With the ballots going out soon, the choices are often very clear. I urge you to vote, even if you think it won’t matter. In some races a few votes one way or the other could make the difference in a radical swing in styles in governing, as we saw from the last Presidential election.
I have looked at the candidates and talked to some of them, gathering their backgrounds and statements about environmental issues. I’ve read through the initiatives and public votes that are on the ballot. If I missed something, let me know.
But on the front page of this blog is a tab at the top with a series of names. One is Elections 2018. Clicking on it will take you to a web page with a list of candidates and issues that I believe will help promote environmental protection, moving us forward and not back. Some, like Maria Cantwell and Derek Kilmer, will do all they can to stem the destructive agenda of the current administration in Washington, D.C.
The initiatives can be confusing because some of them are actually not what they claim to be, using deceptive language on purpose to get uniformed voters to say yes to what appears to be a good idea. Others are being outspent by vast sums by corporations who profit from polluting the air and water.
Government is no perfect solution. From reading the translations of Greek debate, over 3000 years ago, you learn that the much vaunted Democracy of Athens was a very messy affair,especially since all of the eligible voters had to come to a consensus to move forward! Can you imagine trying that today? The take away is that there is no ‘perfect union’ only striving to make “a more perfect” one. There will be losers and winners, our goal here is to make sure that the environment is not one of them.
I have serious issues with some of these candidates, to be sure. But the ones that I do have issues with, will be vastly better than their competition in some cases. In others, you may barely see a difference. It may come down to one vote sometime to protect a place that is dear to all of us.
So click the 2018 tab on the top and then do your own research if you wish. This is a very real way for you to protect the environment, by voting for leaders that support it.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound |
