Looking through the comments and decided to do a complete analysis of the questions people wanted to ask … found similarities that you would find interesting. It is more important to answer questions straight from the people then to put together a canned speech, so I’m going to continue to go through these and provide answers, including the law. 

The following will contains the analysis of the most repeated - TOPICS. The next section is VIEWER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS where I answer specific questions and include what is lawful and a path to address the problem.  

1. TOPICS

Here are the topic groups from all the comments in Dave Bondy’s post on what people would like to ask Michigan Governor candidates, roughly from most to least common:

1. Taxes: the gas tax, property taxes (especially for seniors), the income tax, a pay-per-mile tax, and sales-tax-only or Texas and Tennessee style models

2. Utilities and the MPSC: DTE and Consumers rate hikes, an elected MPSC, and who gets appointed

3. Data centers, solar, and wind: PA 233 repeal, local control, Saline, and groundwater

4. Debate exclusion and third-party candidates: "interview all the candidates"

5. Election integrity: Benson overseeing her own election, voter rolls, and deleted records

6. Campaign money: PACs, AIPAC, Soros, utility donations, and out-of-state money

7. Transparency and audits: a FOIA exemption for the Governor, forensic audits, a DOGE for Michigan, and NDAs

8. Size of government: the first ten cuts, which offices to eliminate, a balanced budget, and the budget's growth

9. Cost of living: auto insurance, no-fault, healthcare, Medicare for All, and groceries

10. Education: falling rankings, reading, homeschooling, school choice, and the Education Freedom Tax Credit

11. Seniors and people with disabilities: fixed incomes, SNAP cuts, and keeping their homes

12. Roads and transportation: where the gas tax money goes, MDOT, and transit

13. Courts and justice: family court, 50/50 parenting, CPS, prisons, and the State Police

14. Environment and outdoors: the Great Lakes, Line 5, the Copperwood Mine, Canadian trash, the DNR and NRC, dams, and public lands

15. Second Amendment and hunting: constitutional carry and the AR-15

16. Surveillance: Flock and ALPR (automatic license plate reader) cameras, and driver monitoring

17. Immigration, religion, and culture: ICE, sanctuary cities, Sharia law, Dearborn, and women's sports

18. Social issues: abortion, IVF, and medical aid in dying

19. Economy and jobs: young people leaving, the minimum wage, small business, and offshoring

20. Accusations against other candidates: Benson and the SPLC, her husband and data centers, Whitmer, James, Hudson, and El-Sayed

21. "Tell us HOW": concrete plans, measurable actions, and no attack ads

22. Gotcha and joke questions: lie detectors, "Who won 2020?", and flat earth

Vote Brandenburg for Governor because I am listening and will work to provide solutions for your questions. 

Viewer Questions and Real Answers:

*Some questions and comments have been combined when they were asking essentially the same question.

A. The Job Itself: How Government Works, the Governor's Role, Priorities

The governor's job is to execute the law faithfully, not to rule by decree, and I'll use every lawful tool to put you back in charge and make the government work for WE the PEOPLE.

Q1. Paul Urben: "Not what they will do but how they will do it — do they understand how government works and the role of the executive?" (Also asked by: Bette Bigsby, "What do you know about the everyday process of being governor; actual duties?")

The governor executes the law. She doesn't write it. Under our Constitution I'd have real tools: The Governor can bring suit against anyone for breaking the law! That’s real accountability. Inherited from the 1908 Constitution: The governor may initiate court proceedings in the name of the state to enforce compliance with any constitutional or legislative mandate, or to restrain violations of any constitutional or legislative power, duty or right by any officer, department or agency of the state or any of its political subdivisions. The Governor, shall be Commander in Chief of the armed forces and may call them out to execute the laws, suppress insurrection and repel invasion.

The Governor proposes the budget (which is required to be balanced) and can line-item veto spending, sign or veto bills. The Governor appoints department heads, and can cancel entire departments. Which sounds like a great way to cut government bloat, and usurpation. The Governor is allowed up to 20 departments – three of the departments are – Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General.

The Governor can reorganize the executive branch, for any reason, and I'm required to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Every day the job means running 20 or less departments, reviewing bills, making appointments and upholding the Constitution. I'll use those tools to audit every department, agency, and dollar spent to cut waste, fraud and abuse. The Governor may disapprove any distinct item or items appropriating money or moneys in any appropriation bill. The Governor, shall be Commander in Chief of the armed forces and may call them out to execute the laws, suppress insurrection and repel invasion. The Governor is part of the State Transportation Commission and Civil Rights Commission.

Background facts: Mich. Const. Art. V §1 (executive power), §2 (reorganization by EO, subject to legislative disapproval within 60 session days), §3/§6 (appointments with Senate advice and consent), §8 (supervise departments; "take care"), §10 (remove officers for misconduct), §12 (commander-in-chief), §14 (pardons), §15 (special sessions), §17 (State of the State), §18 (balanced budget proposal), §19 (line-item veto), §20 (spending cuts when revenue falls short). Art. IV §33 (bill veto). Source: legislature.mi.gov, Constitution Art. V.

Q2. Bob Broda: "What is the proper role of government in society?"

Government protects your rights. It doesn't hand them out, and it doesn't take them away.

Government exists to protect our God-given rights: life, liberty and property. That's it. It isn't there to run your family, your church, your business or your doctor's office. In Michigan we've let an unelected bureaucracy grow until it writes the rules, enforces the rules and judges the rules. That's not a constitutional republic. My job would be to restore separation of powers, shrink government back to its proper role, and return decisions to local communities and families. Equal Protection Clause, Separation of Powers, and Property rights violations are totally out of wack.

Background facts: Platform: Constitutional Republic; Limited Government. Mich. Const. Art. III §2 (separation of powers).

Q3. Karen Kirby: "What is the very first thing they plan to implement?" (Also asked by: Dennis Settlemyre, "What will you do?")

Day one, we open the books. You can't fix what you're not allowed to see.

On day one I order opening the books so that everyone can see what they have done and citizens can do a thorough audit of every penny spent. The action and report will be in real time and sent to the Auditor General (who reports to the Legislature) and will be expected to carry out their duties per article 4 section 53. Article 9 section 23 is not being upheld … they are obstructing citizens from seeing the financial records. They should be publicly posted and updated in real time.

Article 9 Sec. 23. All financial records, accountings, audit reports and other reports of public moneys hall be public records and open to inspection. A statement of all revenues and expenditures of public moneys shall be published and distributed annually, as provided by law

As the Treasurer is one of the mandatory departments under the Governor, I would have the ability to accomplish that.

I will accomplish an independent audit of every state department, and contract, I oversee and post state spending and contracts online, so we know exactly where every dollar goes. The governor has the constitutional power to supervise departments and require information from them, so I don't need anyone's permission to start. Then I send the Legislature my first requests: repeal PA 233 and end the FOIA exemption for the governor and the legislature office. I will also incorporate direct input from WE the PEOPLE … to facilitate communication with every elected official and unelected official. The Executive Branch is there to execute the will of THE PEOPLE.

Background facts: Mich. Const. Art. V §8 (governor may require written information from all executive officers), §10 (inquire into any public office). The Auditor General is a legislative office (Art. IV §53), so the governor can commission executive-branch reviews but doesn't control the Auditor General.

Q4. Nancy Braford: "Any current governor EOs you would eliminate in first days?"

If it wasn't passed by your representatives, it's on the table on day one. If it wasn't passed lawfully and is in conflict with the Organic Constitution it will be nullified. 

I’m in the process of reviewing every executive order still in effect, and any that expanded the bureaucracy beyond what is Constitutionally authorized, or that put mandates on families without a vote, gets rescinded. A governor can undo a predecessor's executive orders with her own. That's executive power used to shrink executive power. 

Background facts: Executive orders are listed at michigan.gov/whitmer (executive orders page) [VERIFY current list]. Reorganization EOs under Art. V §2 have force of law. Platform: end executive overreach.

Q5. Adam Bee: "What legislation would they like to see and what would they veto?"

My veto pen is for new taxes, corporate welfare and anything that tramples your rights.

I'd like to see: repeal of PA 233, FOIA covering the governor and Legislature, a part-time Legislature, independent audits of every agency including financial and contracts. We will ensure honest elections-and cancel all contracts with electronic election systems and bring suit against anyone who has compromised our elections. Also we need iron clad integrity reforms, and real spending cuts. I'll get rid of any unconstitutional tax through the use of nullification. The requires that all laws are red 3 times aloud and I will nullify any law that violates God given rights , ensured by the Constitution (Because they have never read any laws in the Legislature aloud.) I will veto any corporate giveaway, any bill that weakens the First or Second Amendment, and any budget that spends more than we take in. If it’s not in compliance with Article 4 Section 26 – it is illegal and it gets Nullified.

Sec. 26. No bill shall be passed or become a law at any regular session of the legislature until it has been printed or reproduced and in the possession of each house for at least five days. Every bill shall be read three times in each house before the final passage thereof. No bill shall become a law without the concurrence of a majority of the members elected to and serving in each house. On the final passage of bills, the votes and names of the members voting thereon shall be entered in the journal

Background facts: Line-item veto: Mich. Const. Art. V §19. Platform: Accountable Government; Part-Time Legislature; Limited Government. 

Q6. Mark J Hudson: "Vision for Michigan for the next 6 years as governor?"

Four years to give Michigan back to the people who live here. Big changes starting day one and I will publish a step by step plan giving WE the PEOPLE time to input their wishes ...aligning with what is constitutionally allowed. 

Quick Correction: A governor's term is four years. Here's my vision for those four. Get the government out of our lives and if it is here hold them accountable to make sure it is managing the State as a trust contract FOR the Citizens.

I will uphold a Michigan where government is limited - smaller, honest and transparent; where families keep more of what they earn (cut taxes and spending.) where local communities decide what’s best for their community (as they are constrained by the Constitution) without top down interference by the state. Where every legal vote counts and everyone trusts the result; and where our kids can have a real classical education:(reading, writing and arithmetic, accessible education of the choice of parents and students, including an increase in trades and apprenticeships.) All education accomplishing a return an investment so people can afford to stay here. Every agency audited, every contract posted, every outcome tracked. Return to small business over large multi-national corporations by cutting corporate welfare  ... see that anti-trust is  enforced. The collectivism of Multi-national corporations is a threat to national security and state sovereignty.

Background facts: Mich. Const. Art. V §21 (four-year term), §30 (two-term limit).

Q7. Jak Knight: "Why are there 3 things Americans want universally and nothing gets passed?"

Nothing gets passed because the people paying for campaigns like it that way. Let's change who they answer to.

Because the system rewards the people who fund campaigns, not the people who vote. Lobbyists, full-time politicians and corporate cartels like gridlock when it protects them. That's why I want a part-time Legislature where lawmakers live and work at home, lend lobbying, and complete transparency, so you can see who's blocking what. Sunlight breaks gridlock.

Background facts: Platform: Part-Time Legislature; limit lobbyist influence.

Q8. Gina Dailey: "What are you going to do and will you stick to it?" (Also asked by: Ickk Johnson, "Will they do more than empty promises?"; Grump Gardeners and Sheryl Smith, "no law requires politicians to keep promises")

Trust is Earned … It has to be earned with every action. We need to work together. Communicate with me. Be my best guide and consultant to find the best solutions.

Part of my work is designing systems which includes real time efficiency and communication.  Smart devices should have access to instant access to get things done, access reports, communicate and help hold people and processes accountable.

The State of Michigan has  real problem with engineered obstruction – keeping WE the PEOPLE deliberately in the dark.  Excluding the Governor’s office and the Legislature from FOIA? Outrageous – and has to be abolished immediately! Real time access and reporting by everyone makes it impossible to hide accountability.  
Integrity determines Outcomes
As I started out the day thinking about the questions people ask of anyone seeking office, one keeps rising to the surface … campaign promises.
I will not make promises about outcomes. We are on a battlefield of variables, much entrenched resistance by those who don’t want their criminal system to change.
Further, a Biblical perspective on making promises. 
James 4:15:
Scripture tells us not to swear by anything, but to let our yes be yes and our no be no (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12). It also warns us not to boast about tomorrow, because we don’t know what tomorrow holds. Instead we should say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’ (James 4:13–15). So I hold myself to a higher standard than a promise: the same conduct, the same motives, and the same convictions every day, whether anyone is watching or not. You don’t have to take my word for what I’ll do someday. Look at what I’ve always done. I’ve never taken a dime from PACs, lobbyists, or corporations. I’ve stood against new taxes, corporate welfare, and utility monopolies running the Capitol. Lord willing, as governor I’ll keep doing exactly what I’m doing now. Judge me by my record, not my rhetoric.

Outcomes will be determined by effectiveness in uniting “We the People”, how fast I can tear down their protection racket, and how many honest people will step up to fill positions. 

What I will promise is specific, and non-negotiable:
• I will serve with integrity, honor, and honesty, and with transparency before God and before the people of Michigan.
• I will listen to the people … no favor for lobbyists, not big-money donors, not special interests, and not foreign governments. 
• I will take the oath to the Constitution seriously and uphold it to the best of my abilities. I will not treat it as ceremonial language.
• I will give no favor in appointments, contracts, or policy to those who seek special treatment. Decisions will not be for sale.
• I will support bringing charges and accountability against those who break their oath to the Constitution or violate the public trust.
• I will accomplish an unbiased, open evaluation of the state budget, the courts, and legislation that claims the force of law. If it does not stand on constitutional ground, it should not stand. I will nullify. 
• I will not quit. The work is hard and the opposition is real; that does not change the commitment.
• I will serve We the People … not a defective administrative system, not corporate interests that treat citizens as revenue sources, and not any other “master.” The proper posture of government is quiet servitude to the people, not the reverse. I will work, to the best of my ability, to move Michigan away from being managed as a revenue generator and toward that posture of service.

Additional commitments that follow from the same principles:
• Full transparency: schedules, major meetings, contracts, and decision rationales will be public by default.
• No backroom deals. Significant policy and spending choices will be explained in plain language so citizens can evaluate them.
• Merit and competence over connections in appointments and contracts.
• Open access: regular, unfiltered opportunities for citizens … not just organized interests … to be heard and answered.
• Defense of the constitutional limits that protect the people from government overreach, at every level.
What I can promise is the character of the effort and the direction of the work: honest, constitutional, accountable to the people, and unwilling to be captured by the interests that already have more than enough influence.

Standing together is not a slogan. It is the only realistic path. If that is the path the people of Michigan are willing to take, then the work can begin in earnest. I am ready to do my part. The rest is up to us … self governance. 

Q9. David Eastep: "Why can't we live in Michigan instead of survive?"

Michigan families aren't failing. Lansing is failing them, and that's fixable.

Because we are at an 85% tax rate and the politicians/political industrial complex amounts to “for profit” agents of the multinational corporations. ! WE are funding government grifter’s pet projects and unjust enrichment of the political industrial complex. Government takes too much and gives nothing back. Property taxes, income tax, gas tax, utility bills from monopolies that keep getting rate hikes approved, and insurance costs all hit the same family budget. My plan goes after every one of those: cut state spending nullify unconstitutional taxation (including direct federal income tax, state personal income tax and property tax,) break up the energy monopolies, enforce anti-trust against multi-national corporations ability to kill small American businesses, appoint regulators who answer to you, and get Lansing out of the way of small businesses. When people keep their own money, they live instead of survive.

Background facts: Platform: Limited Government & Tax Reform; Affordable Utilities; Economic Growth.

B. Ethics, Transparency, FOIA, Corruption, Money in Politics

Q10. Deb Duranseau: "Will they sign papers agreeing to a financial audit of family members including themselves every 6 months?"

How about we up the accountability and I do a daily update ...similar to what I have done on Brandenburg News Network, getting the truth out, for over the past 3 years.

First, let me tell you how the cheating really works by giving you an account of how they disguise payment. I was offered millions, billions, and anything I asked for. I told them to shove it up their a%#..."I don't want money. It makes people stupid. I want my country back."

They are running an off the record organized crime op. One guy said ...”this is how it works. I own nothing. I have no bank accounts. But I get anything and everything I want paid for.” No records, no way publicly to trace the real money. He said, planes picked him up and he mentioned Davos, Switzerland, etc. He was pretty frustrated with me and would call up cussing me out. I kept him talking for a little while because I wanted to know what he knew. I got as much info as I thought useful as evidence (which is already in investigators hands) and ended the conversation.

The point is they are running the money through non public - untraceable sources. So we need to go after the global crime syndicate – which I believe is in progress. That’s where the real crimes are happening. That’s where they are laundering the big money. They run it through foreign nations and it goes right back into their foreign bank accounts. It doesn’t show up on a tax return. They file LLC’s along with their Non-profits and trade the money back and forth so they never have to pay taxes and it doesn’t show up on a public records. Further, taking a public office is a job. The family members are not responsible for someone in their families decisions and have not consented to be included. That is a distraction to keep people from looking in the right direction to discover the game.

If the books and contracts are opened up and transparent at all times which includes an ethics standard … sunlight is a wonderful disinfectant. Watch the cockroaches attempt to run for the dark and find there is no dark to hide in.

When nobody can hide the money, nobody can make it disappear into their pocket.

Background facts: Proposal 1 (2022) and the Public Officers Financial Disclosure Act (PA 281 of 2023) require annual public disclosure by the governor and other officials, filed via the Michigan Transparency Network. Source: michigan.gov/sos (personal financial disclosure).

Q11. Patrick Warren: "Will you eliminate FOIA exemptions for the Governor's office and executive branch?" (Also asked by: Gary Beckert, "Support FOIA for all elected officials including the governor?"; Wendy Taylor Albers, "Sign an EO allowing the people to FOIA the governor's office?"; Matthew A Needham, "Transparency without requiring subpoenas?")

My office will be open to FOIA from day one, law or no law.

Yes. Michigan is one of only two states where the governor's office and the Legislature are exempt from FOIA. That's indefensible. I'll write an Executive Order for the entire executive branch to end the exemption including the my own office, the governors office. There is no single government office handling FOIA. I will issue an EO Directing all departments to forward all public FOIA requests and responses to a public database, to be published for increased transparency and accountability in the FOIA process.

Now the Legislature has it’s own problem. But they should all be prosecuted for violating 18 US Code 2393 and 2381 - There are 2 bills in process which the House Committee on Government Operations appears to be stalling out the process. The 2 bills are tie barred (they have to pass together.) Senate bill 1 and 2 of 2025 – primarily only changes a bunch of definitions. These are pretty weak. The FOIA law appears to have illegally passed. So we have some recourse. And I will be very public about the indefensible behavior of the legislature, hiding behind a process appearing to protect themselves. If they are doing the right things...they have no reason to hide their actions,

Background facts: Michigan and Massachusetts are commonly cited as the two states exempting the governor and Legislature [VERIFY Massachusetts]. HB 6299/6300 (2026) would extend FOIA to both and are pending in House Government Operations. Earlier Senate bills (SB 1/2 of 2025) also sought this. Sources: LegiScan HB 6299; legislature.mi.gov HB 6300; SFA analysis of SB 1 & 2.

Q12. Tracie Eastman Schneider: "Will they put their hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth on every question?"

Yes. And I'd tell you the truth without it.

Yes, gladly. However, I'll tell the truth whether my hand is on the Bible or not. That's how I was raised, and it's how I'll govern. The Bible itself says not to swear, but let your yes be yes and your no be no. James 5:12 and Matthew 5:37. It comes to personal integrity. There are plenty of people who have sworn on a Bible and have absolutely used it as a manipulation of public trust. The 2 scriptures warn against the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Q13. Michael Flood: "How do politicians go from $250K to $25M net worth in office?"

Public service shouldn't be a get-rich-quick scheme. Open books end that.

Through insider access: contracts, consulting deals, lobbyist favors, and stock trades on information the public doesn't have. My answer is sunlight and consequences: independent audits of every agency, every contract posted online, (Michigan Constitution requires annual public financial disclosures, Article 9 Section 23 – it is a summary and doesn’t include all the records) and real consequences for anyone who abuses public office. When nobody can hide the money, nobody can make it disappear into their pocket.

Background facts: Platform: Accountable Government. .

Q14. Smith Paige: "What will they do about corruption in our state?"

Audit it, post it, prosecute it.

Three things. First, open the books: independent audits of every agency and every contract posted publicly. Second, open the doors: FOIA for the governor's office and immediate public access to records. Third, real consequences: refer waste, fraud and abuse for prosecution and remove and prosecute officials for misconduct, which the Constitution lets a governor do. Corruption survives in the dark.

Background facts: Mich. Const. Art. V §10 (the governor may remove or suspend officers for corrupt conduct). Platform: Accountable Government.

Q15. John Osterhout: "Are they taking any money from foreign lobbies?" (Also asked by: Shara Lyn El and Ian M McHale on AIPAC money)

My only lobby is the people of Michigan.

No. I have taken no money from any lobbies, PACs or dark money ... foreign or otherwise. My campaign finance reports are public for anyone to check. My only lobby open for consulting and direction is WE the PEOPLE ... Lawful Michigan's citizens. Corporate and special interest lobbying should be illegal ... it is bribery. Foreign PACs amount to money laundering through the excuse of dual citizenship and was only made legal in the 60 & 70s. Lot’s of bad law was created around that time and needs to be nullified. They were setting up the demise of the United States procedurally at that time. Look up Afroyim v Rusk. 

Background facts: Foreign nationals are barred from contributing to U.S. campaigns under federal law (52 U.S.C. §30121) [VERIFY applicability to state races]. AIPAC itself is not a PAC and doesn't give directly, but affiliated groups do. 

Q16. Pierce Kindred: "How much raised from Michigan citizens vs PACs, corporations, non-constituents?"

Look it up. It's public, and it's people, not PACs.

I Received a small donation from the US Taxpayers Party of Michigan in 2022. The party has reimbursed me for party expenses like party business cards. But I’ve never charged for my time, only a direct expense reimbursement which was approved by the State Central Committee (oversight.) All other donations were self funded or small donations from friends. It's all public on the state's campaign-finance site. I don’t do fund raising. We need to have all money out of politics. It is a job interview and shouldn’t be a pay to play. The multinational corporations are doing the majority of funding campaigns … which makes politicians effectively agents of the corporations not representative of WE the PEOPLE. It is bribery. That is indefensible and unconstitutional. A side note Win-Red hacked my personal credit card and started making fraudulent donations to candidates I never even heard of. The charges were reversed...but they never removed them and refused to correct the campaign report to remove the fraud. It is under investigation right now and I am working with investigators to provide evidence, specifically Shawn Taylor. Time to bust them!

Background facts: Michigan campaign finance reports are at the Michigan Transparency Network (SOS).

Q17. Brad Williams: "Would like James to hire Johnson to audit our state." (other candidate; pivot)

Auditing every agency is already my plan.

It is illegal to offer positions like Perry Johnson and Mike Cox did - guilty. Independent audits of every state agency are a core part of my platform, done by WE the PEOPLE, and the results go public. There is no such thing as independent auditors. If the entirety of the books are published, and there is an incentive for whistle blowers to find the waste, fraud and corruption leading to prosecutions, we will have the greatest audit that the world has ever seen. BOOM – no where to hide!

Background facts: Platform: independent audits of every state agency. 

Q18. Mike Thole: "Reduce costs and improve education; tax political donations like the lottery?"

We don't need a new tax. We need to know where the old money goes.

I appreciate the creativity, but I won't create a new tax, even on politicians. The better fix for money in politics is full transparency and limits on lobbyist, corporate and foreign influence. And the lottery is a good lesson: by law every dollar of lottery profit already goes to the School Aid Fund, yet people still ask where the money goes. It's not about more revenue. It's about accountability for what we already spend.

Background facts: Lottery profits go to the School Aid Fund by law; FY2025: $1.16B. Source: Auditor General FY2025 Lottery ACFR; Whitmer press release Jan 7, 2026.