Viewpoints
Vague statements and catchy sound bites
By Tony Hann
October 04, 2010
Monday
Before selecting which City and Borough candidates to vote for, please take a few moments to find out what their overall political philosophy is.
Vague statements and catchy sound bites don’t really tell you much about how a candidate views government’s role in your life.
If you are able, ask the candidates themselves what their stance is on some of the more notable and decisive past or present Federal and State issues. Ask them whom they voted for or supported during past State and Federal elections. If you are unable to access the candidates themselves, ask friends and neighbors who know them. Are they Democrat or Republican? What do they believe regarding “Assault weapons” or Concealed Carry Laws? Do they support or oppose the recent healthcare legislation? How do they feel about farm subsidies or Social Security? Do we have too much or not enough intelligence gathering by law enforcement agencies within the US ? Etc, Etc.
Local council or assembly members will not be voting on those issues, but every single issue that is decided at the local level has the same principles at stake that State or Federal ones do.
It is not possible to know each and every issue that will come before the council and assembly, much less get an absolute answer on exactly how the candidate will vote. By learning a candidates past history of whom and what they voted for, supported or opposed, we can draw reasonable conclusions regarding their overall belief of what government should or should not be doing with your money and how much government should regulate your life.
These folks are asking to be your representatives. If someone does not share your overall political beliefs at the State or Federal level, if a candidate doesn't vote for the same people you do in State or Federal elections, then that candidate is obviously not going to represent your beliefs at the local level.
Tony Hahn
Ketchikan, AK
Received October 04, 2010
- Published October 04, 2010
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