The endorsement season from every self important group in town that wants to portray the opinion of a person or two as worth following is starting. The CCO as always will not make any endorsements because we want people to think for themselves and vote according to who will propose and push for good public policy. We therefore encourage each and everyone of our readers to IGNORE POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS.
Voting is a privilege that we have long taken for granted. It has become subject to the indifference of our entitlement rather than being subject to the scrutiny of our responsibility. The significant work for this next election will not be accomplished by the candidates, or at least it’s not supposed to be. The most important and essential work for the next election will be accomplished by the electorate, the voter…you and me.
We tend to believe that we will go into the voter’s booth, push a button or two, and magically, our candidate, whoever they may be, will be elected to office. When, in fact, the real work should be taking place right now, in the privacy of our homes, as we do the research necessary to make the best possible decision. The alternative is that we continue to spend months on end being dirtied by political mudslinging while we sit on the sidelines and let the candidates “fight it out”. Political campaigns have become sport and we have become avid spectators. And, this is what we call democracy?
Political campaigning has become a sideshow, of sorts, designed to distract us from the work we need to do to put forth an honest vote. Candidates for public office, Presidential or otherwise, should not be sold to us like exercise equipment on a midnight infomercial. We have to choose who our personal candidate will be, not told who they will be. Voting is as much an exercise of freewill as anything. Rights come with responsibilities. We, then, need to be responsible in how we make the decision. In order to exercise our right to vote, it is incumbent upon us to turn away from the glitz and glamour of the political “red carpet” back to the organic nature of true democratic process. We are too far afield of the essence of the democracy, and have become far too enamored with the fame and celebrity overshadowing the candidates.
Exercising your right to vote consists of 4 essential steps:
1. Knowledge of the candidates. Who they are. Why they’re running. What they stand for.
2. Understanding of your personal values. What you believe and why.
3. Diligence: Which candidate has most closely demonstrated that he or she values what you value. (Tip: This decision should not be party-based, it should be value-based.)
4. Vote using the information you acquired in completing steps 1-3 above.
What we know today as democratic process is long overdue for an overhaul. Voting is a private decision albeit one that has public rewards or consequences, or both. Our individual votes determine who will decide how we will live as a nation and what our position in the world will be. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly or left up to someone else to make on our behalf because ultimately, the choice is ours and we will be held accountable for it.
We have minds of our own we need to use them to make the right decisions. We must stop the cycle of being influenced by another person’s world view. Each of us has or at least should have a view of the state of Evansville, and therefore, each of us also has the responsibility of doing some heavy lifting, pitting value to value, between now and the next election. We have the inherent capacity of being able to make informed decisions and we need to use it. We don’t need endorsements, expensive campaign “war chests”, special interests, or any such thing.
When you step into the voting booth, it should be simply you and your candidate. The only voice in your head needs to be one telling you that you can confidently vote for the candidate that you believe will, based on your own due diligence, best fulfill the spiritual, intellectual, ethical, and physical demands that will be required to execute the duties of holding office. It’s your voice and it’s your choice. Choose wisely.
Yea right… “diligence”?
With all the outright media bias, unchallenged lies and manipulative message crafting?
Step three should really state: Evaluate the candidate for Gail Riecken like characteristics.
Then step 4 should allow for rationally sitting out!
What is Political Mudslinging? Is it all negative statements including truths and falsehoods? I think not!
Does the CCO consider their negative stories criticizing Mayor Weinzapel political mudslinging or pointing out bad facts and/or bad policy?
+ Is mudslinging pointing out that Democrat Mayoral Candidate Davis says he will raise taxes as he deems necessary in instead of working with the current money being generated by current taxes?
+ Is mudslinging pointing out the silliness of a key item in Davis jobs program is to hire approximately 50 youths in the summer to work in the parks near minimum wage when the citizens want high paying long term jobs?
+ Is it political mudslinging to point out that Davis’s own Democrat Central Committee does not support him to be our next mayor? They know him best.
+ Is it political mudslinging to point out that at least two current Democrat City Council members who are running for reelection as Democrats do not support Davis to be our next mayor? Wow–that is a big statement.
The truth is most people do not take the time to thoroughly study each candidate’s position as they should. Is it not better to take in all facts,opinions,endorsements etc and then vote for the candidate you believe to be the best rather than randomly select a person with no knowledge about the candidates position?
Please take the time to vote for the city candidate of your choice. You can do it this Monday or almost any day (except Sundays) thorough Nov 8.
Pounding home relevant truths is not mudslinging.
Carrying on whisper campaigns that are misleading and damaging is mudslinging.
Informed voters who know what they want and choose a candidate based on that are the best situation.
I believe that the collective mind of the City of Evansville is more mature than ever.
Vote for change, vote for honesty. …
The Dems don’t like Davis because he did not ask for mark Owens permission to represent the people. That is all the Dems know about Davis because they do not care to know anything else. He will not be their puppet, and for that, he has been treated the way he has. The voters showed their thoughts on Owens and the machine when they sent Tornatta packing after an 18% point loss. It amazes me that Owens and his cronies have continued their behavior. It”s like they don’t care what we, the voters, think. Oh yeah, they don’t.
Excellent post.
You summed it up well.
Not only does Owen & company not care what the voters want/think, they simply can not afford to let Davis get elected, it’s not a matter of not supporting him because they are mad, it’s that they are scared, if Davis is elected all the skeletons buried in the civic center will be dug up…they simply can’t allow that to happen, it’s rapidly becoming apparent that there must be some huge secrets being covered up. Think about it for a minuet….why is there no party unity? why are democrats like Mosby & Robinson openly supporting Winnecke? why didn’t Weinzapfel donate to the Davis campaign but did ask the state dems to support mayors races in the state then get mad when they give Davis money? (is he really that stupid?)
There is much more going on here than just being mad…the dems always pull together for the race regardless of disagreements, but not this year…they are scared…no other explanation.
JMHO
And with a Republican prosecutor in place for the first time in 20 years, they SHOULD be afraid.
Very, very afraid.
If Davis wins, some of those crooks are going to the pokey!
In a Davis administration, “Perps get served!”
BA DA BING!!!! And I hope when Rick Davis is our next mayor, he exposes every skeleton buried and secret told!!! We DESERVE to have a mayor who answers to us!! And knows it!
PINK RICK DAVIS FOR MAYOR!!
Rick is Pink?
I had not thought about that. Very interesting.
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