Wasn’t it great to be out at the Union County Fair – meeting good friends, enjoying the passing scene, and admiring the creativity and industry of our neighbors? The Fair is an enduring celebration of our way of life and our community.
The Union County Democrats were proud to be a part of that celebration again this year. As we do each year, we asked fairgoers to speak out on their most important issues. We counted 2,081 votes in our straw poll. That’s a 50% increase over last year and a new record of participation! Here is a breakdown of the tally:
|
ISSUE |
Votes |
% of Total |
Ending the Conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan |
401 |
19% |
Improving Family Wages, Jobs, and Home Ownership |
334 |
16% |
Access to Quality Affordable Health Care for all Americans |
312 |
15% |
Access to Quality Education for all Americans |
275 |
13% |
Preserving Social Security and Medicare |
220 |
11% |
Tax Fairness for People and Corporations |
204 |
10% |
Preventing Another Financial Meltdown and Bailout |
189 |
9% |
Promoting Energy Independence and US Energy Jobs |
146 |
7% |
|
2,081 |
100% |
As you can see, ending the wars, improving wages and jobs, and providing access to affordable healthcare are the top three on the list. I think the tally reflects weariness with wars that have dragged on for a decade and a sobering assessment of our losses in blood and treasure. It reflects the desperate need to add family wage jobs to our struggling economy. It reflects the concern that healthcare costs continue to rise out of proportion to all other sectors of our economy.
I was delighted by the thoughtful participation of so many people in our straw poll. Lots of folks came by our booth and engaged us in lively discussions. Even more encouraging was the number of people who wanted to get involved. We registered new voters. We signed up new volunteers willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
These are tough times and sometimes our politics seem polarized to the point of paralysis. But at the Democrats’ booth at the fair, I saw the unmistakable signs that our democracy is alive and well, and ready to face the challenges ahead.
Glen Scheele
Chair, Union County Democrats