First District Guilt

I've been feeling a tad guilty lately. Our long-running House Representative Bill Jenkins will not be seeking re-election for another term. Lots of candidates have popped up on both the Democratic and Republican sides, but I don't know any of them! I don't know who they are or where they stand on the issues. I want to vote in the August primary, but I have a few problems. I believe that it is very important for the citizens of a democratic society to vote in elections; this is what keeps our government going and keeps "the people" in government decision making. I, however, have a big problem of uninformed voters. I don't like people voting because the candidate lives in a certain area, looks a certain way, has a recognizable name, has the best looking campaign signs, etc. Citizens should align their votes with their personal beliefs; votes should be cast solely on the issues. That's my problem. I have seen the ads on TV. I have seen the signs on the side of highways. I, however, have no idea how these people stand on the issues that our country faces. I want to keep up my responsibility as a citizen, but I also don't want to vote uninformed. The Times-News don't really offer anything worthwhile on their website anymore, and I am barely in the district throughout the year to listen to debates or speeches (if they even have them). I don't know what I will do, but I do hope that I find out something about the candidates running to represent Tennessee's First Congressional District!

filed under: 06election, tennessee, politics

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