Weekly Opinion/Editorial
CANDIDATES ARE COURAGOUS!
By Steve Fair
By Steve Fair
Today filing begins for elective offices in Oklahoma. There will be a number of races that will be decided by the voters in November. Running for public office is not a picnic. It requires a lot of hard work and dedication by the candidates. It requires time and money. Voters expect a great deal from candidates, but what should political candidates expect from the citizens?
First, candidates should expect citizens to be engaged in their government. Pew Research estimates that only 60% of those registered to vote in the U.S. are registered. According to Pew, “Americans who are not registered to vote also are more socially isolated from other people: They're less likely to know people in their neighborhood. They also are more likely to be relatively recent arrivals in their current neighborhoods more than one-in-five (23%) say they have lived in their neighborhood less than a year. People who are not registered to vote also are generally mistrustful of others; just 27% say that most people can be trusted." In Oklahoma, registering to vote is a simple matter. There is no excuse for not registering to vote and casting your ballot. You can pick up the form at the Post Office, local tag agency or at the county election board, complete it and mail it in. If you are not registered, get it done today. Voting is not just your right- it is a privilege and responsibility.
Second, candidates should expect voters to pay attention to the issues. Money and media have always driven politics but in the past twenty-five years that has escalated to new heights. It’s not uncommon to see Oklahoma state legislative candidates now raise and spend six figures to run for an office that pays $38,500 annually. Some blame the big donors, the Political Action Committees, the lobbyists, and special interest groups for the infusion of money into the process, but are they really to blame? The real culprit is the average citizen and/or voter who for a variety of reasons have stopped taking equity in his government. Indifference or only causal knowledge of what is going on in your government leads to “defining” by candidates- both of themselves and their opponents. Elections are now won on popularity and not on issues.
In a survey conducted by Harvard University, one candidate describes campaigning in the 21st century like this. “I've been actively involved in politics for over 19 years now. I've even run for public office. Getting voters to even pay attention to government for 5 minutes is a struggle. Most citizens get their information from either sound bites from the propaganda machine that some people still naively refer to as the media and others get it twisted from others without checking the facts. Dealing with the average voter is like dealing with a dyslexic hyperactive kid on drugs “ In the same survey, a voter says the greatest cause for voter apathy is people feel politicians promise the world and then forget their promises once elected to office. That’s why it’s important to know the facts and not just base your vote on a clever jingle, logo or commercial.
Third, candidates should be able to expect civility from the general public. No matter your party affiliation or political philosophy, candidates must be able to present their message in an atmosphere of civility. If you disagree with a candidate, then politely state you are supporting someone else. If the candidate persists and doesn’t get your initial message, a more firm approach may be necessary. Harassing or berating a candidate because you are supporting their opponent is inappropriate and childish. Candidates have put themselves in the spotlight by running and deserve our respect and admiration- no matter their party affiliation or stance on the issues.
Fourthly, candidates should expect that petty vandalism, harassment, and dirty tricks will not be a part of the political process. Always the work of cowards, this type of action reveal a total lack of respect for the political process as well as serious character flaws in both those that engage and condone such behavior. Spirited, competitive campaigns are a part of the political process, but at the end of the day, candidates and volunteers alike should be able to agree the race was decided on the issues and not swayed by distractions and dirty tricks.
Running for office requires courage and dedication. During the next four months, many candidates will ask you for your vote from the two major political parties. Weigh your decision on which you will vote for carefully. Make your decision on the issues and which candidate best agrees with you on those issues. If the decision is made based on the issues, Republicans will do well. Let the debate begin!
First, candidates should expect citizens to be engaged in their government. Pew Research estimates that only 60% of those registered to vote in the U.S. are registered. According to Pew, “Americans who are not registered to vote also are more socially isolated from other people: They're less likely to know people in their neighborhood. They also are more likely to be relatively recent arrivals in their current neighborhoods more than one-in-five (23%) say they have lived in their neighborhood less than a year. People who are not registered to vote also are generally mistrustful of others; just 27% say that most people can be trusted." In Oklahoma, registering to vote is a simple matter. There is no excuse for not registering to vote and casting your ballot. You can pick up the form at the Post Office, local tag agency or at the county election board, complete it and mail it in. If you are not registered, get it done today. Voting is not just your right- it is a privilege and responsibility.
Second, candidates should expect voters to pay attention to the issues. Money and media have always driven politics but in the past twenty-five years that has escalated to new heights. It’s not uncommon to see Oklahoma state legislative candidates now raise and spend six figures to run for an office that pays $38,500 annually. Some blame the big donors, the Political Action Committees, the lobbyists, and special interest groups for the infusion of money into the process, but are they really to blame? The real culprit is the average citizen and/or voter who for a variety of reasons have stopped taking equity in his government. Indifference or only causal knowledge of what is going on in your government leads to “defining” by candidates- both of themselves and their opponents. Elections are now won on popularity and not on issues.
In a survey conducted by Harvard University, one candidate describes campaigning in the 21st century like this. “I've been actively involved in politics for over 19 years now. I've even run for public office. Getting voters to even pay attention to government for 5 minutes is a struggle. Most citizens get their information from either sound bites from the propaganda machine that some people still naively refer to as the media and others get it twisted from others without checking the facts. Dealing with the average voter is like dealing with a dyslexic hyperactive kid on drugs “ In the same survey, a voter says the greatest cause for voter apathy is people feel politicians promise the world and then forget their promises once elected to office. That’s why it’s important to know the facts and not just base your vote on a clever jingle, logo or commercial.
Third, candidates should be able to expect civility from the general public. No matter your party affiliation or political philosophy, candidates must be able to present their message in an atmosphere of civility. If you disagree with a candidate, then politely state you are supporting someone else. If the candidate persists and doesn’t get your initial message, a more firm approach may be necessary. Harassing or berating a candidate because you are supporting their opponent is inappropriate and childish. Candidates have put themselves in the spotlight by running and deserve our respect and admiration- no matter their party affiliation or stance on the issues.
Fourthly, candidates should expect that petty vandalism, harassment, and dirty tricks will not be a part of the political process. Always the work of cowards, this type of action reveal a total lack of respect for the political process as well as serious character flaws in both those that engage and condone such behavior. Spirited, competitive campaigns are a part of the political process, but at the end of the day, candidates and volunteers alike should be able to agree the race was decided on the issues and not swayed by distractions and dirty tricks.
Running for office requires courage and dedication. During the next four months, many candidates will ask you for your vote from the two major political parties. Weigh your decision on which you will vote for carefully. Make your decision on the issues and which candidate best agrees with you on those issues. If the decision is made based on the issues, Republicans will do well. Let the debate begin!
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