posted on March 11, 2002 12:16:35 PM new
With all the bull manure in the current political climate, you'd think we could grow a crop of political candidates with strong stems, healthy branches, and an occasional flowery speech. But are we reaping what we sow? Gaudy flowers unable to withstand a cold blast...showy fluff that wilts in the sun. Appearance over substance? What are we doing wrong? Do we no longer feel the need to weed out the weakest seeds? Are we willing to accept any sprout that pops up? (My apologies - I've been out in the yard planting galium for my May wine.)
I used to follow local politics closely, but became disenchanted after watching people attend meetings, listening to candidates speak, and then voting for the bozo they wouldn't even consider hiring to wash their cars instead of an educated,responsible person. I live in an area that has an abundance of educated people experienced in running government and private organizations, but most of them wouldn't consider running for office. My own husband has been approached to run for county supervisor but wouldn't consider it. He's a guy who is a good mediator and has experience as an elected member of a local board, but he's sick of dealing with people. We people,afterall, have the reputation of being selfish crackpots. Can we blame regular informed folks for not wanting to deal with us? Heck, all too many people try to get out of one of the simplest, more interesting civic duties - jury duty.
posted on March 11, 2002 01:26:45 PM new
Good question.
I think politics has become so partisan that it's hard for anyone of good will to get anything done. Look at the aggravation and ill will a president like Jimmy Carter had to put up with. A good man, intelligent, with ideals corresponding to what we think of as America's best. He was pilloried.
Now, politicians have to appeal to the lowest common denominator to be elected. Is it any wonder few of our best minds want to do that? Not to mention the scrutiny they undergo. You have the right to an informed opinion -Harlan Ellison
posted on March 11, 2002 10:41:33 PM new
Ultimately the responsibility for what we get rests with us, the people. But it takes a great deal of work to try to cut through a marketting onslaught of the sort that is commonplace in this country today. The easier path lies in playing a sort of follow the leader game by chosing as leader the most widely popular, the most amusing, or the most attractive.
Many of the greatest minds that this country has produced could never be elected today. Not just the greatest minds in a general sense but those who entered the political sphere in the past could not gain much support now. Do such people live amongst us? Yes, but I doubt that many in the populace would recognise one like those who did try today.
Abraham Lincoln wouldn't make the primaries. Neither would any of the founding fathers. The list is quite long of past proven greats who wouldn't stand a chance today. They were serious men mindful of their responsibility to devote themselves to the good of the people.
Is it because so few pay attention or listen at all? Because the majority of the populace wants mostly to be amused? Consider that there was an apparently serious consideration of Jesse Ventura for president right here in this forum. Have the American people become frivolous? I don't see how anyone could think otherwise.
No one has to vote for either of the choices presented, but most do vote for one or the other-so many do that to vote for an alternative is wasted or as in the case of those votes which recently went to Ralph Nader, harmful.
posted on March 12, 2002 12:29:48 PM new
I suppose I offered up this rant because in about ten days I'll have to watch citizens in action again. For a little background info:
My subdivision was developed in the late '40s. The developer charged residents $1 per year per lot for road maintenance. The property was mainly developed as summer homes for DC residents and the gravel roads were bladed twice a year.
In the '50s new county wide zoning ordinances put a virtual halt to any further development and the developer stopped maintaining the roads and "gave" them to the residents. Thing is, the residents never accepted them. Some formal, but mainly informal,agreements were implemented over the years by residents on various roads in order to maintain them at a passable condition. Usually what followed was that a road would have twenty or so houses on it. Only about ten or twelve residents would ever agree to contribute for road maintenance no matter how committeees were organized. Another two or three residents would contribute every few years. Some of the ten or twelve payers would only pay half the amount that the group had agreed on because "Joe Blow down the road has more kids and cars and creates more wear on the roads than I do." The rest would thumb their noses at the group of payers and ride for free. The group had no recourse against the freeloaders.
About ten years ago the payers got fed up and after two well organized public meetings (in which the civic association board which proposed the change got voted out)fifty citizens petitioned the court to create a taxing district for road maintenance. The local judges were well aware of the community's problem since some have homes here and the court created the district. A supplemental tax was added to the real estate tax bill.
This created a big brouhaha because the freeloaders hadn't bothered to follow the court hearing. More havoc followed when the county board appointed an advisory committee to make recommendations on the tax and maintenance schedule. When appointments were considered for the committee, questions of who had made financial contributions for road maintenance in the past and who was delinquent in his/her property taxes arose.
The tax rate chosen was the lowest suggested by the county and hasn't been raised in ten years. The roads are a mixture - some have many houses, some only a couple; some are level and others have steep, hard to maintain hills; some have been well maintained for years and others rarely touched. A tremendous snow storm/ice storm hit the first winter and caused expensive repairs to be made to several roads to make them passable.
Last year in order to create a more permanent solution to the problem, two roads were paved. These roads were relatively flat and easy to pave.Now the civic association is calling a meeting to decide whether to pave all the primary and secondary roads. The association would like to pave the roads this year and pay for the work through an increased tax (the repayment schedule to be considered at another meeting if the majority agree to the paving). So far the opposition that I've heard comes from the people who have already had their roads paved. They want no increase but prefer to have the roads paved as extra money is available in the present budget. They don't seem to realize that some roads got less maintenance last year because their roads were paved. (Some roads will take a substantial amount of money to fix because there are several steep hills which will probably necessitate guard rails as well. Most of the past deadbeats live on these roads and have a history of squawking about every little thing now that they have to contribute.)
The upcoming meeting should be a doozie! Oh yeah, the civic association will allow no absentee ballots for the big vote. And we wonder why no one wants to run for office. This is a community of about six hundred homes. Can you imagine wanting to deal with a congressional district. The whiners, vandals, and petty despots are only compounded.
posted on March 12, 2002 05:36:05 PM new
The problem with growing a better crop of politicans is that you have to concider the mentality of the type of person who applies for the job. Since radio first appeared in Congress and in the White House, every damned primadonna has come out of the wood works and wants to be on the radio, TV, or print. I say we change the laws so that the politican is never seen from or directly heard from - except through personal letters. Instead, let the media focus on their voting record and discuss in-depth the politican's latest Pork Projects and see if the ameerican people feel that it is a real benefit or a hand-out to the rich. That would push out 80% or so of the existing politicians.
Next, you make poltics and involving oneself into actual politics important. You do this by bringing up a new generation that focuses on the process on how to make the government work for them, instead of the politicans.
For young people, aged 17 or 18, we should give them a mandantory choice: either 2 years in the army; 2 years in the police force; or 2 years of being a volunteer aid worker overseas. Otherwise, they can never obtain their Majority status and have the vote.
Make achievement in education something for kids to be proud of instead of ashamed of.
