Catoosa Vision

Third-Party Blues

Who says we don't have a viable third political party?!

We have the conservatives; we have the liberals; and we have the Apathetic!

Our system has become so polarized to each extreme that many of us (I count myself in this group) are fairly "turned off" to the partisan messages. The result: members of the Apathy Party simply stay home!

Now, I'm not casting any stones here -- Hey! I'm part of the problem most of the time! (Although, my personal struggle with Apathy is increasingly being resolved as I get more involved.)

What frustrates me is how we allow our elected officials to make decisions based on very limited input (e.g. what they hear from the VVM -- Very Vocal Minority). The VVM, bless their hearts, earn what they get: They get results because they feel passionate enough to get involved. Actually, more power to them! They understand the system and work it well.

The problem is that in the Apathy Party, we sit back and do nothing until the decisions have been made. Let me give you an example from a while back.

A couple of years ago, a developer wanted to build a convenience store on Ooltewah-Ringgold Road, out near Windstone Subdivision. Now, if you don't know this part of the county well, let me tell you that there are no Catoosa-based businesses that would even begin to qualify as "convenient" to the residents of that end of O-R Road. Rather than drive all the way back to Ringgold proper, it's easier to just hop across the TN border to E. Brainerd Road and leave commercial dollars over there. But, I digress...

Several Windstone residents took "informal polls" (meaning, just asked around to their friends) and consistently found that people were in favor of having a convenience store near the subdivision. However, whenever the issue came before the Zoning Board or County Commission, the only people who bothered to show up were those few who were vehemently opposed to this kind of economic development. Thus, the store never materialized.

This is just one example of what comes of Apathy.

I'm trying very hard to get myself more involved, pay more attention and make myself heard. I encourage everyone to do the same.

CB

posted by Chris Casey @ 5:59 PM