Last week was Georgia Cities Week — a Georgia Municipal Association creation that is aimed at informing the public on the importance of cities. Nearly 100 municipalities in the state participate in the event in one form or another, including Hinesville, Midway, Flemington and others.
Some cities take it more seriously than others, but as a rule one can usually count on some or all of the following: essay contests, luncheons, art shows and groundbreakings, fishing contests and more. It’s not a bad idea.
But it pales in importance to this week.
This is the week of qualifying for political offices when challengers and incumbents alike who represent our two main political parties make official their decisions to run. And with the primaries mere months away, this week serves in a way as the unofficial kickoff to campaigning, as candidates seek to get their name out to voters — who in turn start to wonder what choices they’ll have.
Whatever happens, incumbents and challengers alike deserve our thanks for their commitment to government. Whether one agrees with their stances, the candidates have at least given of their time and talent to try and make a difference.
Of course, it is usually easier to criticize, but criticism alone doesn’t make good government. It takes people willing to run who are committed to better government.
Our hope is that by the end of the week voters will have a wide slate of candidates from which to pick, a slate that represents a cross section of the region as a whole.
Some cities take it more seriously than others, but as a rule one can usually count on some or all of the following: essay contests, luncheons, art shows and groundbreakings, fishing contests and more. It’s not a bad idea.
But it pales in importance to this week.
This is the week of qualifying for political offices when challengers and incumbents alike who represent our two main political parties make official their decisions to run. And with the primaries mere months away, this week serves in a way as the unofficial kickoff to campaigning, as candidates seek to get their name out to voters — who in turn start to wonder what choices they’ll have.
Whatever happens, incumbents and challengers alike deserve our thanks for their commitment to government. Whether one agrees with their stances, the candidates have at least given of their time and talent to try and make a difference.
Of course, it is usually easier to criticize, but criticism alone doesn’t make good government. It takes people willing to run who are committed to better government.
Our hope is that by the end of the week voters will have a wide slate of candidates from which to pick, a slate that represents a cross section of the region as a whole.