The West Deerfield Township Independent Party had an incredibly successful introduction to politics in the April 7, 2009 Consolidated elections. This is even more electrifying when one considers that eleven strangers got together, introduced themselves to each other, decided to form a party focusing on fiscal and ethical corruption in the Township, went out in freezing weather to obtain the necessary signatures to get on the ballot, isolated the issues, hammered out a platform, introduced themselves to the public, campaigned vigorously, and won a key Trustee position all in less than 80 days!
Now that is an accomplishment.
But that was then and now is now. The big question needing resolution at this point is ”What do we do now?” Do we just let all our hard work and investment go to pot, or do we capitalize on our experiences by building on the foundation?
And if we go into Party building mode, how do we structure that?
What will set us apart from others, claiming we’re better? Generally speaking, no one ever voted an incumbent out of office just because a challenger claimed “they’re better”!
Experience suggests we can set ourselves apart from others through issue knowledge. As we all know by now, our legislative bodies are jam packed with nitwits who don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. Think tanks spend tons of money sending research to these characters every day… generally to little avail. This is a perfect opening for us. By holding comprehensive training sessions on selected issues, we can each become mini “experts” in our own right. Expanding on that, we can even develop bonifide experts in key areas.
But which issues should we address and master? Education? Environmental (including global warming)? Ethics? Constitutional (including 2A)? Life? Healthcare? Immigration? Religion? The Media? Welfare? Fiscal?
And how about leadership skills including speaking, debating, and writing? Although it is generally believed leaders are born and not made, the big problem with that argument is there are many with latent leadership skills just waiting to be uncovered through training and exposure.
Should we let someone run under our umbrella who is not knowledgeable about key issues? Or should we set strict standards which must be followed?
These are just some of the items we should discuss in a “real time” environment on this blog. But before we can get to there from here, we must begin by prioritizing. And that my friend, begins and ends as a group effort!
So the first question is, “Do we fold our tent, or do we begin Party building?
Your thoughts on the matter are incredibly important! Please share them with us.
Jack Koenig
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