It has apparently become acceptable to treat politics as trivia, or its equivalent, sports. What a revolting development.
In sports it is reasonable to think that each team is giving its best, and that all the competitors are working toward a singular goal - victory. While we might be critical of a team's performance, or a single player's ability to execute the play, we never question their intention and desire to win.
In politics, it is a mistake to think that when issues and personalities clash, everyone is acting with the same basic set of good intentions.
And when a neighbor or relative tells us they simply don't care about sports, we rarely make an issue of it. As much as we might enjoy playing or watching amateur, college, or professional sports, we would never demand or expect that everyone share our enthusiasms.
Far too many of us treat government in the same way we treat sports. Too many of us consider politics and government as irrelevant to our lives in much the same way that curling or rugby are to the vast majority on this planet.
A friend of mine insists that a refusal to get involved in "politics" is both immoral and illogical. He says it's immoral to sit on the sidelines and watch while harm is done and illogical to blissfully pay taxes without demanding accountability and responsible government.
Cattle farmers rarely give money to PETA. 21st Century conservatives rarely donate to the ACLU. Jews don't support the Klan, and Tony Stewart fans don't buy Jeff Gordon merchandise.
So why do ordinarily sensible people abdicate their rights to self-government out of boredom or disgust while still sending in their tax payments?
The mission of this blog is to assert the lunacy of such a stance. Government, in particular city government, is not sports. It is not trivia. It is not a TV show. It is important and it is critical that we each become involved.
We are about to experience a city election that is shaping up to have the lowest level of participation in history. A good argument can be made that this is hunky-dory with the candidates. It certainly makes it easier to keep the good old boys club closed when most of the people couldn't care less who gets elected.
Over the next few years, in whatever small way we can rid New Albany of the attitude that politics is for "sleazy people," we will. By shadowing the votes of the incoming city council, we hope to demonstrate how "who" we elect affects our lives.
At a time when buffoons range all around us declaring that our property tax levies are too high - when those buffoons know that there is no objective reality to their claim - it is more important than ever to speak the truth. For so long as the buffoons believe they can get away with their diversionary and divisive untruths, we're in the drink. An educated voting public won't fall for such flim-flammery. It's our job to educate that voting public in time for the 2011 elections.
Don't give up on 2007. It will be important to elect the best in order to offset the damage we are sure to suffer during the next four years. We surely don't want to spend the better part of the next decade repairing that damage. Think of the few bright lights running for city council this year as our preventive maintenance. It will take a strong majority in 2011 to right the ship, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't recruit (elect) some people to keep bailing.
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4 comments:
I wish you luck. When we have governing officials who reschedule a council meeting on the same night as a public Q & A for the mayor of New Albany, you are going to need luck as well as perseverance.
I'll accept those as good wishes. I note that you "pay attention." Ever thought about "shadowing" a council member, 2008-2011?
This council is irrelevant. Anything they do is tainted and can be reversed by the next council, so I'm turning my attention to next year.
"pay attention", nicest thing ever said about my blogging. Thanks.
As for your question, the "shadow" concept is new, at least for New Albany. So no, I have not thought about it but do find it interesting. Probably not knowledgeable enough to be effective for your group.
I think you're being too modest. I've watched you comments and it is clear that you are a keen observer. Haven't you also been a pretty regular attendee at council meetings?
And are you saying the sitting council is "knowledgeable?"
Pick a councilman - yours or another or an at large - and document his or her votes and then tell us how you would have handled the issue. You may not be able to set the agenda, but you can certainly critique it.
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