We now have candidates; will we have informed voters?

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Maybe - just maybe - the "tea party" is making a difference.

Maybe Americans are finally getting serious about "taking back our country" from the special interests.
Glance at the election ballot for the May 17 primary election.

This year, it's a hyperlocal election. Yes, there are a few statewide races, but they are the goofy, cross-filed, who-knows-anybody contests for state-level appellate court positions - important, but little-understood.
Aside from them, we can't get closer to home: Township supervisors, school districts, borough councils, county commissioners.

And in our core area of northwestern Clearfield County, there are more candidates than openings for commissioner, council member, school director and supervisor, almost across the board.

That is unusual.

Usually, "No Candidate" is the most common notation on the ballot, as incumbents run uncontested for most of those seats.

Not this year.

And, without endorsing specific candidates, we have to say that it appears that voters will have a pleasant problem: A surplus of candidates who are actually qualified.

All too often, a mediocre incumbent is re-elected because challengers are either goofballs or single-issue fanatics.

That doesn't seem to be the case this year. At first blush, Mark McCracken, PJ Monella, Rex Read, Barry Abbott, Tanya Kunsman, Joan Robinson McMillen, Richard Schickling and John Sobel all appear qualified to run Clearfield County. The question for voters seems to be "Who would do the best job?" rather than "Oh, boy, we have to avoid that dolt!"

Interesting personalities and experienced community leaders from other venues dot the list of candidates for DuBois City Council. Granted, Gary Gilbert is unopposed for mayor, but his credentials are solid.

But perhaps our most optimistic reading comes from school districts. Sure, there are retreads, and a bunch of teacher-linked retirees, spouses, etc. But there are also new faces, from fields outside education, likely to pay attention to taxpayers, to businesslike methodology, etc.

Springtime is a busy time of year, and May 17 will get here quickly.

The "tea party" and other election-oriented groups seem to have done well in getting candidates onto ballots.

That's a start.

Now, however, it is up to us as voters to talk to those candidates, to read about them, to take the time to attend a speaking event, even to decide to put our money where our mouths are and donate an hour's pay to the campaign fund of especially attractive candidates (If we don't, "they," meaning special interests, will.)

This year, we have choices.

Now, the key question: Will we make those choices, or will we leave it to someone else to chart our country's future?

- Denny Bonavita