Thursday, October 1, 2026
It was only a week ago that my wife and I were sitting on our deck enjoying a quiet evening when I broke the silence by saying, “Looks like opening day is upon us and the banter is sure to start flying.”
Having learned from her father how to hunt doves, she naturally surmised I was talking about the opening day of dove hunting season, which occurs Sept. 1. She replied, “It has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to shoot dove, and I would sure like to have a mess to cook up.”
I sat for just a second, and then responded, “I am not talking about dove season; I am referring to the opening of election season.”
We then both rolled our eyes as we knew what we would be facing in the upcoming weeks.
There is no question politics always has been a dirty business. Individuals have plotted, schemed and masterminded underhanded and devious political practices since the beginning of our great nation; probably ever since before the first ballots were cast. False claims, half-truths, downright lies, and all sorts of insinuations are made by some candidates and their supporters, hoping to sway enough voters to get their candidate in office. In the meantime, the voters must discern what the truth is, what is factual, and what makes a difference in determining for whom to vote.
With the creation of social media, claims and allegations have become more outrageous and even more insidious. The candidates who really have no platform or concrete ideas on how to govern seem to criticize their opponent by using a standard political playbook; they scream “transparency,” “back room deals,” “good ol’ boys club,” and other vagaries, which apparently some folks respond to. However, if voters take just a second and look below the surface of these generalized allegations, they will find there often is a lack of substance.
The “good ol’ boys” seems to be a mysterious group of individuals who are assigned responsibility for the cause of all sorts of problems, with little to no evidence to support the allegation. It is a fallback position to lay guilt and responsibility when the person making the allegations really has no evidence or true knowledge. It is an attempt to blame and create disharmony and confuse voters. It is not leadership; it is the blame game. It is a phrase that is shouted out by people ignorant of the process or the facts to find fault, whether there is evidence or not.
If you are on social media, you will see the “pot stirrers” who have been mysteriously quiet since the last election, are now back out in the light of day and making outlandish assertions, creating false narratives and laying blame for all problems on current office holders or their political opponents. You also might notice how few solutions these individuals have suggested.
It also makes me stop and wonder, where were all these naysayers since the last election? Have they been volunteering and actively engaged in building our community? Have they worked to build political bridges and find solutions to our problems, or did they simply disappear until the next chance to complain?
Governing is hard, and the hardest part of governance is making sure good candidates are elected. Keep your eye on the ball and vote for candidates who have vision for the future, who are concerned about all the members of our community and not just a certain segment or group. We need workers and problem-solvers in office, not those who make the most noise.
Thought for the day: Those who complain the most usually accomplish the least because their focus is on blame rather than a solution.
Until next time…I will keep ridin’ the storm out!
