An Active Citizenry Is Necessary for Good Government

As a resident of Woodbridge Township for more than a decade and a resident of Middlesex County for most of my life, I have focused my attention over the past year on the Woodbridge Township School District, leading to my recent campaign for the Board of Education.

I have always been interested in government at all levels. The first job I ever held sent me to Washington as a Congressional Page at the U.S. House of Representatives. During my year in Washington from August 1984 through June 1985, I had a front row seat to some of the greatest politicians in American history. President Ronald Reagan and Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. were the most prominent Republican and Democratic leaders at that time. Whatever you think of their policies and despite their different styles, they were among the great American political leaders of all time.

Although the President and the Speaker were the most famous politicians during my tenure, just as important was my exposure to other Members of Congress from around the country, the vast majority of whom would not be recognized outside their districts. Despite the tremendous cynicism about our political process and its participants, most of these men and women, Republicans and Democrats alike, were good people who had the best of intentions. The same is true for many of our local government officials.

Good intentions, of course, are not always enough. Sometimes, those in power exercise good judgment. Other times their judgment is bad. There are times that decisions are made for the greater good. Other times, the decisions are made for the privileged few. Sometimes there is consensus. Other times, there is none. Opinions on governmental action are not always black and white, but often many shades of gray. The importance, though, is not whether every decision is right or wrong, but that the decisions required to be publicly made by our governmental bodies receive sufficient review so that more times than not, good decisions can be made. 

In the past, we often have relied upon newspapers to report on local government and inform the public. But in recent times, many newspapers are in financial trouble. Those that survive do not have the resources they once had. As a result, it is more important than ever for members of the public to take an active role in reviewing the actions of their government officials. It is only through monitoring of our elected and appointed officials that we can be sure that the interests of the citizens are being adequately represented.

Through this blog, I hope not just to represent my own views or inform the public, but also to encourage debate. There is nothing wrong with the free exchange of ideas, so long as we do not degenerate into personal attacks. President Reagan and Speaker O'Neill could be friends "after 6 p.m." We, too, can present conflicting points of view and still be civil.

It is my hope that by offering conversation and provoking discussion, that the readers of this blog can help to encourage a more active citizenry and promote great ideas. As former Justice Louis Brandeis said, "[i]n frank expression of conflicting opinion lies the greatest promise of wisdom in governmental action."