A Clear Political Choice and Washington’s New Election Law

As I have begun to campaign I have been pleased to meet three distinct types of voters: the traditional Republican voter, the traditional Democrat voter, and the independent voter.  While in the past this pattern may not have been significant, that is no longer the case.  The change in the way Washingtonian’s will be voting, because of the new election law, will make this year different and the primary election in August much more important    The election in November will no longer offer voters all of the traditional choices.  No longer will voters find a Republican, a Democrat, and other minor party or independent candidates on the November ballot.  The voters will find only two names on the November ballot, the two names that finished the Primary election with the most votes.  Thus, in November we could have a Republican and a Democrat on the ballot.  But we could have a Republican and an Independent.  We could have a Democrat and an Independent.  We could have two Republicans.  We could have two Independents. 

The Primary in August takes on much more significance because it will shape the choices for the November elections.  With that in mind the voters of the 4^th district have an important choice in August: which two individuals in the race represent the best choices for November?  Of course many could simply choose to vote in their traditional patterns, Republicans for the Republican candidate, Democrats for the Democrat candidate, and the others for their choice.  But given the voting patterns within the 4^th District over the past 16 years, if this is the way the voters in the Primary vote it seems rather clear what the result will be in November.

If the voters of the 4^th District are happy with the government as we have had it for most of our lifetime’s than that voting pattern will get us exactly the same result.  As voters in a democracy we must realize that ultimately WE are the government.  While there is much railing about the failings of “the government” today, as if the government were something that we have no choice in creating, the simple fact is that we the voters are the ultimate “government.”  If there is gridlock in Washington D C it is because we put it there.  If there are no solutions to the issues of “big” government it is because we have continued to vote in the same ways, following our traditional political bent whether it produced the government we wanted or not.  As the saying goes, “Insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results.”  If we continue to make choices in the way we vote because we think we must choose one or the other of the two major parties we will get exactly what we have.  In other words, we are stuck on the horns of a false dilemma.  The way to get off those horns, the way to stop the partisan gridlock, the way to actually begin to get the government that we want is to begin to make different choices.

If we want a more cost effective and efficient government, then we have to vote for a Representative to Congress who is going to take that message.  If we want a government that understands that it is impossible to borrow our way to financial health than we need a Representative who will take that message to Congress.  If we want a government that controls our borders and solves the illegal immigration problem than we need to send a Representative who will take that message to Congress.  If we want a government that is going to manage Social Security and Medicare in the best interest of the American people than we need a Representative who can take that message

What is clear is that the Republicans have had their chance.  For the first 8 years of this decade they controlled the White House.  For the first 6 years of this decade they controlled the House of Representatives and the Senate as well as the White House.  Did we get smaller government?  Did we get a decrease in government spending?  Did we get better control of our border with Mexico?  Did we become more energy independent?  Did the Republicans do anything to try to control the ever-escalating cost of health care? 

If we would choose the Democrat candidate would any of these problems be more likely to be solved?  Up until the 1994 election we had a congress, both the House and the Senate that was controlled by the Democrats.  Did they ever give us balanced budgets?  Did they ever solve the problem of illegal immigration by improving the way our border was guarded?  Did they ever seek to implement policies and programs that would protect and improve the middle class?  Maybe the most important question for those who are not of the classical Republican persuasion is this: is it very likely that the 4^th District will ever elect a Democrat as their representative? 

I believe that as the voters of the 4^th District consider the upcoming election, it is important to understand that the way they vote in the August primary will determine the choice they have in the November election.  If they vote in typical Republican and Democrat patterns the results of the November election will be what the national parties are predicting – that this is a “safe Republican seat.” 

However, if we, the voters of the 4^th District, are ready for a change in our government, to one that more closely expresses the independent nature of our lifestyle and our western culture, a government that is strong on personal responsibility, while being fiscally conservative, than I believe the choice is clear.