By Jody Dietch
Orange Democratic Town Committee
Jody Dietch
Election season comes about every year. In odd years we focus on local town positions up for election. In even years, we have state and national elections. All members of the US House of Representatives (Rosa DeLauro, for example) are up for election every two years, as are our state senators and state representatives. Our state delegation (governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer and comptroller) are also up every four years, just like the president. US Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy are elected every six years, but both are never up for reelection the same year.
In many cases, we have a two-party system – Democrats and Republicans. There are other parties such as the Independent Party, Working Families Party and Libertarian Party. Someone who doesn’t register with a particular party is unaffiliated (not independent, as that is a party).
When we register with a party, we are aligning ourselves with the same ideals as that party. When you go to vote, you are voting for a person, but you are also voting for your ideals and which team best aligns with your ideals, not just the person. It is a rare situation that someone would agree 100 percent with a candidate running for office. We rarely agree 100 percent of the time with family, never mind candidates.
Another way to look at elections is whose team most aligns with your beliefs and morals. From workers’ rights to protecting the environment, equal pay to fighting special interests, Democrats believe we can and should make life better for families across our nation. We fight for fairness, justice and equality for all by standing up for all middle-class Americans and those struggling to get there.
There is always a lot of rhetoric during elections, yet accurate information is out there if you want it. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation. I encourage you to do your own research. Fact-check the information you are reading or hearing. Don’t rely on what your acquaintances post on social media. There are many nonpartisan news sources. The five most unbiased news sources, as rated by PureVPN, are: 1. The Associated Press; 2. Reuters; 3. NPR; 4. BBC; and 5. PBS NewsHour.
As we move beyond the rhetoric, listen to what the two parties are offering for your future and your family’s future. What they say, or don’t say, is telling. Whose team and ideals most align with what you want to see for the future? No one works in a vacuum, and the team around the candidates is as important as the candidate themselves.
The Orange Democratic Town Committee meets on the third Tuesday of each month at High Plains Community Center. If you are interested in joining us, reach out to ODTC Chair Jody Dietch at JLDOrange@yahoo.com.
This column was written prior to the shooting of former president Donald Trump. There is no place for violence in politics or anywhere else in our society. We denounce the shooting at the Trump rally and offer our thoughts and prayers for the dead and injured. We must remember, as President Joe Biden said, “while we may disagree, we are not enemies. We’re neighbors. We’re friends, coworkers, citizens. And, most importantly, we are fellow Americans. And we must stand together.”
Jody Dietch is the chair of the Orange Democratic Town Committee.