The Observation Deck

Please Vote

Thank you.


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Ugh....if you say so.

Gosh Jim, can't you stop telling us what to do!

yes, please vote ... if anything, just so this horrible campaigning ends. I'm tired of getting nasty campaign literature stuck on my door every single day. I'm tired of seeing attacks against candidates on TV and in every other media. I fail to see how negativity should be rewarded by giving mudslingers terms in office ... because we as voters hope to "hire" a mayor, a city councilperson, a schoolboard member, to do the job necessary to make our city a great place to live, and our schools good places to send our kids.

Remember, public officials are merely the employees of the electorate ... they are NOT our bosses, or our rulers. They are our "hired hands," to do the necessary work of running the government FOR US.

I know I wouldn't hire someone who's extremely negative, but then again, I work in a business where it's all about building relationships, working together, and trying to do some good through those relationships. Apparently the new view in politics is to attack, attack, attack ... but then I wonder how will things get accomplished in the political realm if everyone is attacking each other, as opposed to working with each other.

Perhaps I'm being too optimistic ... I guess I spent too much time as a kid reading biographies of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and Truman. I'm looking for leaders to step forward, to work FOR US, but define a future that we can all believe in, and working together with all interested parties to ensure that future will happen.

I guess I'm still looking, because politics in America has degenerated a great deal, to where "red" and "blue" are more important, and you have politicians on the national level who no longer believe in anything but what the special-interest group they're speaking in front of believes at the moment.

And locally it's resulting in a horrendously nasty election. Even if the Mayor wins, I no longer have any respect for him as a person, because of the nonstop personal attacks he leveled against his opponent ... I realize it's the nature of politics today, but I wanted to see a plan for the future, an addressing of the issues facing us in Lakewood today, but instead I just got nonstop mud. And perhaps his opponent is just as bad ... though I will give him credit for at least presenting plans and ideas. But doesn't this city deserve better? We're a great city with great people! Why are we getting such a bad election? And what will happen afterwards? Will we be divided? Will there be continued rancor among our elected officials? How will that move Lakewood forward in addressing the issues that need to be addressed, so that we may continue to be a great city?

And why do we have employees, hired hands who work for us, who get paid by us ... who are so negative?

Sorry, I'd like to open this job up to more candidates ... and preferably someone who is optimistic, who has ideas, and who is positive. That's what I'm looking for in an employee, not a nasty name-calling mudslinger.

So I voted today, but holding my nose ... trying to pick the lesser of evils. And hoping that in the future our campaigns will not be so disgusting. Attention candidates ... if you want me to hire you, you damn well better be positive, have a plan, and EARN YOUR JOB with performance and relationship-building. If you try to win your job by attacking others, you will NOT be hired, and if by some chance you do get hired, you will be FIRED at the next election.

That's how it should work.

Lakewood Observer Pat Ballasch takes the time to go Chicago on the Lakewood election. "Vote Early - Vote Often."

Vote


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If we want that kind of change in our elections, we can't HOPE for it, we have to WORK for it. Politics is not a spectators sport.