Musical Chairs, What a Game!

I interact with people a fair amount, I get out and talk to people, and I write this blog and respond to comments on it and other blogs on this site. Every once in a while, The Brazil Times publishes a letter I've sent to the Editor and I read the online version and comment on articles as I see fit. People call me on the phone or contact me on Facebook and by e-mail to discuss things. For the most part, I have a lot of enjoyment out of interacting with people. Even the hecklers provide me entertainment, as I bait them on to see how far they will go. Some people just do not realize the truth that is contained in Theodor Seuss Geisel's (Dr. Seuss) most profound statement on inter-personal relationships; "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind."

Many times, when the heckling starts, the fact that I have stood for election to the school board and not won a seat is brought up. Only once, since the first time I ran, has that been mentioned in a venue where I could identify the person, but that was at a school board meeting where there was no opportunity to respond to the comment at the time. Mostly though, the hecklers hide in anonymity and try to make some type of public mandate out of the fact that I have ran but not won a seat.

These ill-informed people fail to realize that in any contested election; at least half of the candidates will fail to be elected. However, many times issues that are brought up in the failed campaign will figure in the elected official's term of office simply because it was brought to the attention of the winning candidate and the public. They also seem to believe that failure should be the end of any attempt to get something accomplished. Thank God that most people keep trying, because most first attempts usually fail. History is full of examples of accomplishments that came only after many failed attempts.

Sometimes, I have to wonder if people take democracy seriously. What good is the right to vote in an uncontested election? If there are not two candidates willing to vie for a position, why print the ballot at all and waste the money for it?

Perhaps, just perhaps, I'll not run for school board again. Perhaps I'll run for President of the United States instead. I'd have to run as an Independent, but I'd have more experience in running in public elections than Jesse Jackson had in 1984. Nah, I'll just put my name on the ballot for school board and let the public have that choice.

It's a game of musical chairs, the campaign and election process, with more players than seats. When one player plays alone, how many chairs should there be by the rules of the game of musical chairs? Zero, as there always would be one less than the number of people playing. With only one candidate for an elected position, however, it is not the candidate that ends up with their derrière in contact with the floor, it is the public and democracy itself for the lack of choice.