In the early days of the nation, back in 1789 at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, a woman approached Ben Franklin and asked, "So what will we have Doctor Frankiln, a monarchy or a republic?"
To which Franklin insightfully replied, "A republic, if you can keep it."
The question remains today. Are we up to governing ourselves?
We needn't look at the terrible shape our national government has taken to be seized by despair.
Unheralded, now for several days, finally Dan McShane predictably announced he intends to sit on the county council again. Missing was the hoped for cry of "Draft!"
Apparently our local paper doesn't consider the information newsworthy. And they are probably right.
Not too long ago the Herald's editorial board made a cogent plea for "new blood" in local government. But instead we will apparently be presented a bunch of old faces in some game of musical chairs.
We'll have Laurie Caskey-Schreiber (already 8yrs in office) seeking Seth Fleetwoods position. While Seth attempts to move into Louise (finally retiring after decades) Bjornson's city slot. And of course Dan (already 8yrs in office) back from the grave, attempting the Lazarus thing to restart his campaign for full time government employment.
What's wrong with this picture? It appears that in all the county races there's a likelihood that every candidate could run unopposed. Well you won't get "new blood" out of that turnip cart!
If we are to "keep it" and fulfill the democratic aspirations that came out of the Age of Reason, we need to do better than this.
Why are there no electable alternatives to these old faces? Has the system become so corrupted and taken under the control of a few partisans that their grip on local government can't be broken?
Surely there is nothing so outstanding about the performance of these incumbents to give them a lock on an election.
Aside from the fact they have given the community their time and service, few if any of our problems have been solved. And they have put forward few if any proposals that might.
So who will accept the call of duty and put a new face on county government?
