A ‘wish list’ for local candidates
Matt Pearl
I saw several folks who are running for local elected offices out and about recently for Independence Day-related functions. Several of them I know well, and each has a share of my respect.
Periodically, it again occurs to me that our local elections hold great significance.
Among the campaigning individuals now are those vying for county commission offices and seats in the state Legislature.
Each of these is an important part of our local and regional government — and neither holds the glamour and appeal of the Washington seats of power.
I have no intention of endorsing any candidate for these offices.
I put my thoughts on politics and policy in print on a weekly basis, and dropping names or aligning myself with any specific political hopeful has never been my style. I have never voted a straight ticket, and have no plans to do so now.
On the local level, our public officials seem far more apt to represent our specific political population’s needs than our Congressional representatives.
Big office means big contributors — and big strings attached to the big wigs. If I retain confidence in any elected officials, then I would name our most local public servants as those I trust the most.
I have enjoyed my informal meetings with several local political candidates: a handshake and a few pleasantries exchanged makes for a fine casual meeting. Grilling them on issues and asking more in-depth questions has its place, but parades and shindigs don’t lend themselves well to putting politicians on the hot seat.
My “wish lists” for area public servants are brief, but of the utmost importance to the population’s interests, as far as I can observe.
I want my local commissioners to work to promote the interests of the farm, the commercial, and (when applicable) the industrial economies of the county.
Working with municipalities townships and citizens to maintain a county structure that allows for growth and prosperity seems to be a reasonable task for our commissioners to fulfill.
From my state representatives, I expect the individual holding said office to communicate with the counties, communities, and farmers in an effort to champion the interests of the multi-county area our rural reps call their constituency.
On larger matters of state-wide important, I expect our closest area representative to think, speak, and vote like northwest Missourians. Kansas City and St. Louis already have the loudest voices in the Legislature: our representatives should have agriculture and rural community living at the top of his or her agenda.
If the preceding pair of descriptions hits close to matters of importance to your own lives, then I hope that such criteria will guide you at the polls.
When I vote this November, I understand that my voice in choosing our next president is just a small one; but in selecting commissioners and legislators, my vote certainly seems more significant.
In both cases, however, a vote is power — a right that has been denied to many, sought by the masses, and bought at the price of lives and fortunes.
The choice to abstain from the ballot box represents the ultimate foolishness: allowing others to make your decisions for you.
The signs are up along the highways and on the lawns, and all too often we become numb to the importance of choosing able, trustworthy public servants. Let us make it a point to study our political hopefuls, believe in our wonderful free system and make good choices at the poll.
