldn’t a better mass transit system help her? Wouldn’t a living wage help her? Wouldn’t Universal Health Care help her?

She gives back to her community and yet what does her community give to her?

I know all of you agree with me that this is unacceptable.

Let’s go out and fight for what we know is right.

Let us go out and sacrifice a little of the food on our table, money in our pocket, jet skis and picnics to help our humanity.

Let’s go out and find a way to give back -

Let’s go out and rebuild relationships -

Let’s go out and rebuild our communities -

Let’s go out and rebuild our connection to each other -

Together.