With Monday’s Question of the Week, we asked readers for their thoughts on local elections turning toward partisanship. Here are some of the responses we received.
Bad for the process
Partisan primaries or elections have no place in any type of elections and discourage diversity and opposing thoughts.
Last time I checked, neither party had a monopoly on idiots or good ideas that would benefit all citizens. The Medicaid expansion in the Affordable Care Act is an example of this (Tennessee failed to pass it) so are the Trump tax cuts for corporations, which if given a chance will create jobs. It’s an “if the other party promotes it, my party opposes it” attitude.
What you have now with party affiliation is loyalty to party and not to the citizens you are serving and you will do anything to either get elected or remain in office, including false truths and lies, demonizing the other party and in some cases “selling out” your integrity (hello, Kevin McCarthy) for power.
Add this with 24/7 political cable channels created when Reagan repealed the Fairness Doctrine and the unlimited “dark money” allowed with the Supreme Court’s Citizens United Ruling and you have a recipe for disaster.
Why would you want to bring this “crap” to the local elections? Partisan primaries and elections kind of remind me of the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” movie statement, “He’s Bonafide!”
The “Think like me, act like me, vote like me” attitude is a detriment to the democratic process.
WILLIAM PRENDERGAST
Elizabethton
Dial down polarization
Local elections should be nonpartisan. Don’t let political parties bring their culture wars into our neighborhoods and communities. Now is the time to dial down partisan polarization, anger, fear and disrespect.
Focus on each candidate’s qualifications and ideas, not on whether their brand is Republican or Democrat. Think of yourself as an independent. A Gallup Poll shows that more Americans now identify as independent than as Republican or as Democrat.
Expect each candidate to earn your vote by explaining what they propose to do about local problems rather than what they oppose doing, and by describing how they will cooperate with others to develop win-win solutions rather than saying how hard they will fight to win and make others lose.
The poisonous partisan politics of national and state government now threatens our local communities. Declare, independents!
DAVID VOLLRATH
Johnson City
Find your center
As a Socialist-leaning Democrat and recent transplant to Johnson City I worried about its Republican tendencies yet surprised by its loyalty to its citizens, striving to maintain its beauty through seasonal plantings and the beautiful murals springing up all over town. I have viewed a pleasant disposition in Johnson City.
Although as the elections near I worry about fundamental attitudes increasing in November.
First, the potential overturning of Constitutional Amendment #4 Article IX, Section 1, the deletion of the amendment prohibiting ministers and clergy from holding a seat in either House of the Legislature. The abolition of this amendment would allow zealots of either party to spread falsehoods and twist biblical verse to infiltrate an already distorted system.
My Father was an Anglican Chaplain until one Sunday he returned home and declared he had hung up his “Robes.” When asked why he simply stated, “I preach the word, not play politics.” His role, his purpose was to marry, perform baptisms, confirmations, and easing the pain and tensions many face during the turbulent times every person faces, and finally funerals. His time was occupied by assisting his parishioners. No time for politics.
Second is partisan contests for the school board elections. I fear the zealots once again will take hold and influence through intimidation, distorted facts and like “Fahrenheit 451” censor classic literature that encourage thought and the ability to perform logical and analytical thinking as well as appreciate controversial concepts and form well centered thoughts and dialogue.
Why is it that the Republican Party who once criticized large government for its alleged over-control wants to perform that same function by removing women’s rights, dumb down the school system, allow high-powered weapons in the hands of the many, and interpreted scripture to enter politics?
IAN WILSON
Johnson City