TURNOUT: An inside story

Benjamin Franklin was once asked what kind of government we will have. “A Republic, ma’am, if you can keep it,” he replied. I am very concerned after last Tuesday’s election with only 8.45 percent turnout that maybe ol’ Benjamin was onto something. The Founders chose a Constitutional Republic as the best means for America to self-govern, but can we with such low turnout?

Part of the reason for the low turnout was the lack of competitive races. As a co-founder of the Reagan Republicans and an elected member of the KCRCC for eight years now, I have a realization. There is a political establishment in D.C., our Statehouse and in our cities. According to The Press on Nov. 8, there were a couple of competitive races. The winner in the Post Falls City Council race is a retired city of Coeur d’Alene parks director. The winner of the Kootenai Fire District has a 27-year history of working for the county sheriff’s office, endorsed by the Firefighters Union.

I have seen over the years very good candidates be maligned, politically fired from their jobs and verbally attacked just for running for office. If one’s ideas are counter to the establishment hereof — the unions, government employees, tourism industry and those they support — you will have a tough chance in a low turnout election because that is who shows up. Follow the money; they all need property tax dollars to thrive. Are we truly governed by “We the People” or by insiders?

JEFF TYLER

Coeur d’Alene