Voters Have Ultimate Say in Upcoming Elections

A well known Democrat, Everett Dirkson, wrote a book entitled “All Politics is Local.” His thesis was that, in the American system of government, ultimate authority rests with the individual voter in the privacy of his or her own secret ballot.

First, let us discover the difference between “democracy” and “republic.” In a democracy, the majority rules. Our founders considered this an unstable form of government. The minority was not represented. 

They opined that once the majority discovered they could vote themselves goodies from the public treasury, the horse was out of the barn.

A “republic” is composed of representatives (elected by majority rule) from within the district. Strictly speaking, having a five-person city council composed of members elected by all the same voters in the city makes Morgan Hill more of a democracy than a republic form of government.

True, they are five representatives we have been “hired” to run the city business, but each of them represent the same constituency. Were the mayor elected “at large” and each of four members elected by voters in one of four districts, how much better would each portion of the city be represented?

There is an aspect of “representative” government I believe to be widely misunderstood. Many believe the representative, once elected, is to carry out the majority opinion of those who elected them. I disagree.

Sure, we have a responsibility to petition, phone, write letters, demonstrate.  That is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. However, “majority public opinion” is not based upon concentrated debate and discovery that should occur in city halls, or the halls of legislature. 

More likely “majority public opinion” is based upon limited knowledge and lots of activist activity by groups with their own agenda. We call it “spin.”

Talk shows and Internet distribution of information has gone a long way toward adding sophistication to public opinion. This, at the expense of the credibility of traditional news media outlets.

We have shown the significance of such public demonstrations in backing Councilwoman Marby Lee’s efforts to, at least, delay imposing a new tax on our citizens. On a grander scale, the massive grass roots upheaval over Congress’s recent immigration reform bill shows the power of petition. Alternate news media succeeded in informing the public of the hidden dangers in the bill and the people reacted with a tidal wave of calls and letters shouting, “NO!”

My contention is that we should not have to go to such efforts. In fact, there are so many issues in the halls of government, it is literally impossible to make wise public decision on each of them.

Further, as will soon be illustrated, Congress will present a similar bill, trusting that the public will not notice. What is wrong with this picture?

If voters treated their vote as sacred, were careful to evaluate and support candidates with sound governmental principles and the backbone to stand against the pressures always circling seats of power, it would not be necessary for us to petition and demonstrate!

It is painfully obvious that, once elected, our representatives are free to vote as they think best, regardless of public opinion. That, I believe, is as it should be. The only reason for them to listen to the public is the threat of recall, or replacement, in the next election.

Here is a scary truth. “We truly have a representative government!” Voters will vote for the candidate with whom they most identify. If we have a reprobate, often dishonest, unprincipled representative, what does that say about the corporate condition of those who elected him?

It also shows where the solution lies. Until we raise the standard of the voter, we will never raise the standard of his representative! 

I see many signs that just that is taking place across our nation. As local, state and national campaigns begin to heat up, people who have merely accepted a “label,” or the opinion of “uncle George” are taking a closer look. 

They should discover the candidate’s quality of character. Does the candidate have a solid backbone? Does the candidate have a philosophy of government based upon principle, as opposed to public opinion? There is no way we can know which decisions the candidate will face. Character and philosophy will be critical.

You will have opportunities for such evaluations in the months ahead. Those you nominate in the primaries will determine your choices in November, 2008.

Your choices do make a difference, “When you choose an action, you have chosen a consequence!”

Ben Gilmore is a Morgan Hill businessman. He’s a member of the Board of Contributors, which is comprised of local writers whose views appear in the newspaper on Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at hi******@****ic.com.