CAN WE DISCUSS "VOTING"?

DEAR VOTER:

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?! YOUR VOTE SHOULD HAVE SOME VALID REASON FOR CASTING THAT VOTE. BUT I SEE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE HITTING THE SAME OLD SLOT FOR SOMEONE WHO’S ACTUALLY BEEN IN OFFICE SO LONG ITS BECOME A THRONE OF OFFICE.

WHEN I PREPARE TO VOTE I LISTEN TO THE MESSAGE BEING GIVEN. IF IT DOESN’T HIT ITS MARK, I USUALLY CONSULT WITH A PROMISING CANDIDATE AND STEER THEM IN THE PROPER DIRECTION.

BE THEY AN ENCUMBANT OR CANDIDATE, ONE MUST DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN A VIABLE PERSON TO FILL THAT OFFICE, AT WHATEVER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, MOST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THE LOWER LEVEL THE OFFICE IS, THE FASTER ACTION IMPACTS YOU. SO, THE UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE PEOPLE I USUALLY TURN OFF ARE THOSE WHO TELL ME WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY, NOT WHAT I WANT TO HEAR. THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE WAY TOO LONG. OR WHAT I CALL DINOSAURS.

SINCE THIS ELECTION IS NON-PARTISAN, WHY ALL THE FUSS ABOUT ENDORSEMENT? NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT BOTH PRIMARY PARTIES ARE SO OUT OF TOUCH THEY COULDN’T FIND THEIR ASSES IF THEY SAT ON BOTH HANDS. NOT TO MENTION IT’S ALL A POPULARITY CONTEST, WHEN IT COMES TO PARTY ENDORSEMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ENCUMBANTS.

I’D ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY DISMAY WHEN IT COMES TO USING YOUR OFFICE AS A TOOL OF OPPRESSION WHEN IT COMES TO ANYONE RUNNING AGAINST YOU. THIS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, NEVER SEEMS TO GET ANY PRESS. AND IT ISN’T JUST ONE OR TWO CANDIDATES.

WHEN I SPOKE OF THRONE OF OFFICE, I THINK IT’LL BECOME APPARENT WHEN FEDERAL ACTION IS TAKEN AGAINST THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE ABOVE THE LAW. AND THE LIST SEEMS TO BE GETTING BIGGER AND VERY SERIOUS.

I HAVE THREE CATEGORIES FOR A CANDIDATE. ONE IS JUST “CANDIDATE”, THE NEXT IS “VIABLE CANDIDATE”, AND THE FINAL IS “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?’. CANDIDATE IS JUST SOMEONE WHO IS RUNNING AND WILL NEVER GET ANYWHERE, FOR WHATEVER REASON. THE VIABLE CANDIDATE IS THE ONE WHO RISES TO THE TOP. EITHER BY MESSAGE, AFFECT, OR ABILITY TO INTERACT ON VARIOUS FRONTS. I THINK THE FINAL CATEGORY IS SELF EXPLAINITORY.

SINCE WE ARE HEADED FOR TOUGH TIMES, I THINK SOME HAVE BAILED BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY COULD NEVER HANDLE WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED OF THEM. WHILE OTHERS WILL CONTINUE THE SNOW JOB, TO GET ELECTED. USUALLY THESE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL FAIL MISERABLY, AND WE WILL ALL SUFFER AS A RESULT.

AM ALSO NOT PLEASED WITH THOSE WHO THINK THEIR JOB IS DYNASTIC. THINKING AN OFFSPRING WILL TAKE OVER. A FEW FAMILIES COME TO MIND. BUT I ASK YOU, DOES BEING A RELATIVE QUALIFY YOU FOR THE JOB?

AS FOR QUALIFICATIONS, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT A POSSIBLE CANDIDATE WILL BRING TO THE TABLE. WITH SOME OF THOSE IN OFFICE I CAN ONLY SAY, STOOPIDITY IS CUREABLE, UNLESS IT’S GENETIC. BUT, WATCHING PUBLIC ACCESS TV I’VE SEEN WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO THINK ABOUT GOING OUT TO PASTURE. EITHER BECAUSE OF THEIR INABILITY TO COMPREHEND WHAT IS GOING ON, IT BECOMES A PERSONAL THANG, OR AGE HAS BECOME A SERIOUS ISSUE.

AS AN ADVOCATE I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THAT STAFF AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES ARE WHAT MAKES AN ELECTED OFFICIAL GOOD. AND THAT GOES FOR EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. SELDOM DO I WORK WITH AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, WHEN STAFF IS PAID TO DO THE ACTUAL WORK. BUT I’M NOT ABOVE CONVEYING A MESSAGE VIA A SPOUSE.

AS SOMEONE BORN WITH DUEL CITIZENSHIP, I FIND “YOUR” WAY OF DOING THINGS, POLITICALLY, ON THE DUMB SIDE. ALTHOUGH TRIBAL ELECTIONS ARE USUALLY BIASED BY FAMILY AFFILLIATIONS, AT LEAST WE CAN FORM COLLABORATIONS TO CURE THE PROBLEM. YOU ARE STUCK WITH WHAT YOU DID UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION.

IN CITY COUNCIL AND PARK BOARD ELECTIONS I CAN SEE 12 NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE BEING ELECTED. MAYBE 4 PARK BOARD COMMISSIONERS…

MALCOLM <>((:-)
INDEPENDENT ADVOCATE