Proud to be an American

Tomorrow is Election Day and, once again, I implore you to vote, if you have not already done so. It is often difficult to decide which candidates are worth voting for and which are just "career politicians." As a Council person and former Board of Education member, I have had some difficult choices in choosing the right people to support in office, that I personally feel will help make our city and schools a better place to live, work and attend.

How do you decipher which candidate is honest, which candidate is hard working, which candidate will make your city or state or country a better place to live? Do you listen to endorsements from other politicians or newspapers? Do you listen to long speeches and decide if the person is sincere or not? I do not know how you choose your candidates, but I can tell you why I choose who I support in an election. I choose a candidate who is decisive, who knows how to think for himself or herself. I choose candidates who listen to the facts and then make a decision based on what is right for the people.

I do admit that sometimes my vote has been wrong, after all we are all only human. But I feel it is important that each of us does our homework and tries hard to choose the candidate that we feel would best serve the position.

Serving in an elected position is not an easy job; we have to make decisions that could affect our entire community. First of all, I want to stress that whether I agree with my colleagues on City Council on an issue or a vote, I still respect them for doing what they think is right, for sticking with their convictions. In time, I have learned that after the meeting is adjourned, it is important to turn off your microphone, push back your chair and put the politics behind you for the day.

A good person does not hold grudges on political matters; he says goodbye to his colleagues and moves on, even if there are differences of opinion during the meeting. I have watched colleagues who can not separate personal issues from political issues and they constantly hold grudges if you do not agree with their views. I know that just because I do not agree with a decision or a vote I am not angry at my colleague. I feel that an intelligent person asks questions and does not always "go along with the flow." My job is to serve the community, not to say yes, even if it does not always make me the most popular kid on the block.

So, back to the real question, who do you vote for tomorrow and how do you know you are voting for the right person? I don't know! I can tell you to watch the Council meetings, listen to the candidates, talk to the candidates, and find out what they are going to do to help you and your community. Elected officials are ultimately here to serve the people, not themselves. Most importantly, vote tomorrow! Who knows- you may really make a difference and that should make you proud to be an American!

Click here: Proud to be an American