OPINION
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North Kitsap
Page A4
IN OUR OPINION
Series: Ideas from the campaign trail This is the second in a series of editorials exploring ideas from the campaign trail. NARROW THE DIVIDE he election is over. We hope the better angels of our nature can now turn to the challenge of working together for the common good. We were disturbed by the acrimony we saw during the campaign. Social media dialogue between House candidate James Olsen and his neighbors was again marked by bitter, personal attacks. We’d like to see them rise above it: Express and accept your differences without getting petty and personal, or engage in a way that contributes something. We are disturbed by what we see today on the national front: Online petitions calling for secession from the United States. Petitions from three states – Texas, Louisiana and Florida – have passed the 25,000 mark and will receive responses from the White House. In other words, I didn’t get what I want, so I want a way out. That’s silly. The beauty of our way of life in our community, state and nation is that there is a place for disparate voices. Our strength as a community, state and nation is that those disparate voices can come together and achieve consensus on issues in which we all have a stake. Candidates who won and candidates who didn’t win each contributed ideas that make sense and deserve our attention: Charter government, which would empower Kitsap residents to create a system of county government that is non-partisan, more efficient and subject to more review. Tax reform that would shift the state’s reliance on sales tax to a less volatile source, and would eliminate the business and occupations tax, bolstering business activity. Continuing to expand training programs at our community colleges in fields that are in high demand locally. Modernize the way Washington State Ferries is operated: WSF suffers from excessive oversight that’s tremendously costly, no other ferry operator has as large a staff of in-house engineers and designers, no other ferry operator in the U.S. has a requirement for instate construction. The election’s over. Now it’s time for us to get to work — together. A MESSAGE TO FORMER CANDIDATES Making a difference in the community, county or legislative district doesn’t require getting elected to office. Consider serving on a county board or committee. Created by the Board of County Commissioners or Washington law, each board or committee provides opportunities for residents to participate in and promote the effective and efficient delivery of public services. Most of these deal with issues that we heard candidates talk about during the campaign. The following county boards or committees need members: Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council, Central Kitsap Community Council, Commission on Children and Youth, Food & Farm Policy Council, Kitsap County Fair Board, Manchester Citizen Advisory Committee, Solid Waste Advisory Committee District 1, Southworth Ferry Advisory Committee, Substance Abuse Advisory Board, Suquamish Citizens Advisory Council, Veterans Advisory Board. For more information on how you can get involved and make a difference, go to www.kitsapgov.com/volunteer/current.htm. Or contact Rebecca Pirtle, Kitsap Couny’s volunteer program coordinator, at (360) 337-4650. Email rpirtle@co.kitsap.wa.us.
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NorthKitsapHerald.com
Friday, November 16 , 2012 | North Kitsap Herald
Letters Stephens thanks voters for their support I want to thank the 22,000 people who voted for me for representative from the 23rd Legislative District. I am humbled there are so many who would choose me for such a responsibility. I believe individual freedom has been the path to prosperity and happiness. I believe government control is the path to dependency, poverty and despair. The former has been a boon to humanity, and the latter its bane. Government is nothing more than the people we hire to do stuff for us. I have the right to defend my property and myself, or hire someone to do that for me. I have the right to enter into mutually voluntary contracts with others. We can hire others to do the things we have a right to do. This manifests itself in a defensive force, a police force, courts, and an administration to pay them. Somewhere along the line, the administrators decided they have the right to use force in ways we were never entitled. In so doing, they have decreased our liberty, our prosperity and our happiness. They force behavior as they choose, force business decisions as they see fit, force usage of land they do not own, and require money for charities of their choosing. If you or I did these things, we would be jailed. How, then, may we hire others to do these things in our stead? Our founders fought wars to gather and keep liberty, yet they were more free than we could possibly imagine. I look forward to that bright day when we realize the freedoms we gave up were too precious to surrender, and the securities we were promised never materialized. I will keep working toward that day. I thank those who support the cause of individual freedom. Tony Stephens Poulsbo
Lessons learned on the campaign trail From my extensive campaign travels and conversations with
constituents in the neighborhoods, apartment complexes, trailer parks, and workplaces, I draw these Ground Zero insights: Almost no one I spoke to doorbelling had any idea of what the 23rd Legislative District is or who has ever been in that office. Most people agreed with my stock campaign comment that “Olympia is broken,” and many thought my statement a serious understatement. People did not understand my label about being a “fiscal conservative” although they did voice concern about the size of the state workforce, state-worker benefits, and rising taxes and fees. Most people expressed support for Initiative 1185, which requires a supermajority vote in the Legislature to raise taxes. In fact, this issue garnered 65 percent voter approval in the 23rd Legislative District. FYI: The 23rd District’s Democrat delegation — Rolfes, Appleton, Hansen — openly called for the termination of the supermajority requirement. Voters, when told of the 17,000 developmentally-disabled citizens backlogged for overdue assistance, were shocked and deeply concerned. Also, voters had no clear understanding of how Olympia carries a $39 billion liability on unfunded and underfunded publicsector union benefits. Citizens remain concerned about the criticality of adequate WSF service but were disheartened by the long-term reality of expensive new replacement vessels every 2.5 years. I learned firsthand that SR 305 and Agate Pass are extremely dangerous and must receive Olympia’s
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attention to increase flow and solve safety issues (campaign F-350 truck seriously T-boned on SR 305 Oct. 30). Yes, campaign money matters but I still disdain special-interest campaign money. I’ll take the long odds on funding to keep my integrity (17:1). Voters are woefully ignorant of the complex financial issues facing Olympia. Finally, expect little from the local newspapers and you will not be disappointed. It is an honor to be a candidate. I was humbled by the outpouring of support and trust from the salt-ofthe-earth citizens of the 23rd. The People have spoken for 2012. Capt. James M. Olsen US Coast Guard Reserve (ret.) Bainbridge Island
GOP’s declining ‘market share’ in 23rd District I’m simply thrilled by state Rep. Drew Hansen’s resounding victory. I was proud and honored to endorse Drew and I predict that he will continue to win reelections for many years to come, especially if Mr. James M. Olsen continues to run as his opponent. Much like the national Republican Party is regrouping after their loss of the presidency and control of the U.S. Senate, if the local GOP wishes to become competitive in future elections, they should reassess efforts to broaden their appeal and field candidates who could conceivably win. It’s simple math. Voter turnout is always higher
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