You Have The Power

Your votes this year will have a massive impact on the direction our community takes going forward.

I have been telling you how much of an impact you are going to be able to have in the upcoming election. It is becoming more apparent all the time. There is a real opportunity to make positive change in our government at all levels. The informed, discerning voter can take credit for this change if we get the right information and then follow it up to get out the vote. The opportunities to get the right information abound.

On Tuesday evening I was able to watch the Florida Today/ Tiger Bay Club/ League of Women Voters Candidate Forum featuring the Florida House District 31(R) and 32 (R & D) candidates. My first thought was, “I am glad I was flipping channels at 7pm and caught this.” I saw it all from the beginning. My second thought was. “How many other political geeks are watching this?” Sadly, I’ll bet it was not too many. When I spoke to someone who attended the forum I learned that there were about 60 people present in person for the event. 60 people in person to see which candidate would best serve this community in our State Legislature.

That is not a lot of people. Those watching will not be that many more. That makes you even more important. As you learn from these candidates what their philosophies of government are, as you seek information and understand the issues and then disseminate that information to your family, friends and acquaintances, by being the person in the know you can make the difference for all of us.

The question is now, what is the right information, the right stance for these candidates in order that we have that positive change?

If the presumption is be that government is broken and out of control (I have heard many candidates say that very thing), then answer then must be that doing the same thing again will not resolve the problem. By listening to the candidates and carefully evaluating their comments, positions and proffered solutions to the issues that matter to us all, we can select the ones that have not contributed to the problem and will act to restore government accountability to those of us that demand it. Who is in favor of limiting government and not growing it? Who is in favor of reducing the size of the bureaucracy and scope of government? Who will hold to principle above all else? Those are the candidates that we must seek out and support.

It is easily determined to the watchful voter. The problem is there are not nearly enough of us. Again, that is where you vote becomes more than just one vote. It becomes a dominating force that with your avid support and efforts at educating the uneducated masses that turn out to vote based on little more than a thought that they recognize a candidates name from somewhere can make this government, any level of government, turn around.

Stick with us and pay attention my friends. We are talking to these candidates nearly every day. They are drawing those distinctions between themselves and making the choices evident to those that are paying attention. They are handing you the power that will make the difference. It is power you already had. It is power that will make a difference if we all just apply ourselves and passionately carry out our civic responsibility.