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Complex Issues Require More than Shallow Effort: True for Politicians, True for Voter |
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by Dr. Carl Mumpower
Op-Ed
Asheville Citizen-Times
October 20, 2002
The
anniversary of my election to Asheville City Council comes in a few
short weeks. In that election fewer than 20 percent of our registered
voters laid the foundation for the near-term political course of
Asheville. A pattern is noted in that only 14 percent turned out for
the most recent primary race and the upcoming November election holds
little promise for anything better. These numbers, like a smokers
cough, offer a subtle warning that we ignore at our own peril.
It
is not my personal sense that our system is broken. Our republic was
originally designed to be inefficient, complex, and clumsy, with a
longevity that has exceeded the hopes of the Founding Fathers. We have
successfully dodged their greatest fear–that we would one day lose our
way and stumble toward the simplistic and false hopes of dictatorship,
anarchy and self-serving agendas. Problems can be found, however, in
the methods and agendas of people like you and me who are responsible
for upholding that system.
Recently a member of City Council,
someone who I personally value, remarked in public forum that the
voters should make no mistake that, regardless of what public officials
say, we all want to be reelected and will react to voter pressure. This
observation implies that we, as elected officials, prioritize our own
needs for self-preservation above all else or that the voter values his
or her own particular interest in like fashion. This "selfish interest"
approach to participation in our system is just one of many ins!
idious
political games that feed voter apathy.
The game of "gotcha" is
played out when one side or the other finds a flaw, mistake or
vulnerability that can be exploited. The voter is left with the hollow
message that the "gotcha" player retains the moral high ground and that
his targets are Satans spawn. In truth, one is rarely involved in
constructive activities when overly focused on the behavior of others
and evil is seldom so easily defined. Then there is the game of
"winning through intimidation" that seems to be particularly popular in
Asheville. Some individuals and organizations with a strong point of
view believe that they not only have the right to share their opinion,
but also to force elected officials to embrace that opinion. The ends
are used to justify means, and so we find such tools as distortion,
aggression, and threats misguidedly used to subvert a healthier model
of political process–information plus communication plus principles
equals an informed and grounded vote by an elected official.
"Stupid"
is the game that says its OK to insult people because they see things
from a differing perspective. There are "good guys and bad guys" where
otherwise smart and enlightened people find comfort in simplifying
politics to a level that mirrors the model of 5-year-olds at play.
"Pandering" is my least favorite of the political games that undermine
voter enthusiasm. In this game politicians sway to the music of whoever
is currently playing before them.
During my year in office I
have seen repeated demonstrations that the majority in Asheville are
well-intended individuals with the capacity to do things differently. A
starting place might be to step away from this idea that politicians
should strive to seduce their constituency through promises and the
need to please. A better model exists in the honest disclosure of the
principles u!
nder whi
ch we intend to serve. Principles are better than
promises in that they are proactive and persistent.
Solutions
might be found in the agendas of those who work to influence the work
of government. Special interests can evolve into selfish interests
whereby our governing efforts are chopped into little pieces by
conflicting agendas that have one group winning today and another
tomorrow while the majority of us lose in this cycle of extremes. The
alternative is for most of us, most of the time, to keep an eye on the
common interest–and perhaps thus retain voter interest.
There is
wisdom in the tenet that you can rarely attack people into being
better. The persistent energies of too many people, on both sides of
the political spectrum, are invested in trying to produce positive
change through personal criticism. We are far better off attacking
issues versus people. In our rush to judge and malign we forget how
easily we can move from the role of predator to prey.
We are
blessed by living in a community that is filled with bright, competent
and value driven-people. We would be even more blessed if those same
people would seek to become better informed before pressing an opinion.
The complexities of the issues require more than shallow effort, and it
is far too easy to take the shortcuts of assumption and supposition
over substance.
Whether in large or small numbers, voters define
our system of government. It is no less true that our system of
government has a reciprocal impact in defining the enthusiasm of our
voters. Another truth might be that we all have a part to play in those
dismal numbers on Election Day. Government is a team sport, but its
not a game. Its about you and me reaching a little deeper into
ourselves and trying to find a better way to sustain a civilization
that is truly civil. You and I need to listen to the people who are
!
voting w
ith their silence. If we build it right, they will come ...
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