>>Valley Patriot>> |
We sure do. However, to do that we need to put aside our individual interests and think as a community voting consciously for the candidates that can best address the issues that affect us all. The problem in democratic societies like the one we live in is, when it comes to vot-ing, some (perhaps most) voters go to the polls with the perception that elections are like a sport, where winning is more im-portant than the consequences of electing the wrong people who will manage our government and, therefore, our way of living. If more citizens would vote by conscience, choosing the candidates that best represent the interests of the city as a whole, more communities across America could be in better shape than they are now and we, as a nation, would be progressing to a brighter and more promising future. Sadly, that is not the case. Most people end up voting for the candidates they don’t even agree with so that they can advance their own objectives; others simply because they want to be on the side of the “winners.” I’ve seen it many times in Lawrence. Many community leaders – those who have the power to influence voters – would wait until the last minute to endorse certain pol-iticians. They just want to make sure that the candidate has a real possibility to win so that they can ingratiate themselves with him or her to advance their own personal agendas. Otherwise, why do some people vote for some candidate just because he or she is going to win? Do we get the World Championship Cup or a trip to Hawaii if we guess the winner in advance? Whether you vote for one candidate or another, we all get the same prize. Those who voted for Mike Sullivan four years ago got four years of Sullivan, and those who voted for Isabel Melendez also got four years of Sullivan. Even those that didn’t vote, got four years of Sullivan. Voting is not like horse racing; guessing right doesn’t change the payoff. When we vote “to win,” regardless of the quality of the candidates, we really waste our vote because many times those who were elected based on the chances they had to “win” have proven themselves corrupt politicians who have done more bad than good to the city. Now, if you are one of those individuals who voted for certain candidates just to be on the side of the “winners,” what have you really won? Think about it. You, the voter, can make many good changes in the coming elections. But for the sake of the city and the future of our children, vote your conscience and forget about winning. Angel Rivera is a candidate for councilor at-large and has been a reporter /political columnist for Spanish language newspapers for over ten years, and is also a member of the Democrat City Committee. You can email him at angel.rivera36@verizon.net *Send your questions
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Lawrence City
Council is in desperate need of a change. Right now, at
least two councilors have a conflict of interest due to
their real estate businesses, and two others are running
for mayor. I’ll put aside the two candidates
aspiring for mayor since they obviously won’t be
re-elected to their current positions. The others –
together with a couple that have been influenced by a
state legislator– need to be replaced quickly. But
do we really have a chance to change things around in
this coming election?