Voice of the Voter
 
Comment~~
 I had submitted a post last week on this blog/website and I do not see my
 post which means I did not get an answer. I got the reply E mail saying
 you received my question so what happened? In short I asked a simple
 question which I will ask again. Mr. Debaun, being a Democrat what do you
 honestly think of President Obama and his policies? I know that isn't
 local politics but since you tend to agree with so much that the current
 Republican Mayor and his policies I  am questioning your credibility as a
 true Democrat.   I anxiously await your reply and thank you.

Response~~~
Mr. M., I apologize for my delay in answering your question. As you can well imagine the last weeks before an election are quite hectic and I didn't want to give you an incomplete answer.  

What do I think of President Obama? I think he is a very courageous person who is caught in the middle of a very difficult economic and social climate and he appears to be trying to reach a compromise on several initiatives but compromise seems to be hard to come by. If anything, watching politics on the national level, I have seen how government should not work. However, I truly believe both sides of the aisle need to refocus on the citizens. 

Regarding my status as a "Democrat" what does that truly mean? I guess for me, being a Democrat doesn't mean being the one giving a 'hand out'.  It means working to provide opportunities and offering a 'hand up'.   

Since day one I've discussed my desire to empower the community by creating partnerships with the various groups who are currently working but not working together.  Enhancing these resources would benefit the community greatly.   I've also discussed my desire to communicate with all the units of government in an effort to ensure the betterment of government. Such cooperation will improve the quality of life for all our citizens.  

And finally I've discussed the initiatives I support to work on a regional level with other communities, to promote economic development through these initiatives and reap the benefits of an expanded economic base making jobs available for any citizen who want one.    

I've made education, social services enhancement, job creation and retention the hallmark of my platform. In going door to door and in all of my promotional materials, I've discussed an inclusive form of government, seeking the input of all citizens. The forum through which we're communicating is testament to the sincerity of such an endeavor.

Having a voice in government, knowing you are being heard-- to me those are the very cornerstones of Democracy and Democrat ideals.  I hope we can agree the art of governance in today's complex society can become very convoluted-- our national issues stand as evidence. 

However, even as we agree to disagree, there should always be a measure of attention and respect in every interaction.  That's what I bring to the table.    Thank you for your interest and thoughtful questions.



 

 


Comments

alex noble
10/15/2011 11:53pm

Well said, Mr. DeBaun, well said!!

Reply
Jack McCauley Jr.
10/19/2011 2:39am

Thank you for your honest reply Mr. DeBaun. I think just doing what is right is the most important stance you can take. I am a liberal democrat but if anyone from any party does what is best for the majority I will back them. Thank you again, J

Reply



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