Archive: Opinions

As far as elected positions in Lansing are concerned, I will tell you I am voting for Dave Banfield for Town Justice.  I say that despite a nearly ten year old policy of The Lansing Star not endorsing candidates.  While I do think he does a great job as Town Justice (even though, as one of his first cases, he didn't let me off an unjust traffic ticket without a fine), the fact is that he is running uncontested.  I suppose I could vote for no one, but I like Dave and I like the job he is doing.  Except that traffic fine.  I'll give him a pass because he was a novice judge at the time!

I have normally provided more election coverage than I have this year.  One of my favorite parts of the job is interviewing federal and state candidates, asking opponents the same questions and seeing how differently they answer them.  I was unable to do that this year for personal reasons, but I hope to be able to resume it for next year's elections.

Lansing voters will vote for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, State Comptroller and Attorney General, State Supreme Court Justice, Federal Congressional Representative, State Senator (uncontested) and Assembly Representative, County Clerk and Sheriff (both uncontested this year), and Judge Banfield.  There are also three proposals.  The first sets up a redistricting commission to review voting districts every ten years.  The second will permit electronic distribution to satisfy the requirement that bills be printed and on the desks of legislators at least three days before they are voted on.  It assumes that legislators know how to use email, and permits them to print a hard copy.  The third authorizes the sale of two billion dollars worth of bonds to fund classroom space and technology, among other school resources.

Locally the most controversial election is for U.S. Congress.  I would have loved to interview the two candidates, because the only materials coming out of their campaigns (and national organizations) have been vicious attacks on each other without even a hint of what they would actually do if elected.

I hate that stuff.  I am sure that neither Martha Robertson nor Tom Reed is perfect, but even if each is 100% right about the other, wven crooks can do good things in government sometimes.  So while I understand that a candidate's character is part of what I am voting on, the kind of results I can expect if a candidate is elected is a lot more important to me.  issues are what matter.  Partisan attacks don't help me decide who to vote for.  I guess they must work, or candidates wouldn't trash each other.  But they don't help me decide.

With only three debates, and none of them especially accessible in Tompkins County, it is hard to know what the candidates stand for.  Both campaigns have been guilty of favoring vitriol over issues.  That's why I like interviewing the candidates myself.  The good news is that I did do that a year ago, and you can see what they had to say in these two articles:  Martha Robertson | Tom Reed

While I wouldn't presume to tell you how to vote, I do presume to tell you to vote.  Even with the uncontested positions it's important for all of us to weigh in.  In my view the most important races are for Governor, Congress, and State Assembly.  Even if the results are predictable, and arguably they are, voting is a responsibility we all share, and should be honored to bear.

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