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Political / emotional suicide in local Wisconsin politics - election papers time
This entry was posted on 1/5/2010 2:38 AM and is filed under Wisconsin Logic, Tampering with Representation, Local Politics, Rock County Board Candidacy.
A dude from Milton, Wisconsin who writes a community blog for the Janesville Gazette, posted a topic on January 4, 2010, where he was ringing his literary hands over running for local politics. He was not sure about running himself citing thin skin and not being able to handle potential complaints about barking dogs or some such nonsense levied at him while shopping in the hardware store. " To Run or Not to Run ." He was also worried that many township, city council, school board, and county board non-partisan seats have no candidates come election day. There was also some angst about being prodded to run by other people.
The impetus behind the piece of course, is that election papers are due in to county clerks this week for April elections.
I do not necessarily like said Milton blog dude's writing, but he did stumble on to an issue that is embarrassing to local governmental entities. It is bad, bad, very bad if you can't even get someone to run for local small-town board seats - embarrassing x-10.
I decided to use Milton blog dude's angst piece as fodder, and posted a comment. I had promised myself I would no longer participate in newspaper blog threads, but it is a good place to craft an idea relating to local issues sometimes. Also, I had considered running for Rock County Board again this election. For distant readers, Rock is the center-most county on the Wisconsin-Illinois border. And besides, Milton blog dude did not really get any comments on his thoughts.
HERE IS WHAT I WROTE:
Ironic no one comments on your concern - no one cares about commenting on...no one caring to participate in local politics - poetic.
I feel bad for you man. I'll throw you a comment bone.
I am tempted to blame the economy, yet...
People don't participate in local politics even in good economic times so blaming the economy for lack of candidates is probably not valid. However, a bad economy does not help either.
1) I ran last time for a non-partisan local office...and lost, if I run again, that brings up the potential to become a perennial "also ran."
2) It does cross one's mind that being asked to run by other people, are you then running just to make a decrepit political system feel good about itself? Perhaps you will hear, "see, Bob ran, so we really do have people that care."
3) Speaking of the economy, do you want to be forever connected with a downward spiraling economy? Just ask former Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl or Ex-President Jimmy Carter about that one.
4) I have basically been laid off at work, only allowed to work 10 hours a week. It makes little sense to run for office and serve the community (should I win) as my house is at risk of being lost due to lack of funds. I have to spend most of my time scratching up money to survive in this economy - hey, just like the Third World.
5) And finally, here is one last personal reason not to run. Holding public office, requires one to surrender some personal freedoms; for example, if you are a writer, one constantly applies a higher self censorship to the content of the end product. If you are "just a writer," not burdened by public office, there is less of a self censorship cloud hanging over one's head. It applies to other trades as well such as arts and music. You are expected to play an almost unrealistic role while in office.
However, local office holders do often get away with political blemishes - they usually get nailed if they try to go to higher office - I am thinking of former Prez Bill Clinton and former New York Police Commish Bernard Kerik. Their foibles played better to their local pals.
Now my list of reasons people don't run and or vote gets painful. Hopefully these following reasons don't apply to you [Milton blogger dude] and me.
6) I know Milton, Wisconsin is a bastion of the American Dream and the traditional nuclear family, but have you noticed the rest of America is not? Fewer people get married anymore and fewer stay married to their first try. The fad lately is to just have several kids from several different mates - none of which you are married to. That "new norm" still does not play well in politics (unless you are Clint Eastwood), especially local politics; and, it don't play too well in state and national politics, yet either, for that matter. We are running out of people from the old norm. The two norms haved clashed - politics, and we-the-people lose.
7) America has the highest prosecuted criminal population per capita on Earth. It is hard to run for office when one has an ankle bracelet on, a record of multiple DUIs, or been busted for pot, et cetera.
8) Politicians have a really bad reputation at-large in general; can't imagine that would discourage anyone from running though - tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Ooops! Looks like I originally miscounted my paragraphs above [which I just corrected]. Actually, not being able to count, probably qualifies me to hold some kind of political office.
- END OF COMMENT TO MILTON BLOGGER DUDE -
Wisconsin Military Service Person Special Mention of the Week
(each week Cooldadiomedia mentions a Wisconsin service person killed in Iraq or Afghanistan)
This week's Wisconsin military service person to remember is Marine Reservist Lance Corporal Travis M. Wichlacz, 22, from West Bend. Wichlacz died on February 5, 2005 from a bomb detonation while he was on patrol in a convoy in Babil Province, a region southwest of Baghdad, Iraq. Travis was a 2002 graduate of West Bend West High School. He was a member of the Milwaukee-based Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned Travis had married nine months prior to his death to Angela Coakley, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a U.S. Army veteran. The Journal Sentinel went on to say, the husband and wife both left for duty stations just days and weeks after their marriage. Lance Corporal Travis Wichlacz was the 34th member of the military from Wisconsin to die in Iraq since spring, 2003.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
94,939 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9,351 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,374 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
939 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
317 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
608 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
31,613 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,737 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
101 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
16 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
139 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
17 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Wisconsin military service person special mention of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; and, icasualties.org.
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