Where's The Beef?

                                by Ron West

    As we move towards the May election of Council people for NRH, the old commercial with the tag line of "Where's the beef?" comes to mind.  Perhaps we need to remember it as we read and hear the various claims, articles and counter claims that will be part and parcel of this election process.

    Inflaming rhetoric, name calling, insinuations and misdirection will be available in abundance.  The writers of such articles or information will be accomplishing their goal if you, as a reader, accept their information without careful examination and without actually looking for facts. 

    A classic example of such information was a recent article trying to convince you that the challengers to the incumbents are all "Libertarians" by linkage to being friends of mine.  While this information is totally false, the article did further disservice to our local elections by the attempt to link any candidates to any national party affiliation.  None of the incumbents and none of the challengers have announced or have any need to announce their affiliations with any national party.   Local elections are supposedly non-partisan because our local officials do not have to make national level decisions.

    As strange as it seems, in our local elections - activism is considered a dirty word.  If you try to get involved in local politics or you try to express your opinion, you become a "political terrorist".   If you are for reasonable city growth and limitations in spending, you become an adversary to progress and someone who wants to roll back the city to the horse and buggy days.  If you are brazen enough to run for office, you only do so to "disrupt local government".   If you affiliate with an "activist" you are for drugs, pornography and elimination of the  social security program.  If you want to reduce spending, you are for closing the library, golf course, police department and all fire stations.  If you disagree with any city actions, you are simply a liar who makes baseless claims.

    Doesn't this seem outlandish?  It is outlandish and totally false.  Even so, the above claims are "typical" from our current elected officials and their spokesperson.  In the last election, days before election day, one council person sent out a slanderous letter to many of the senior citizens in our city with similar information to the above about the challengers in that race.  That misinformation probably saved her seat and that of the Mayor even though it contained neither facts nor truth.

    This year, I would encourage everyone to question everything - including what I provide on this website.  I do quite a bit of investigating and observing before I publish articles and information but I am human and may occasionally miss some important factor.  If anyone notifies me of factual errors with documentation, I will make immediate corrections.  When my information is based on documented facts then I ask that you consider what is being said and form your own opinions.  When you see my information attacked with venomous rhetoric without supporting facts, look closer at what I am writing.  If what I write is receiving that type of attention, then it must be very close to truth of the situation.

    Citizenship in the city of NRH is best served by active, informed citizens.  We have a great city that - in my opinion - is headed down the wrong path.  If the voters of the city are interested in open, honest and responsive government, it can be achieved by voting.  This year the incumbents are all for business as usual and the challengers - without any personal benefit - are working for you. 

    Asking the incumbents and their spokespersons "Where's the beef?" may serve you very well this year.  If you get the answers to real questions that you like, then vote for the incumbents.  If they won't discuss the real issues and if they don't respond, talk to the challengers.  My bet is that you will like what you hear when you talk with them. 

    Become informed and remember to vote so that your voice - the most important of all - is heard in NRH!