Wednesday, July 29, 2015

A Town Divided

I know its been awhile since I last posted and I am a bad bad person for ignoring my blog when so many delectable things have been going on in the world!

However I would like to talk today about Municipal Politics.  Not many people realize how the politics in your town, hamlet, city or place of residence affects you more on a day to day basis then your state and/or federal government. And now with the advent of social media, things can really be out in the open, gaping wide open so that everyone can see.  Of course there will always be those that choose to live with their heads in the sand and not be involved, thinking they will never have a bearing on the outcome of an election but that could not be farther from the truth.  At the municipal level, every single vote really does count.

Perhaps my views are naive in that I believe that people that are elected to represent a certain constituency should indeed represent them first and put aside personal feelings and agendas for the greater good of their citizenry.    I also feel that in being a politician they are held to a higher standard than that of the regular public citizen, however I do not think that they should dismiss the ideas and concerns of their constituents.  I feel that if you do not want to be held to a higher standard and act accordingly, then you are not an effective representative of your constituents.  I also believe that they should have a tough skin and be able to hold their tongue and defuse situations that may arise, not cause situations.

Small town politics can be even more hostile than what you would see in your state or federal arena.  Nepotism runs wild through small town politics, which is one of the reasons your property taxes increase.  But it is when a town becomes divided is when we begin to see its downward spiral into a place no one wants to be.  Businesses begin to fail and not even come to town, schools begin to break down, kids begin to fail, infrastructures begin to crumble, houses become rentals instead of owners living in them, crime goes up, morale goes down.

Community is important in a small town.  Everyone wants to be part of a community.  It is unfortunate though that opinions get in the way of being a well rounded community.  If people could just check their opinions at the door and work together for the betterment of the community, this world would be a much better place.  Picking "sides" is not an option, in small town politics, and community there is no left or right, no one cares if you are pro-choice or pro-gun or pro-anything else, it's all about what is good for the whole community.

Its easy to sit behind a keyboard and point fingers and blame others for your own shortcomings, but in the end, ask yourself, what have I done for the community lately?  What I have done to make things better here?  Its time to take a good long look in the mirror and know that the person that you say you hate and causes problems and is all so bad for the community...is YOU!

I wish that I had the answers to what could bring a town divided together.  As much as I do try in my own ways, there is always flack to be had.  As I have said in the past, and will say again, it's time for all to lay down their swords and sharp tongues and come together for the sake of OUR community before its way too late.