Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Calamity of Being Politically Terminally Negative

It's quite obvious that public life in the shadow of politics is not an easy path to take.  On the one hand you have the ability to legislate policy, usually along with a council of others, for the betterment of the community, state or country in which you live.  Being in the spotlight also means you gain enemies faster than you gain allies.  Negativity is easy to come by and assume.  It's the positive that we actually have to put forth the effort to see and share.  It isn't necessarily that you are a bad leader or even that your policies that you support are adversely affecting those whom you govern.  It boils down to the here and now of what people want.

During my time on the Council I've had my share of disappointments and hardships.  Entering office at the commencing stages of a new water plant, immediately, approvals of budgets and water plant finance issues were scrutinized by many members of the public.  This is good!  It shows that there are those who are paying attention and providing a community "checks and balances" on whom they elect.  Though encouraging that there are people who actually participate in the critiquing of elected officials, a proper perspective also needs to be employed while keeping emotions in check.

We all do it!  We all judge prematurely the works of officials whom we've elected.  At least most of us do it.  At the same time the vast majority of us do it without a proper perspective in considering the office officials hold and the information they are privy to.  Ultimately we fail to keep our emotions in check thus producing attitudes that this guy is evil or that guy is a puppet.  Though these conceptions may be true, it is also probable that things aren't what they seem.  At least not to the degree we feel the plight may be.  Anyone who can't agree with that simple fact seriously has their eyes veiled at no more than two inches in front of their face.

The issue that exacerbates the already frustrating job of public life are those people who threaten, excessively question or portray a terminal character of negativity.  There are always a select few who carry this view who cannot be reasoned with and to whom nothing can satisfactorily be explained.  They simply want the attention and desire to be seen and guise it all under the benevolent umbrella of "being a watchman of the public funds."  Again it is outstanding that there are people who take the initiative to watch and learn what their elected officials do.  The canker of public life are in those select few who take it to an unhealthy emotional extent or level where their rantings benefit no one.

Being negative of all facets of life is not healthy for the person or anyone else - even those whom you wish to gain support from.  If you exercise a positive attitude you will be better armed to employ proper judgement and the ability to see or perceive that other perspective that elected officials have according to their office and the sustaining vote from the people.  Not only will you be advancing the cause of your good health but you will be immensely helping your public officials use better judgement in their decision making affecting the area which they are called to govern.  How??  By discharging a better attitude you increase the outlook of everyone around you.  You relieve the pressures on others.

It's a matter of faith!  Faith is extremely hard to live by for people who are constantly negative in concert with like-minded people.  When I speak of the affects of carrying a positive attitude they don't physically "see" the evidence of it in their mind.  That's part of what faith is.  It's the ability to believe in that which is not seen but is true nonetheless.  Therefore, without even the smallest degree of faith certain people lull in the mires of the here and now and see only the negative aspects of life.

It is my hope that elected officials will be strong and strive to keep a good outlook amidst those few who hang on their heels to drag them down.  There are many who are legitimate in their questions and there are those who are not.  May we as a nation of liberty and freedom live up to the mantle that we as everyday citizens are called to occupy.  Whether elected by the people or the people being governed we all have a responsibility to uphold the precepts of the Constitution of the United States and to execute a positive outlook at all times from which free enterprise and our capitalist system flourish.

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