Issue 24.15
Every two years, we have an election for members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Every four years we have an election for U.S. President. U.S. Senators term of office is six years, one third of them standing for election in each two year cycle. These elections are held in even numbered years. In the odd years, there are often elections for local officials and for things such as bond issues (cities and counties deciding whether to borrow money to build or maintain projects). Most state level elections also occur on the even numbered years.
You would think then that an election cycle (the preparation of and actual choosing of candidates and eventual victors) would be two years. The reality is quite different. The more local the race, usually the shorter the time frame. Conversely, the more broad the constituency (the more people responsible to elect the person for any given office) the longer it tends to take to go through the process.
For example, on the city council level, people are usually elected for either two or four years to discuss and set policy for the city where they reside. The filing deadline (the date when they must declare they are a candidate for a particular office) can be anywhere from 2-9 months before the election. I am aware of candidates deciding to run the day of the deadline and being successful. A similar thing sometimes happens for mayor in small towns. In my small town, one fellow waited until the deadline near 5 PM approached to see if anyone else would run. When no one did, he filed and became mayor. In larger cities, there is much more money, power and visibility involved. Usually there it is less (or not only) a public service and more of an opportunity to control a large budget, make changes in the community, provide public services or springboard into “higher” office through the visibility offered.
The same motivations are likely when considering state legislatures. Often much more money is spent on these campaigns than is received as compensation for the time served in office. It is because there begins to be the option of affecting public policy and fulfilling an agenda while receiving the praise (or scorn) of the voters.
When we come to the U.S. Congress and the President, those who want the office usually have to legally declare for that office early in the year of the election, but most do not wait that long. We are approximately a year and a half from the next Presidential election and a large number of candidates have already made public announcements of their intention to run. What most people don’t realize is that, to be successful, these candidates have likely been preparing for years and perhaps even much of their lives. It is generally considered important for a candidate to have a positive public profile. This can be established by writing one or two books, attending and doing well at a respected university, achieving success in a chosen field or, more likely, coming up through the elected ranks, serving in local, state and federal elected positions and currying favor with the powerful and the rich. All these things create the support structure that most candidates need to have the funding, access and support to survive the campaign and win the election.
Much effort is expended to “create” the candidate in ways that are publicly acceptable. They learn to speak in generalities, cater to those who can help them and avoid statements or actions that can offend special interest groups. As you can see, the process for “higher” office tends to take much more than two years and tends to elect politicians whose goal is power and influence rather than service to people and principles. The exceptions are those who learn and think, create and achieve in life and then, almost as an afterthought or as a desire to give back, decide to run for public office. They have not compromised their principles or their soul so others will give them power. These are the people I am much more likely to vote for, even if I don’t agree with them 100%. I do this because they are not always controlled by the power elite and don’t “owe” special interests. That is why I ask people to support candidates that have character, understanding and principles regardless of party – and especially those in alternative parties. Do it early and do it often.
Lynn West is a thinker, a teacher and a patriot. You can reach him through email atforgingthefuture2021@gmail.com or through this newspaper. Liberty is a state of being which must be continually created. These articles can help all of us discover the ways we can contribute to that outcome.