Your Taxpayers’ Association continues to receive numerous requests for our position on various candidates and issues from our members and the media. We continue to explain that our focus during elections is on issues and not the candidates. Even then, we try to provide data and explain our position rather than try to dictate an answer. While we remain an apolitical organization and do not support individuals, we do endorse positions and try to influence all of the voters’ and candidates’ thinking, attitude and philosophy toward issues. Our obvious emphasis is on fiscal issues that will likely result in a more responsive and efficient government for Martin County. This year the winning candidates in the positions that have the greatest affect in this area have, for the most part, been decided during the local primaries. However, there are still many issues such as the half-cent sales tax increase, constitutional amendments, as well as, extremely important State and National elections to be decided.

In just a few days, the 2006 elections will be history. It appears that as each election cycle passes, the amount of money spent by candidates and advocates at every level of government increases. Unfortunately, in order to be successful, candidates now have to allot more and more of their time and energy to fundraising. Much of the rest of the campaign consists of carefully scripting every word spoken to prevent creating a negative spot advertisement for their opponent. As a result, honest dialogue, civil debate and useful information on relevant issues becomes harder and harder to find. It is a paradox that with more dollars spent getting out “information”, it seems to take a greater effort on the part of the voter to get the honest data needed to make an intelligent decision. Conversely, it is becoming easier and easier to be influenced by irrelevant generalities and emotional responses generated by focus groups and slick campaign advertising.

It is an old hypothesis attributed to a number of philosophers that a democratic society cannot survive for an extended period of time due to a number of common human traits. One theory is that citizens will eventually learn that they can vote in politicians that will give them the assets of their government in order to stay in power. Another threat is the tendency to avoid difficult issues until the last minute. This leads to a political failure to acknowledge threats to the overall good of the society until it is too late to avoid the catastrophes that should have been obvious. These are certainly hypothesis that can be demonstrated throughout the history of virtually all civilizations. Our founding fathers were especially astute in their crafting of a system with checks and balances that try to address these human failings. For all of their thoughtful work, this like all democracies, depend upon an informed, thoughtful electorate for their survival.

Our advice to voters is to concentrate on the candidates’ qualifications and their stand on the issues that are actually relevant to, and can be influenced by the position to which the candidate or incumbent is aspiring. Evaluate the long-term effects of approving amendments or assessments. Look at the big picture and see how a particular candidate’s success or failure can directly affect the issues that you believe are the most important for you, your family, and your country. What history does he or she have on supporting those issues? What are the secondary results of a candidate’s success? How will a majority by one party or another effect the selection of powerful positions such as Judges and Congressional Chairpersons?

In short, put away the emotions, put away the prejudices, be skeptical of simplistic answers and sound bites; become informed on the candidates and issues - then vote.