Looking toward next election

 

With the chaos and unnecessary expense that extreme partisanship has created in Ravalli County, I hope this next election will bring us a number of qualified Independent candidates. Some Democratic activists believe the current mess will drive their people into office. It’s not going to happen. There was a time when Ravalli County elected a mix of moderate Republicans and centrist Democrats. But that was before thousands of conservatives moved here, partly to escape what they saw as government overreach. Democratic partisanship is no solution to Republican partisanship.

What we DON’T need are:

· Fringe “Independents” who shun the parties because they’re to the right of the Republicans, or to the left of the Democrats.

· Crusaders who want to balance the Federal budget, run Federal lands, or make state law from the County Courthouse, instead of taking care of local business.

· More realtors, developers, and their spouses (those interests have been over-represented in Ravalli government for decades).

· Social engineers, liberal or conservative (just fix the dang roads!)

· Partisans trying to pass as Independents. If you’re a Democrat or Republican, run as one.

Most county positions are more administrative than legislative. There is no liberal or conservative way to plow the roads, enforce state laws and regulations, keep financial records, or protect public health. Strident ideology just gets in the way.

I hope qualified, moderate Independents will decide that 2014 is the year to run, without tying themselves to a party agenda.

Paul Stanton

Hamilton