Just wanted to make a short blog entry on the state of our Democracy in regards to this General Assembly Senate race. According to Mr. McEachin's July 16 Campaign Finance Report he has raised $145,837 and has $2457 on hand. So he spent over $140,000 to secure his victory in the Democratic Primary of June 12. The results of the election are interesting to consider. We all read about the defeat of thirty year incumbent Benny Lambert, who spent $370,172 on his primary campaign. Let's look at the numbers. Votes for McEachin, 6253 to 4512 for Lambert (58% to 42%). However, the turnout for the primary represented just 10.43% of the voters registered in the district, there are 104,000 of us in the Ninth District.
This is the part that is interesting to me. If I had not decided to run for office, Mr. McEachin would be running unchallenged -- there would have been only one candidate on the ballot. He would have essentially won the election with the votes of only 6% of registered voters. Similarly in the last three elections, (and it may go back further, but the State Board of Elections website only has election results back to 1995) there has only been one candidate on the ballot. I do not believe it is because citizens of the Ninth Senate District are so enamored of the Democratic Party, rather I believe that citizen participation in elections is beyond apathetic, it is downright non-existent. This is the sad state of our democracy. To add insult to injury, our "free press" in Richmond still has not mentioned my candidacy in its pages.
It is said that we get the government we deserve. I suppose the implication is that when citizens aren't actively engaged in the democratic institutions of our government, it is left up to the entrenched political parties and "Economic Interests" to divide the spoils of victory. American government is supposed to be representative of the American people. It is my contention that our government is not representative of "the people." It is representative of the "rich people." Mr. McEachin is a member of that class of politician who can be classed with the wealthy. He is a wealthy lawyer. I have never earned more than $22,903 in a single year. I have worked in a library, in restaurants, in print shops, and as a carpenter. I have never owned property, I have always rented the home where I lived. I am one of th 42 million Americans without healthcare.
These aren't exactly qualifications for office but may help you understand where I am coming from. My entire political outlook is focused on improving conditions for all poor and working people. It is senseless to promise what I will do if elected but I will promise that I will stand up for the values I have represented in the past and continue to represent. Only with your help, dear voter, do I have any chance at all of success. If elected, I will have 39 other Senators to deal with, and I don't suspect any of them will care much for me or my positions.
