Mike Calamus will not accept a salary if elected

Mike Calamus, chairman of EKRE USA will not accept a salary if elected to the Estonian Parliament.

*Interviewed by Ave Maria Blithe, Washington DC

“I put up my candidacy, running for congress,” announced my good friend and Estonian Conservative People’s Party USA division chairman Mike Calamus.
This was a bit of a surprise but knowing Mike, it also meant that he is not entering this race lightly.
Everything that he does is always well thought out, investment to risk ratio calculated and a precise action plan formulated.
It is no wonder that his company Calamus Enterprises specializes in commercial kitchen cleaning and has grown in a relatively short time from a one-man business to an enterprise with branches in six different states.
Mike arrived in the United States ten years ago with only $600 to his name.
But with his 100% dedication, uncompromising work ethic, and keen business sense, he was able to grow a company that does not even need to spend money on advertising.
The quality of his work speaks for itself and flourishes through referrals from happy customers.
The client list is impressive – military bases, international airports, and even The White House. Yes – that White House.

*Mike, as a founder and chairman of EKRE USA, why did you decide to enter Estonian politics?

I have an obligation to the members of our fraction who all wished that I should represent conservative Estonians living abroad.
We all worry about what is currently going on in Estonia – the systematic degradation of traditional family values and replacing native Estonians who have lived on our lands for thousands of years with newcomers from other countries.
Even though I live in America, near Washington DC, I am profoundly perturbed about the future of my homeland Estonia.
I was born and raised in Kuusalu and I studied forestry at university and then worked as an executive in forestry for many years.
The clear-cutting of Estonian forests and selling the timber for pennies is outrageous.
The entire economy of Estonia and the systematic destruction of country life and indigenous cultural traditions by globalist agendas worry me tremendously.
As a business owner, I work 24/7 and our youngest child is only 9 months old. All this would be a great excuse to say that I have no energy to be active with anything else.
But the crisis in Estonia – record inflation, numerous bankruptcies, sky-high energy bills, ignoring the official language laws, global communists destroying our indigenous culture … I can’t just sit idly by without trying to help save Estonia.
When I get elected, I will relocate to Tallinn, so that I can meet with my constituents at least once a month and will represent the interests of those who voted for me.
My company Calamus Enterprises is successful enough that I can lead it virtually from across the Atlantic.

*What is your version of a good politician? 

First of all, I am not a politician. I am a political activist. There is a huge difference.
Second – I find that chosen public officials should first and foremost represent the interests of those that voted for them.
Party politics come second. It is a sacred and fiduciary duty to communicate with your voters even after the elections.
Just as I am in constant communication with EKRE USA members, I shall continue to do so with my constituents.
Professional politicians have grown accustomed to the fact that they can promise anything and everything just to garner votes.
They are not held to their promises. After the elections, they could care less how their voters manage their problems or how to implement any of the grand illusions they promised to get a vote.
Currently, I use Facebook and Twitter as my main means of communication. Of course, most of my time on Facebook is spent in ”jail” for ”violating community standards” as per fact-Fuhrers.
Truth is not politically correct as per Facebook standards.
The overwhelming censorship on social media is precisely what inspired me to start my own platform Eestieest.com – an independent and censor-free portal that quickly attracted thousands of users in America and Estonia.
This non-profit organization is a grass-roots platform, existing solely from voluntary contributions. And as it is registered in the state of Delaware, Estonian censorship laws do not apply.
The United States of America still does have constitutional freedom of speech.

The members of congress and politicians, in general, should not have lifelong mandates. Politics should ideally be driven by a conscience sense of mission to improve the lives of your fellow men.
In the Estonian congress, many members have been sitting on their hindsides for decades, just collecting large salaries and lofty perks but not producing any results in improving the daily lives of their voters.
Some don’t even bother to show up at all. In my opinion, there should be no such profession as a politician.
Becoming a lifelong career politician is a surefire way for corruption to flourish and all initial ideals to wither away.
Active politics needs new ideas that are not beholden to backdoor deals and Machiavellian schemes.

*What can be done to save Estonia from the current catastrophe?

Contrary to popular opinion, all is not lost, even though hopelessness is being broadcasted daily. I believe there IS hope for Estonia.
Step one is to remove all corrupt politicians and oligarchs from power.
The biggest mistake in recent Estonian history was the fact that during regaining independence in 1991 old communists, Soviet army members, and KGB officials were not removed from power.
Many just switched the red hammer and sickle flag on their desk to our national tricolor and all of a sudden became the most ardent patriots.
The idea of an independent Estonian republic still exists only on paper and not in practice.
The Estonian “elite” consists of soviet era party bosses and their cronies who simply took over big factories during the privatization of enterprise, thus becoming millionaires overnight without any legit investments of their own.

*What are your thoughts on Estonia’s s energy crisis?

The so-called ”crisis” is a deliberate machination that served as a ”green restart” to ”save” the planet.
Estonia has enough oil shale to last at least another 100 years to produce very cost-effective and efficient energy.
CO2 quota policies should be ended immediately as they are nothing more than another moneymaking scheme and have no effect on climate.
Energy independence is the very fundamental operating necessity for any country.

*You have mentioned many times that the actual taxation burden for Estonians is 70%. How would you change that? 

A drastic reduction in taxes can be accomplished by eliminating the government’s wasteful spending. A good start would be redirecting 50% of government bureaucrats to the private sector where they can produce something of value and earn their keep, not milking taxpayer money.
Estonia has one of the largest government worker percentages per capita in the world. My contribution would be not drawing a salary when I get voted into congress. I will also decline perks like car subsidies or other benefits.
I am not doing this for money. I volunteer my services because I worry about my homeland. It is unconscionable how more and more Estonians fall into poverty and businesses are forced to go bankrupt.
The insane energy market with criminal racketeering amongst cartels, all with ties to government officials and corrupt legal system.
It is intolerable that pedophile photographers are not impeached from their cushy political positions but they are laughing at the general outrage.
The Estonian so-called ”elite” follows the global NWO playbook and gets rewarded with unimaginable wealth and is immune to legal consequences – the very definition of a deep state.

*What are your main proposals for improving Estonia’s future?

The priority is to change the current law so that only Estonian citizens have the right to vote. That is the very cornerstone of any democratic country.
All foreign nationals hostile towards Estonia’s interests and illegal aliens should be deported immediately.
As of right now, native Estonians are covertly being replaced with “Ukrainian war refugees” who are able-bodied Russian-speaking hordes from Donbas, who wish to live in Tallinn and Narva amongst their ”arch enemies”…
We should once again cherish traditional family values and offer extra incentives to increase our own population.
Unless drastic measures are taken, I fear that these elections might be the last, where native Estonians have a chance to decide their own future in their homeland. Economic collapse is no longer a threat, it is actively unfolding at a frightening speed.

*Not only are you active in Estonian politics but also on this side of the Atlantic. Why? 

I have always been interested in current affairs as it influences our daily lives. One cannot remain passive and just complain. You must stand up for your rights, defend your family and ensure prosperity.
I have networked with many notable American politicians, quizzed them about their methods for success, and learned the whole political process. Most of all, I tried to figure out how to personally make a positive change in our future.
I do not exaggerate when I say that I have met with more prominent United States policymakers here than The Estonian Embassy officials and ambassadors.
For example, I have had the pleasure of meeting the 45th president of the United States Donald Trump quite a few times, most recently at his home in Florida Mar-A-Lago.
The other well-known republicans I have been networking with are Mike Pompeo, Liz Harrington, Kellyanne Conway, Andy Biggs, etc. All these contacts will be invaluable when EKRE can form the next government in Estonia, to further advance cooperation between our two nations.
Donald Trump is running for president again in 2024; the position that he was illegally removed from via widespread voter fraud orchestrated by the deep state.
In addition to running my company and family obligations, I am also enrolled at Montgomery County College, studying criminal justice, and honored to be accepted to Heritage Foundation Academy, which educates future conservative leaders.

Thank you for answering my questions. Best of luck with the upcoming elections!