OK, here’s the problem. I am feeling the need to get involved in the political process in some tangible way, but I’m not sure that I know how to do it. The biggest hurdle at the moment is my unwillingness to tie myself to one political party. I am by no means a fan of the Bush administration, or of our freshman Senator (Mel Martinez), but there are many things about the old-school Republican party that I find attractive, namely fiscal conservatism, small government, etc.
On the other hand, I identify more with the Democratic Party on a number of social issues. Additionally, they are currently what amounts to an opposition party in the US, which I also find attractive. Unfortunately, I can’t fall completely in line behind the throw-money-at-every-problem mindset.
In an ideal world, I would look to get involved with the local Libertarian Party, but they are a little too radical for my tastes.
What do I bring to the table? An above-average intelligence (hey, I’m a Doper, right?), a fair amount of common sense, a tendency to approach issues from a rational standpoint tempered with some innate compassion, decent communication skills, an interest in the political process, but no formal education in matters political or legal (although I hope to start law school in the fall). I’m a 37 year-old full-time house husband, so I have a fair amount of free time and a somewhat flexible schedule.
So - anyone have any suggestions for me? I suppose I could just wait for the next election cycle and see if there are any candidates that I can get behind, regardless of party, but I’d like to get involved before then. I have a feeling my options are limited without signing on with a party, but maybe y’all can help me get creative here.
Voting is the best way to be involved and not enough of us vote in this country.
Go volunteer for a while for all the local party offices, one after the other. Get some behind-the-scenes knowledge and get to meet the people that are the local power structure. Make your decision based on increased knowledge.
If you don’t feel compatible with a major party, then don’t join one. Instead, wait for the next round of campaigning and choose a candidate based on his or her individual positions and attributes. Volunteer for that campaign, whether the office at stake is local, state, or national.
Pick a specific issue that you feel strongly about and spend some time and money supporting it. Go to town meetings, get your voice heard. Sign petitions, hand out fliers, write letters to your congressmen. Enjoy.
Local politics should be right up your alley. Start attending city council meetings. Get involved in the community. Vote. Go to school board meetings. Go to Planning Commision meetings. Join the PTA.
Sounds like it’d be right up your alley! Call or go by their offices (they’re in the Merritt Island Service Complex, which doesn’t seem like it should be all that far for you to travel to).
Check out the agenda for their April 12th meeting, and if there are any topics that are of interest to you, plan on attending and submit a “speaker card” so you can have your opinions heard. While you’re mingling afterward, ask someone how to go about getting more involved and/or how to go about getting elected to the board or serving on one of their many committees.
Are you interested in Merritt Island redevelopment? If so, find out when the next election cycle is (board members serve 4 year terms). Start getting involved now, so you can familiarize yourself with their projects and agenda and become known to the members and the people in the community, then run for an open seat (you qualify as a resident; “Any person may be appointed as Director if he/she resides . . . within the area of operation of the Agency which shall be coterminous with the area of operation of the county, and is otherwise eligible for such appointment.”).
As a local government employee, I say “Welcome to the fray!”
Tip O’Neil said, “All politics is local,” so that’s the best place to start. Get to know your local representatives (Town Councial or Board, Planning Commission or equivalent, School Board, etc.) Call the local government office and get a copy of the upcoming agenda for meetings. Learn what you can about the issues. Ask questions. Read newspapers. If your locality has a web-site, staff reports and related info is probably on-line. Speak at public hearings, but make your comments to the point, avoid appeals to emotion, and have your facts straight. As you get better informed and become involved you’ll get recognized (you may even get asked to fill a vacancy on a board or commission - do it if you can, it gives you a completely different perspective).
A room-mate of mine in college became involved in his local PTA, was asked to fill a vacancy on the school board when a member died, was elected in his own right at the next election, and then ran for City Council. He’s now mayor of his home town in New Jersey. It would be hard to be more involved in politics than that.
You don’t have to get involved with a political party, specifically.
Is there an issue or cause you feel strongly about? Believe me, there’s an organization that works in that area. Those organizations regularly write letters and tromp down to city council meetings/the state capitol/Washington to say “we represent 300,000 voters, and we want action.”