I’m Joe Jock, the Green Party of Michigan candidate for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District. I’m a working-class Michigander, a father, and an ordinary citizen who believes our government has become far too disconnected from the people it is supposed to represent.

I’m not a career politician, and I’m not running to become one. I’m running because I believe we need people in government who are willing to question systems that aren’t working rather than simply accepting them because “that’s the way it’s always been done.”

As a citizen selectionist, I believe we need to fundamentally rethink how Americans are represented in government and remove money and special interests from the process. My priorities include universal healthcare, workers’ rights and worker ownership, family court reform, protecting our privacy from mass surveillance and data collection, safeguarding Michigan’s environment, and ensuring that government serves people rather than corporations and wealthy donors.

Ballotpedia survey responses

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Get Money Out of Politics

As a citizen selectionist, I believe representatives should ultimately be chosen through a transparent, honest lottery system rather than expensive electoral contests. Elections, by their very nature, are designed to cost money, creating a system where access to wealth and wealthy donors can determine who has the opportunity to represent us.

If we are serious about getting money out of politics, we need to address the system that makes money necessary to compete in the first place. Government should be representative of ordinary citizens, not simply those who can raise the most money or attract the wealthiest donors.

Family Court Reform and Equal Parental Rights

Our family-court system requires fundamental reform. Federal funding structures can create financial incentives for states tied to the establishment and enforcement of child-support obligations. I believe we need to examine whether those incentives influence a system that should be making decisions based solely on the best interests of children.

Taxpayers spend billions of dollars supporting child-support enforcement and related systems. Families deserve transparency about where that money goes, what incentives it creates, and whether those incentives actually produce better outcomes for children.

No Foreign Government or Lobby Should Buy U.S. Policy

I oppose the influence of foreign-government-aligned lobbying organizations, including AIPAC, on American elections and foreign policy.

I support ending unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel and believe American foreign policy should prioritize diplomacy, human rights, international law, and the needs of Americans at home.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Civil liberties, privacy, healthcare, environmentalism, and independent representation for Western Michigan