Rodent Regatta

Don’t state your position relative to your opponent’s. Don’t state your party’s position relative to the opposition. Tell us what you think. Tell us what you plan to do. Tell us what your party stands for.

We’ll do the comparing and contrasting. When your next statement begins with, “Contrary to what my opponent believes…,” you’ve already lost me. I want to know what you think without all the flourishes and embellishments. Veiled commentary about your opposition buried within your remarks will cost you my vote…period.

Whether you seek a career in politics or have chosen to term-limit yourself to 1, 2 or 12 terms, I don’t care. Just tell me what you think. If you want to talk about the war, don’t begin your remarks with some backhanded slap at how we find ourselves in a war. We’re there…what’s your position on what we do now? Some tax cuts were put in place. Don’t critique that decision. Tell me what you will do about taxation, now.

I’m not interested in whether or not you are angry. I’m not interested in whether or not you feel threatened. I’m not interested in how much (or how little) you fear for our nation. I want to hear your position on issues. Spending time talking about somebody else’s legal entanglements or failed policies or lousy strategies doesn’t tell me what you’ll do.

All we want to hear is what you will do if you get elected.

Oh…one more thing. When you get elected, remember that you are then to get on with the business of running the government of the country, the state, the county, the city or whatever. You are not there to run the politics of the country or state. Simpler, politics isn’t government. Politics is a method for getting elected to a role in the government. Learn that!