Stomach Pains are Easing...Election Day is Over

Put the aspirin and antacids away. Put up the cold compress. Not sure I'd cancel those anger management classes yet though. The elections are almost over. As of a few minutes ago, the governor's race here in Florida is still to be decided. Around 50,000 votes separate the candidates. I don't know about you, but this was one ugly campaign season. Everyone sniping at the others, mudslinging, accusations, general hatefulness did not make any of the people running for office seem attractive. I really don't care what your views are, right-wing, left-leaning, conservative, liberal, tea party (I prefer coffee myself), or independent devil-may-care vote-'em-all-out type of voter. You'll have to admit that, like the rest of us, the nasty politics are not what I want to see and hear when it's time to choose someone to lead us and make decisions for us. Political office holders and those that aspire to do so, listen up.

I challenge a set of candidates to run for office on the merits of what they stand for. Talk about the issues, tell us where you stand and what you hope to do, not what you will do. Candidates (especially governor, president, etc.), you know good and well that promises are hollow...you can't do squat without legislative approval. Yep, I'm challenging political candidates to be honest and stand on the issues. While there might be three people that read this (and that's on a day when they have nothing else to do) I hope they pass this link along to political friends that may have some influence. I ran for Oldsmar City Council some years back. My opponent was Jeff Sandler and we went at the election with quite the vigor. Never once did we attack each other. In fact, throughout the election we supported each other at our campaign stops. I think I can speak for Jeff when I say we had a ton of fun. I lost, Jeff won and eventually became Oldsmar's mayor. We cracked jokes, we visited with each other's families at campaign stops, and were not afraid to sit across the table from each other at functions. Small town politics can be tedious, but boy, they can be fun too.

So, you politicos, political wannabes, left and right extremest pot-stirrers, and potential candidates...see if you have the fortitude to accept my challenge (I think you'll find out that a lot of voters feel the same way, if you quit listening to talk radio long enough to listen to the people). I'll just bet that even local elections will go back to tossing handfuls of crap and seeing how much sticks just because it's easier. Running for office on merits is tough, stating issues and finding ways to perhaps correct them is painstaking, and using you, not your opponent, as a ladder to office is difficult. But people, it is so damn rewarding! Jeff, thanks again old friend...hope to see you around.

Until next time...