There are some obvious solutions:
- TERM LIMITS at every level of government. If it works for the President and Governor, why not Senators, Councilmen and School Board members? If you know you can’t be a career politician, you’re less likely to make decisions based on re-election (ie self-interest) and more on the interest of constituents.
- stronger campaign rules and independent auditing and enforcement of ethics rules in governing bodies. If politicians know they will go to jail if they are corrupt and they can’t game the system as easily, they’re more likely to shoot straight with voters.
- more government transparency. People would be much more involved if it was easy (dummy-proof) to find information about what government agencies are doing.

All of these are pipe dreams, of course. Government is self-sustaining, and many voters simply press “R” or “D” in the voting booth (SC is one of the few remaining states that still allows straight-party voting) without knowing a candidate’s stance on the issues. Media coverage (lack of it, especially for local issues) is a big part of this. Newspaper reporters can’t afford to spend weeks doing research for big stories anymore.

I’d love to find some like-minded citizens locally that want to help push some real reform at the local and state levels.

lovingly yours,
The Dick with a Beard

I do think it’s a shame that many politicians feel that they have to make grander and grander promises to get elected, but it’s the fault of an ignorant electorate that will listen to them and vote based on empty promises.

I read all the articles here on the Spark, and comment freely whenever I get the whim, don’t get all sentimental on me now. I was more interested in calling you out on your ill behavior then actually the half assed opinion piece you threw together, whining about peoples lack of enthusiasm in participating in what’s typically a waist of time, politics that is. It seems you cared more about making fun of a couple trying to extinguish a chair with a garden hose then constructively explaining the things you were whining you wish people knew about in the local government, and acting all holier then thou in the process. -and not that it’s any of your business, but I haven’t smoked pot in a long time.

You didn’t say that people should be forced to take a more hands on role in local government, but I didn’t say you did, as you well know. We’re both perfectly aware of your utilitarian beliefs though, thinking people should be dominated by force to do what the government decides they should do, as is the way it is in government these days, but I doubt you want to go down that path of discussing the fundamentals of political ideologies, as usual. The comment in a more general sense though was one more of reinforcing the notion, as so very often happens, of the misuse of the term democracy, rather then acknowledging we have a representative republic.

“Dick with a beard” -ah yes, I stooped to your level. I’m surprised you didn’t pull out the “I’m the unfair victim of a personal attack” card, as you’ve done so many times in the past. You always seem to excessively lash out whenever anyone challenges any of your statements, was my original point to begin with. Rightfully shaming you for wrongfully shaming other people isn’t that becoming of me, but I guess it’s a price I’m sometimes willing to pay in attempt to put that overblown ego of yours in check, although it seems like a lost cause. -and hell, up all night drinking coffee, there isn’t much else going on.

I currently live outside the city of Spartanburg, but that doesn’t stop me from going to city council, but whatever. As you said, you’re free to get involved, or not. Nobody as far as I’m aware has suggested otherwise. Likewise, I’m free to call that choice not to get involved foolish. Isn’t the freedom to hold differing opinions grand?

“…but I could care less about the politics”

And you demonstrate how little you care about local politics by being one of the most frequent commenters on a weekly local political column? For a guy who doesn’t care one way or another about local politics, you sure do spend a lot of energy arguing about it. I’m gonna go ahead and call bullshit on that one.

“I’m sure you’d love to see your beloved little group of elite legislators force people to take a more hands on role in local government”

I’m going to ignore the paranoid element of this (you should probably consider smoking less weed by the way) and just ask where exactly did you see me suggest that people should be forced to take a more hands on role in local government? I’ve argued that we should work to persuade the more apathetic people out there to participate, nothing more.

“Trying to belittle people about it just makes you look like even more of a dick, with a beard.”

I haven’t belittled anyone besides you and Mick. Both of you have made the sort of asinine statements I expect from the “shit all over all things civic” crowd. In my opinion, statements like that deserve to be belittled. If you’re not prepared to have your statements challenged, you shouldn’t make them.

I should say though, I like the “dick with a beard” thing so much I think I might work it in as a tag line of some sort. Considering the source, I’ll take it as a compliment. Of course, I’ll give you full credit for it in the future. Thanks!

I actually live outside of Spartanburg county currently, so why the hell would I go to a council meeting? I do care about the people in Spartanburg on a personal level, and I hold dear the creative aspects of what those individuals do, but I could care less about the politics. I think I’m strongly in the majority in that regard for a lot of the same reasons Mick listed.

Community involvement doesn’t have to be political, obviously. Going about change politically is probably the least productive way to be involved, unless one has money to burn that is. I’m sure you’d love to see your beloved little group of elite legislators force people to take a more hands on role in local government, just as the term democracy implies, but guess what, it’s a representative form of government, not a democracy as you so dutifully remark. Sure people would do good when injustice strikes to stand up for their own interests, but it’s their free choice not to, as if it really would make a difference. Trying to belittle people about it just makes you look like even more of a dick, with a beard.

I’m not saying that going to council makes me “high and mighty.” I am saying that it likely means I know more about what happens there than somebody like Mick–or you for that matter–who can’t be bothered to show up and take part in how your local government functions. You’re free to disagree with that if you want.

Payday lending is ONE issue. Is it an area where a certain number of well-heeled individuals have more than their fair share of influence? Absolutely! Does that make our ENTIRE local government one giant “good ol’ boy” system in every respect? Of course not! Nuance isn’t exactly your forte is it?

As far as how I’m using my column, I DO use it to educate people about issues, every week in fact. Citizen ignorance and apathy is one of those issues. If you don’t like the point of view I choose to come from when educating people…tough shit! Start writing your own column to balance things out if you’re so concerned about it.

And I left there Monday not only with Spring Fever flaming but also with optimism renewed that little by little we can make a difference.

The bigger picture, on the other hand, still a mess. But, hopefully one day…

You have a platform to take it upon yourself to explain local politics to people, to educate and inform us ignorant and apathetic masses about the institutions you love so much. Why don’t you use this venue for that rather then passing judgment and blame? Rather then writing about how you just don’t know why people don’t know about all this, why don’t you explain it? Maybe you should get a Darwin award for not thinking of that yourself.

How the hell would you know? I don’t recall seeing Mick Minchow at a city council meeting pushing anything, though I’ve only missed two in the last 10 months or so. Have you bothered attending county council, since you’re so concerned about those blue laws? When was the last time you tried to contact a council member, city or county, about anything? Call me crazy, but I bet the answer to all those questions says a lot about how much Mick Minchow actually knows about Spartanburg circa 2010.

Now to explain that “good ol’ boy system” crack you’ll probably go and spin me that yarn about how the city fucked you over like 14 years ago. We haven’t heard that one in a while.

Do you even realize how much things have changed in the city since then, or is that chip on your shoulder too big to allow you to open up to anything? Seriously man, get a grip. One of our city council members was something like 18 years old when GZ was “ran out of the city.” I guess she’s just part of the good ol’ boy system too, huh?

I also don’t recall ever having a real “civics” class in school either. Like you, I had the generic “three branches” overview class and that was basically it. In my opinion, we should be teaching our children from a very young age about their responsibilities as citizens in our citizen-ruled society, and that should entail a lot more than just talking about the importance of voting. Voting is important, but real civic participation is much bigger than what happens on that one day.