No replies to this topic

[David]

It would seem that many of posting here believe that the recent election results were the result of a blind, ignorant, uninformed, and deceived public in spite of the fact that you won in some areas and lost in others. Please excuse me if I am being condescending, but I think it is time to state some obvious points about the last election.

1. Have you ever considered the fact that people voted differently than you because they disagreed with you?

For example, Jake has posted,

“I cannot believe it, but it appears Miklos & Howell will get re-elected after all. I think this is proof that the average Joe in Folsom goes by name recognition when voting. How sad.” – Jake

I think it is sad that you cannot recognize the fact that people like me voted for Miklos and Howell because I believe that they were a better choice than the other candidates. I read arguments and information on this and other website all the time. Based upon what I read here, I chose to vote the way I did. Your kind of tunnel vision is the reason that people in City Government don’t like working with the Alliance of Folsom Residents. You accuse people of being ignorant or having malevolent intentions just because they disagree with you. Face the fact that not everyone agrees with your reasoning.

2. Have you ever considered that we do shape government through the general election?

For example, Betty Mahan posted,

"I still say,----there has to be a change in the city charter that insures that no actions can be taken without the residents prior knowledge and means to oppose actions if necessary…WE HAVE NO CONTROL AT ALL IN WHAT THEY DO OR DON'T DO!!!!" - bettyemahan

Betty, you exercised your control when you voted on Tuesday! That is what an election is for.

Here is a simple presupposition that it seems many people here do not understand. When the founding father’s established our country they set up a democracy. But it was a representative democracy and not a pure democracy. In a representative democracy we elect leaders (Congress, the President, City Councils, etc.) to make wise decisions for us based on the time and effort that they have to research and understand issues. In a pure democracy, every citizen votes on every single issue.

The founding fathers completely rejected the idea of a pure democracy in favor of a representative democracy because of what they saw happening in France at the time. In France, the country was ruined by a pure democracy because it turned into mob rule.

Now getting back to Folsom. Our city works under a representative democracy. We elect city officials who make wise decisions based upon their research and reasoning. They generally are supposed to do what they feel is best for their constituents. And so, on Tuesday we voted and exercised our democratic control of government. (Just because they don’t always do what you as an individual citizen want doesn’t mean that they are corrupt – face it, they and others disagree with you!)

Now, after the election I am already hearing about another special election to block growth on the south side of the freeway. This is an appeal to pure democracy, which is easily manipulated and twisted.

This is why Andy Morin recently wrote, “Generally I would oppose ballot box land use planning.” While Andy Morin does support your initiative, even he recognizes that this type of land use planning usually causes a lot of problems. I experienced this type of governing in Ventura in Southern California. A lot of people there hate it!!! Why? Because many years ago they required that any development in certain areas of the country had to have a prior approval by the voters. Now, years later that same area needs development for the economic well being of the community and they can’t do it. On top of normal construction, a small business owner has to conduct a special election to expand their business. It not only blocks houses coming in, it blocks economic development and diversification which benefits the existing residents.

To compare apples, imagine a scenario where Intel pulls out of Folsom and no other businesses can develop here because they are blocked from doing so because of your proposed no growth initiative. I digress…

My point is yes you do have control of what the city council does. Please don’t make it a us against them thing and pretend that you are powerless, you are not. Just face the fact that you did not get everything you wanted. I wanted a different governor, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have any power. I wanted Jim McGowan on the school board, but just because he didn’t get elected doesn’t mean that I was robbed of my rights as a citizen.

3. Finally, I want to state again the obvious fact that while many here may say that they advocate smart growth the reality is that many of you are against growth. Why can’t you admit it? You accuse the city council of double speak and yet you are doing the same thing.

Bob Fish recently posted,

"1. Andy Morin did succeed and now joins Eric King to give some balance to a still pro-growth Council." - Bob Fish

Why is Bob against the still growth council if he is not against growth? Why does the pro-growth council need to be balanced if you are not against growth?

I am sorry if I just don’t get it, but you seem to be doing the same thing you are accusing the city council of doing. You say that you are not against growth and behave as if you are.