Political aspirations and voter apathy
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Ike Hodson for POTUS in 2012?
If it happened to one former Ohio county clerk of courts, why not? Our ninth President of the United States (POTUS), William Henry Harrison, was appointed Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in May 1836 and was the county’s clerk of courts when he was elected president in 1840.
We can thank the Hon. Judge Rocky Coss for this possible “Jeopardy” answer/question.
However, as we reported first on highlandcountypress.com, it was not immediately clear whether Ike has considered a presidential bid in 2012. For the record, he’d be an improvement over a number of the early contenders. Maybe it’s time for another “I Like Ike” presidential campaign – even though I suspect the new clerk of courts has plenty to do as it is.
Good luck, Ike. You’ll be a great clerk of courts.
* * *
• For a minute there earlier this week, Barack Obama almost looked presidential. In fact, he did. President Obama’s address to the world late Sunday, May 1 on the elimination of terrorist Osama bin Laden, was his best speech, to date. He rightly commended the efforts of the U.S. Armed Forces, specifically the Navy SEALS, and sounded confident and assertive. It was a good speech. And it was an even better occasion.
Osama bin (e)Liminated.
* * *
• Quote of the Day: “Education needs to be a national priority, but not a federal program.”
We have a tendency to place too much emphasis on government-controlled funding of education and not nearly enough on the actual learning process. In other words, as Jeb Bush says, “Compassion (in education) is not about how much money you spend, but about the results you get.”
As governor of the Sunshine State, when Bush entered office in 1998, more than 46 percent of Florida fourth-graders could not read. Think about that. Almost half of the state’s fourth-graders couldn’t read.
That is unconscionable. These are 9- and 10-year-olds. I’ve known a 3-year-old or two who could read at a high school level. (No kidding. My wife’s taught a few of them.)
But to be in the fourth grade unable to read begs one obvious question: How’d y’all get there?
Did a third-grade teacher simply pass you along – illiterate – because a second-grade teacher had passed you along to the third grade in the same, dismal condition?
And how many of the state’s 46 percent of illiterate fourth-graders were passed to the fifth grade and beyond?
With programs such as the Foundation for Florida’s Future and the Foundation for Excellence in Education, Bush reversed the trend. By the time he left office, the illiteracy rate for fourth-graders was down to 27 percent. Still too high, to be sure. But a significant improvement of the close-to-50-percent rate he inherited.
Today, the former Republican governor is working with a former Democratic governor, Bob Wise, of West Virginia, to provide online educational opportunities.
In a story by John Miller of (yes, National Review!), Bush says, “We’re doing everything the same way we were 50 or 100 years ago, with seat time, three months off and a teacher who stands in front of kids. Digital learning is the fastest way to change all that – and the unions see it as an even bigger threat than vouchers because it’s such a disruptive idea.”
But it is becoming less so for many families. I know of one Hillsboro family in which 100 percent of the household achieved online college degrees from very well-regarded institutions outside of Ohio. Aside from commencement ceremonies, there were no travel expenses or out-of-state tuition increases.
Ohio and other states can lead – or fall behind – in the academic changes that are coming. In fact, many of those changes are here now. It’s just a matter of a little better marketing and advertising for the institutions to attract the right students. But rest assured, they will.
And if government-backed schools and colleges fail to adjust, especially in bad economies, families will search Google until the gander comes home for a better deal.
“Education needs to be a national priority, but not a federal program.” Families need to fully comprehend both sides of the conjunction in that quotation.
* * *
• Given the results of the Hillsboro mayoral primary, perhaps Independent candidate John Levo was the real winner on May 3. Time will tell.
Only 460 voters cast ballots in the three-way Republican primary; after which, winning candidate Drew Hastings talked about voter apathy.
“For all the work that all three of us candidates did, I’m really surprised (at the low voter turnout). I’m very disappointed,” Hastings said.
“I’m very glad that voters came out and voted for me in the numbers that they did; but overall, I’m disappointed. If I end up being mayor of Hillsboro, I would want to see more participation. That’s part of our problem. Our low voter turnout for this primary is indicative of the overall problem that we have in Hillsboro, and that’s apathy.”
He’s right, of course.
With all of the city’s well-publicized and oft-debated problems – and there are many – relatively few registered voters in the city of 6,666 (2009 Census) cast ballots. Yes, this was a partisan primary, which certainly could reduce the number of actual voters. However, 460 total votes cast suggests one of a few possibilities:
• Voter apathy, as Mr. Hastings said;
• Relatively little enthusiasm for any of the three candidates;
• Bigger things to worry about, such as looking for employment and paying $4.20 for a gallon of gas;
• A general dissatisfaction with government and the political process.
There may be multiple reasons for the low turnout. Highland County Board of Elections member Kay Ayres attributed it, in part, to Tuesday’s rainy weather. (I can’t argue that point, after sliding into a pair of rubber hip waders Tuesday afternoon just to take a photo at the Highland County Humane Society.)
But when less than 7 percent of the city’s population decides the Republican candidate for mayor (and the city does lean to the right, after all), it makes one wonder if there were a common denominator in this primary. Frankly, I don’t know.
Consider this: If there were not an Independent candidate in the November general election (fortunately, there is), a scant 4 percent (295/6666) of the city’s population would have elected the next mayor. Or, if you prefer, a mere 9 percent of possible voters (460 total votes cast, divided by 4,709 potential voters) would have determined the city’s next mayor.
The candidates worked too hard for such a dismal representation of potential voters. Participating in the electoral process is a good thing. Not only does it help to ensure better candidates, but widespread participation also helps to ensure the accountability of elected officials.
Sadly, voting has become a civic responsibility – like others – that many of us have shirked in recent years.
Alexis de Tocqueville once said, “We get the government we deserve.”
We sure do.
Our thanks to Mr. Hastings, Mr. Daniels, Mr. Mikkelsen and Mr. Levo for putting in the time, effort and financial commitment to seek public office. Maybe more than 9 percent of the city’s potential voters will turn out in November. We’ll see.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
If it happened to one former Ohio county clerk of courts, why not? Our ninth President of the United States (POTUS), William Henry Harrison, was appointed Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in May 1836 and was the county’s clerk of courts when he was elected president in 1840.
We can thank the Hon. Judge Rocky Coss for this possible “Jeopardy” answer/question.
However, as we reported first on highlandcountypress.com, it was not immediately clear whether Ike has considered a presidential bid in 2012. For the record, he’d be an improvement over a number of the early contenders. Maybe it’s time for another “I Like Ike” presidential campaign – even though I suspect the new clerk of courts has plenty to do as it is.
Good luck, Ike. You’ll be a great clerk of courts.
* * *
• For a minute there earlier this week, Barack Obama almost looked presidential. In fact, he did. President Obama’s address to the world late Sunday, May 1 on the elimination of terrorist Osama bin Laden, was his best speech, to date. He rightly commended the efforts of the U.S. Armed Forces, specifically the Navy SEALS, and sounded confident and assertive. It was a good speech. And it was an even better occasion.
Osama bin (e)Liminated.
* * *
• Quote of the Day: “Education needs to be a national priority, but not a federal program.”
– Former Florida Gov. John Ellis Bush.
We have a tendency to place too much emphasis on government-controlled funding of education and not nearly enough on the actual learning process. In other words, as Jeb Bush says, “Compassion (in education) is not about how much money you spend, but about the results you get.”
As governor of the Sunshine State, when Bush entered office in 1998, more than 46 percent of Florida fourth-graders could not read. Think about that. Almost half of the state’s fourth-graders couldn’t read.
That is unconscionable. These are 9- and 10-year-olds. I’ve known a 3-year-old or two who could read at a high school level. (No kidding. My wife’s taught a few of them.)
But to be in the fourth grade unable to read begs one obvious question: How’d y’all get there?
Did a third-grade teacher simply pass you along – illiterate – because a second-grade teacher had passed you along to the third grade in the same, dismal condition?
And how many of the state’s 46 percent of illiterate fourth-graders were passed to the fifth grade and beyond?
With programs such as the Foundation for Florida’s Future and the Foundation for Excellence in Education, Bush reversed the trend. By the time he left office, the illiteracy rate for fourth-graders was down to 27 percent. Still too high, to be sure. But a significant improvement of the close-to-50-percent rate he inherited.
Today, the former Republican governor is working with a former Democratic governor, Bob Wise, of West Virginia, to provide online educational opportunities.
In a story by John Miller of (yes, National Review!), Bush says, “We’re doing everything the same way we were 50 or 100 years ago, with seat time, three months off and a teacher who stands in front of kids. Digital learning is the fastest way to change all that – and the unions see it as an even bigger threat than vouchers because it’s such a disruptive idea.”
But it is becoming less so for many families. I know of one Hillsboro family in which 100 percent of the household achieved online college degrees from very well-regarded institutions outside of Ohio. Aside from commencement ceremonies, there were no travel expenses or out-of-state tuition increases.
Ohio and other states can lead – or fall behind – in the academic changes that are coming. In fact, many of those changes are here now. It’s just a matter of a little better marketing and advertising for the institutions to attract the right students. But rest assured, they will.
And if government-backed schools and colleges fail to adjust, especially in bad economies, families will search Google until the gander comes home for a better deal.
“Education needs to be a national priority, but not a federal program.” Families need to fully comprehend both sides of the conjunction in that quotation.
* * *
• Given the results of the Hillsboro mayoral primary, perhaps Independent candidate John Levo was the real winner on May 3. Time will tell.
Only 460 voters cast ballots in the three-way Republican primary; after which, winning candidate Drew Hastings talked about voter apathy.
“For all the work that all three of us candidates did, I’m really surprised (at the low voter turnout). I’m very disappointed,” Hastings said.
“I’m very glad that voters came out and voted for me in the numbers that they did; but overall, I’m disappointed. If I end up being mayor of Hillsboro, I would want to see more participation. That’s part of our problem. Our low voter turnout for this primary is indicative of the overall problem that we have in Hillsboro, and that’s apathy.”
He’s right, of course.
With all of the city’s well-publicized and oft-debated problems – and there are many – relatively few registered voters in the city of 6,666 (2009 Census) cast ballots. Yes, this was a partisan primary, which certainly could reduce the number of actual voters. However, 460 total votes cast suggests one of a few possibilities:
• Voter apathy, as Mr. Hastings said;
• Relatively little enthusiasm for any of the three candidates;
• Bigger things to worry about, such as looking for employment and paying $4.20 for a gallon of gas;
• A general dissatisfaction with government and the political process.
There may be multiple reasons for the low turnout. Highland County Board of Elections member Kay Ayres attributed it, in part, to Tuesday’s rainy weather. (I can’t argue that point, after sliding into a pair of rubber hip waders Tuesday afternoon just to take a photo at the Highland County Humane Society.)
But when less than 7 percent of the city’s population decides the Republican candidate for mayor (and the city does lean to the right, after all), it makes one wonder if there were a common denominator in this primary. Frankly, I don’t know.
Consider this: If there were not an Independent candidate in the November general election (fortunately, there is), a scant 4 percent (295/6666) of the city’s population would have elected the next mayor. Or, if you prefer, a mere 9 percent of possible voters (460 total votes cast, divided by 4,709 potential voters) would have determined the city’s next mayor.
The candidates worked too hard for such a dismal representation of potential voters. Participating in the electoral process is a good thing. Not only does it help to ensure better candidates, but widespread participation also helps to ensure the accountability of elected officials.
Sadly, voting has become a civic responsibility – like others – that many of us have shirked in recent years.
Alexis de Tocqueville once said, “We get the government we deserve.”
We sure do.
Our thanks to Mr. Hastings, Mr. Daniels, Mr. Mikkelsen and Mr. Levo for putting in the time, effort and financial commitment to seek public office. Maybe more than 9 percent of the city’s potential voters will turn out in November. We’ll see.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]