Thursday, February 11, 2010

People to Look Up To

Why I look up to guys like Legislator Carmen Gumina (R-Webster) and Supervisor David Dunning (R-Chili).

People get involved in politics and government for a variety of different reasons I'm most impressed with people that get involved because they want to make things better. This is why our forefathers were involved in government affairs and politics and is still the reason why many people get involved today. Yes, I realize that some people have other reasons, but for today's discussion I am looking at the honorable few that get involved to make the lives of hard-working citizens and our families better.

Carmen Gumina and David Dunning ran for office because they truly believed in their heart that they can right wrongs, make better decisions, and in the end safeguard and improve the lives of the citizens that they represent. Both of these gentlemen ran for office in a time when they would win if they were Democrat or Republican. They took the path available to them and set out to win an election and obtain an office where they believed they could make a difference.

After serving for a year or two in their respective positions both came to realize that the party that they were enrolled in did not truly help them to serve the people that they represented. When they looked at other elected officials in the Democratic party they found very little common ground, and when looking across the aisle to elected officials of the Republican Party they found others that had similar core values and beliefs as they did. They made decisions that to do their best to help out the people that they represent, they would have to move to the more conservative, fiscally responsible, family oriented party, the Republican Party.

I am sure that the decisions that these two gentlemen made was not an easy one and took much soul-searching. It takes courage to be an elected official and switch parties, especially when you are making the decision for all the right reasons as these two gentlemen did. I applaud their courage, I applaud their determination to align themselves with others that have the same values and same core beliefs. I applaud that these two men are men of action, men of conviction and men that are willing to do what is necessary to fight for the families that they represent. They have earned my respect.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

A little censorship to boot eh Josh???

Anonymous said...

Dunning & Gumina both lack character and your essay is laughable.

Joshua said...

Anonymous #1: I didn't censor my thoughts, or your lame response.

Anonymous #1A (probably the same guy): Now that you thought of something more clever to say, I say...sour grapes. You lost two good men and it really bothers you. Stop hurting hard working families and get a platform that good people can believe in and it won't happen again. Until then, THANK YOU!

Anonymous said...

I had no idea that "character" in the local Democrat party meant staying loyal to a failed platform of hurting residents with government tax and spending increases and following the rest of the donkey herd as they hurl themselves over the cliff.

Anonymous said...

It is becoming increasingly clear that neither party truly represents the interests of most people. They play the game to make it look as though they do to attract folks to their side and get their candidates elected. They have created narrow boxes that they have asked us to climb aboard. Which box do I fit? I care about people but think that government spending and inefficiency is strangling us. I believe in less government as long as it’s transparent and truly to the greatest benefit of the citizens that government serves. I believe in encouraging growth in business, but think cronyism and gifts to those who support you are among the problems that plague us. I believe that a worker should be paid a fair livable wage, but not at the expense of industry so that two sides can play who has more power. I believe it takes a village to raise a child but that many parents are failing in their role. I believe it’s nice to be around like minded people but not at the expense of imagination and reason. Which box do you fit in?

Makes you wonder if Mr. Gumina feels that the Democrats no longer represent his core value, yet has acknowledged publicly in that past that he has differences with the Republicans as well. Why not stand on his own? Free to vote what ever way he wants in theory. Vote on it if you think its right. I guess reelection on his merits and accomplishments thus far is putting far too much confidence in the people he represents.