We do our best in society when we keep things moving, seek improvements, and be inclusive. It works better when we have the idea we are one, even with different tastes, styles, preferences. One for all and all for one is preferable. Reality indicates the ideal can be more difficult to negotiate, however, setting such goals provides for progress.
Within the political world, the U.S. system operates in a mode to select leaders with elections. That process, which we have discovered the last 17 months, is fraught with variations, delays, detours, and decisions. Nonetheless, we keep on going and seek improvements and assert our form of government to be workable and viable. Those who seek detours, in the long run, find their course is shortened by the majority. Democracies can be sticky, can present problems, and often are not neat and clean. The objective is to continue to keep all voices involved.
The neat and clean of totalitarianism, dictatorships, and demagogues, often are in the majority in the world throughout history, however, citizens of the world yearn to throw off the yoke of dictatorships and those who want to stifle democratic republics.
This year, the Independence Day celebration will be 246 years since those august individuals in the colonies made the statement to be free of British rule. The long journey continues in the United States in various forms and we can continue our democracy and independence, or, we can let things slide into a sense of chaos, large or small. It is up to each one of us each day and each year.
As a society we are partly defined by our elective system. In Illinois our partisan primary elections will take place Tuesday, June 28 moved from March of many years. Good weather should improve the turnout. Those who do not vote in the primary election process will allow others to set the agenda for the election process in early November for the general elections. In this case it will be November 8 this year. Members of the House of Representatives in Illinois run for election every two years. Stephanie Kifowit will run unopposed on the Democratic Party ballot for the 84th District nomination. Her district covers parts of Aurora, Naperville, Montgomery, and Oswego.
She remains active and holds events for the benefit of residents in her district. Saturday, June 18 she held an annual Shred and Recycle Event just south of Montgomery Road. She said following the event, “Our Shred and Recycle Event is one of my favorites. It’s fun to be able to help so many people do some Spring cleaning and shred sensitive documents. We collected electronics for recycling and kept prescription medications from contaminating our water systems by properly disposing of them. The donations of eyeglasses, cell phones, and books, go to great causes. This event is a true public service!”
Her effort to help clean up, provide recycling of electronics, and shred sensitive documents, is a public service. It is a small part of what any representative does in service. Her photo is on page 1 with helping secure funds for the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry. Incumbents have an advantage in the election process if they have kept the faith of the public they serve. For that reason she does not have an opponent in the June 28 primary election.
The public in general would be better served if it understood the process, kept up with the elected representatives in their districts on the community, state, and national level. Such a process was devised in the days following our Declaration of Independence.