Once again apathy, which seems to be so endemic among democrats these days, was directly responsible for the defeat of at least one of our candidates. One of the closest races this year was for Clerk of Court where Diane Fulk lost to Chaz Evans-Haywood by a paltry 220 votes. That amounts to about 7 votes per precinct. According to the State Board of Elections, approximately 36% of eligible voters actually voted in the 2007 election. For Clerk, that amounted to 19,853 total votes, 4,991 for Chaz, 4,771 for Diane, and 10,091 for “other.” Of the roughly 9,000-10,000 area democrats, Diane only got 4,771 votes. When you consider that many of her votes came from admitted republicans and independents, then the numbers become a more embarrassing indictment on democratic turnout and loyalty. I wonder how many of the “other” votes were cast by democrats? I’m willing to bet that there were many more than the 220 that Diane needed.
One of the things that democrats are good at is complaining about the need for change. Yet when they get the chance, they mysteriously become overcome with copious amounts of apathy, excuses and a profound lack of motivation. Where were you folks when the party needed you? The last time that this race was an open election was in 1959! With Diane’s crossover appeal, experience and strong campaign this election was the democrat’s to lose. And lose it for her you did. Congratulations.
Myron Rhodes said it well when he claimed, [sic] “the Democratic party in the Valley is just a social club.” Apparently, local democrats are democrats in name only. Attending the occasional fundraising event is fine, but actual voting is apparently left to the “lesser people.”
Your candidates, and their friends and families, poured their blood, sweat, tears and money into their campaign. At the very least they had the right to expect some party loyalty and sense of civic duty. You’d think that democrats would have learned from the 2000 and 2004 presidential election that all votes count, but apparently that was lost on the local party members.
To those who actually voted, and voted for our candidates, thanks. To those that had "other things to do,” or who wasted their vote on an unelectable candidate, you owe your party candidates an apology. You blew it. Political change does not happen by sitting on your butt and making excuses.
One of the things that democrats are good at is complaining about the need for change. Yet when they get the chance, they mysteriously become overcome with copious amounts of apathy, excuses and a profound lack of motivation. Where were you folks when the party needed you? The last time that this race was an open election was in 1959! With Diane’s crossover appeal, experience and strong campaign this election was the democrat’s to lose. And lose it for her you did. Congratulations.
Myron Rhodes said it well when he claimed, [sic] “the Democratic party in the Valley is just a social club.” Apparently, local democrats are democrats in name only. Attending the occasional fundraising event is fine, but actual voting is apparently left to the “lesser people.”
Your candidates, and their friends and families, poured their blood, sweat, tears and money into their campaign. At the very least they had the right to expect some party loyalty and sense of civic duty. You’d think that democrats would have learned from the 2000 and 2004 presidential election that all votes count, but apparently that was lost on the local party members.
To those who actually voted, and voted for our candidates, thanks. To those that had "other things to do,” or who wasted their vote on an unelectable candidate, you owe your party candidates an apology. You blew it. Political change does not happen by sitting on your butt and making excuses.
4 comments:
I'd say this is a pretty fair assessment of the apathetic group of registered non-voters.
I think if I was sitting on one of the local Democratic Committees (clubs), I'd certainly change my priorities to include a much more agressive plan to mobilize the base. This loss is partly an indictment of the committees as well.
Thank you for this post. We all need to examine where and who we are. I am so sorry to Diane that we let her down. We did lose a real opportunity to make local government more responsive to the people. But the people let it happen.
I am still siting in a draped enclosed dark room mourning dianne's loss
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