[Vision2020] Solutions begin with fall election

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (June 30, 2014) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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HER VIEW Solutions begin with fall election
By Nancy Chaney
Well-crafted editorials should be thought-provoking, even controversial. A recent editorial ("Democrats know how to convene quite nicely," June 23) particularly caught my attention. In that column, Lee Rozen wrote for the editorial board, " (M)ost voters who realize about noon that it's Election Day - will see a roster of well-known Republican names to vote for. And they will." Logically, that doesn't have to be the case. A Republican sweep is not assured. Thinking voters have choices.
Principles of free choice reset the potential for Democrats to win in each election. The likelihood of choosing candidates because they have familiar-sounding names, big advertising budgets or because Idaho has a reputation for automatically selecting candidates labeled with an "R" can reasonably be offset by considering the mess that method has created.
Consider that under the lopsided majority's rule, Idaho is last or near last in the nation in per capita income, investment in education, and the percentage of students who pursue college. Our state is first or nearly first in the number of people earning minimum wage, and is among the states that shift costs for indigent care to local taxpayers, hospitals, and other healthcare providers by rejecting Medicaid reform and denying assistance to struggling families. Idaho's aversion to raising revenue to repair and maintain roads and bridges puts travelers at risk and commerce at a disadvantage. Our state has been so red for so long that pollsters pay us little heed, and prognosticators barely give our state a second glance. Let's rethink how Idaho has brought this embarrassment upon itself, and how to remedy it. Solutions are within our grasp, beginning with elections this November.
Now's the time to think objectively about the choices ahead, starting with the basics. What traits do you look for in an elected official? (Think Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith goes to Washington.") Maybe fairness, trustworthiness, integrity, a solid work ethic, dependability, accessibility, knowledge about issues, good communication skills, compassion, diplomacy, commitment, determination, productivity, a positive attitude? What has the status quo wrought? (Think 2014 GOP Convention fiasco, which failed to generate a party platform or even to elect leadership.) When was the last time you received a political communiqué that wasn't a form letter, a rant about the President, a swipe at some minority class (people you likely know and care about) or a pseudo-survey offering only blatantly slanted selections? Who sent it?
I plan to vote for people who genuinely want to know what I think, and who provide thoughtful, factual, balanced feedback. Shirley Ringo is a former high school math teacher, adept at communicating complex concepts to a challenging demographic. After 14 years in the Idaho Legislature, she aspires to serve us in Congress. Her durability as a member of the minority party in Idaho reflects her fair-mindedness, diplomacy skills, and capacity to solve problems. Wouldn't it be nice to be represented in Congress by someone like that, who asks what we think, can get along, would keep us factually informed, and get things done?
What about electing a governor who is a champion for public education, and sees it as necessity for retaining jobs and attracting businesses to our state? Gubernatorial candidate A.J. Balukoff is a CPA, businessman, and school board president who understands those connections.
What about the notion that elected officials owe voters reliable delivery of a solid day's work? Showing up to vote, researching and proposing legislation, and maintaining two-way communications with constituents are reasonable expectations. For those reasons, I'm supporting Nels Mitchell for the U.S. Senate, Paulette Jordan and Gary Osborn for the State House of Representatives, and Kurt Obermayr and Tom Lamar for the Latah County Commission.
Don't be a zombie automaton who votes by rote. It's not about partisan labels. It's about the person and the issues. Be an informed, engaged voter. Do your homework and help elect candidates who will make Idaho proud.
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Nancy Chaney. who has lived in Idaho since 1969, is a small business owner and former two-term mayor of Moscow.
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Nancy Chaney (right).

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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares"
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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