What does it mean?

I read Cal's post this week with interest. It is not secret that there has been a slow swell of disillusionment in Fayette County recently with the prevailing leadership. From Mayor Logsdon, to Ronnie Chance, and the list goes on. It seems like the perfect time to write out a few thoughts concerning the two-party system and its meaning to our local government. Understand that I am but one voice in a movement that is quietly growing across the country.

Government {as it was envisioned by the Founding Fathers} as never designed to be a totally "top down" institution. There are some basic assumptions that should be controlling what our elected officials do. The major assumption is that our legislators will do what they do based on the "will of the people". That does not primarily mean "majority rule" but the search for consensus.

The tendency of our government has always been a sort of gravitation to the wealthy, to the "donors", to the "powerbrokers". That, in and of itself is not totally a bad thing, as long as government keeps sight of what it is to be doing. Teddy Roosevelt may have stated it best: "government must make sure that the power of wealth is used for and not against the interests of the people as a whole."

Cal talked about the "looney Democrats". While that may have been the case in the past, efforts are underway to change the local image of Democrats. By developing a local platform (something the local Republicans have not deemed necessary to do) the focus has been on local issues and local solutions. While many may not agree with some of the options presented, there is a bona fide sense of "localness" surrounding these efforts.

When one party controls all the power, the tendency is to do what ever that party wants to do, regardless of the amount of public outcry. The promotion of a two-party system ensures that the people's concerns are being heard and given credence. It matters little which party is the recipient of being anointed as "The" party of Fayette County. A one party system, by definition, large ignores the concerns of significant party of the electorate.

Government is a complex thing, full of nuance, disagreement, rancor, and, at times, animosity. That does not remove the fact that effect and truly representative government MUST, by definition, be partisan. While answers are not simple, we, the people are charged with the responsibility of carefully choosing our leaders.

Finally, while the nation focuses on the upcoming Presidential race, the fact that political parties are NOT national entities is often forgotten. Only when the voters begin to realize that political parties are controlled at the local level will true reform occur and representative government be returned to the hands of the people. Keep the faith