Trickle up Governement

I am amazed at the commotion generated by the Presidential elections compared to the complete lack of interest in state and local elections. I think most of it is ignorance of how government in this country works. IF people understood this more they would be far more involved in state and local politics the way the founders intended.

Your average homeowner and tax payer pays most of his taxes to his state and local government yet rarely votes in those elections. Most laws affecting the everyday quality of life of it’s citizens are made by state legislatures. If we paid more attention to our local and state officials and held them accountable, a task much easier to accomplish than holding our President or even senator accountable, those elected officials could hold the President accountable. Without the backing of state Governments and legislators a President cannot be effective. This in turn monitors how much big companies influence government. IF your local state legislator is taking money he shouldn’t it is much easier to oust him than any holder of national office. It is a trickle up effect.

This trickle up effect also increases government efficiency. I have a friend who lives in a small town. In recent years a slate of candidates was elected on a “no golf course” platform. They campaigned on the promise they would not purchase property or see to spend town funds on a Golf Course. 2 years later they unanimously approved the largest land purchase ever made by the town at a price that without a 2000% increase in taxes after the first year they could not make the payments on the loan they took out. Now on top of this the surplus they had gathered earmarked for a community center was used for a down payment on the land. 2 weeks after acquiring the property they announced plans to sell the land to a developer at a fair profit. The developer wanted to make a Golf Course that would be managed by a new Town Parks and Recreation department consisting of 14 employees. Now in a town of 3400 the total number of employees in the town not including police officers was 6.

The developer only wanted the land around the course for homes. He would DONATE the land for the golf course to the town. They would have to develop the golf course.

All of this occurred 2 months before the town election. The candidates thinking it would be too late for them to meet serious opposition at the polls. This was a blunder on their part and united a town in it’s hatred of liars, kickback’s and cheats. The truth of which would come out in full after the election. The only elected official seemingly untouched by criticism was the mayor He alone had stood against the purchase and deals from the beginning and written letters to citizens begging them to exercise their right to vote and elect more honorable trustworthy councilmen.

Election day. The 6 incumbents were confident of victory as the local paper had backed them all. They stood outside the single polling place ready to glad hand voters. They got a chilly reception and eventually were asked to retreat inside by the police chief as he could not guarantee their safety. The line for voting was the longest people had seen. It wasn’t that more people voted that day. They just all got there early to ensure their vote was cast. Voter turnout among registered voters for the town was up slightly at 93 %.

The 6 incumbents got 14 votes out of 3200 or so cast. A new amateur town council was elected. Within 2 months of taking office they had sold the land purchased not to a developer but to a dairy farm operation. At a good profit and have built the community center. 4 of the 6 previous members of the council were indicted on various charges.

If people took this kind of action in all local elections the kind of political hijinks that are commonplace today would all but disappear. Not only does this small town council answer to it’s citizens they ensure the state agency answer to the town council. The trickle up effect in government is the only way this country can function. The founders never dreamed of the size of national elections today an would be astounded if anything got done.

Vote in the national election but PLEASE hold you local Government officials’ feet to the fire. They have the power and political capital to make that trickle up.