Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Just a reflection on recently attending the annual township meeting for Moody County’s Fremont Township

A lot of people in Political Science in academia and elsewhere, have a tendency to praise the New England Town Meeting as being an example of the most fundamental form of democracy.

I haven’t noticed much comment on the township system and meeting that we have here…which are almost exactly the same thing, but which all too many seem to ignore.

It’s really rather awesome the relative amount of power that one has just by showing up and participating in these meetings…multiplied all the more by what all too often is low participation. The Chief has heard about township meetings attended by the board, and just a few other people. Guess who makes the decisions in those cases? One person present, one vote!

It’s the same thing with the county Republican and Democratic committees. I know SOME counties have a good turnout…others not. If not the default for organizing and directing the party organizations is up to whoever has enough gumption to get out of the Lazy-boy and go to the meetings.

And then we all too often complain about political outcomes that we don’t like.

These opportunities are just as important, and in many cases even more effective in an immediate way than is voting in general elections. In our, and other townships, the matters discussed directly and literally deal with what happens where the rubber meets the road – as snow is plowed, roads graveled, and then graded for maintenance.

It’s well worth a bit of time to participate, and the whole process is better for it, especially if as is claimed, all politics is local.

’nuff said.