Happy Fake Spring

            Hello all. Hope you are all doing well.

            I’ve lived here too long to have any delusions that fake Spring will last. We are in for a  couple more cold spells and probably one more snow before we are home free.

Last Week

  Hope you enjoyed meeting our new friend Feng Xue. I neglected to share the pronunciation of her name. Phonetically it is Fung Shway. Yes, it sounds like the term used to describe the Chinese practice of creating harmony between us humans and our surroundings, feng shui.

Feng Xue will be sharing more of her story over the coming weeks about life in China and her journey to becoming an American citizen. I hope you are looking forward to it.

How ironic it was that we also had a Letter to the Editor in last week’s newspaper from an Avon High School student whose grandmother emigrated from China to the United States.

Which brings me to…

Letters to Editor

Last week was a strong week for Letters to the Editor. When we travel it’s fun to pick up newspapers along the way. You can tell a lot about a community by its newspaper, if it has one. I really enjoy newspapers that have a lot of Letters to the Editor. It shows real community engagement and they are interesting to read.

Newspapers regulate the length and tone of the letters which leads to articulated viewpoints and respectful debate. Next time you are on a road trip, pick up a newspaper whenever you stop for food or gas. Not the USA Today type, the local type, and check out Letters to the Editor. Better yet, when you get back home, write a letter to the editor.

Ranked Choice Voting (again)

            Last week I overheard a conversation between two people talking about other countries that have more than two political parties.

            Political parties in those countries have to build coalitions with other parties to have a majority vote.

            This naturally moderates the wild progressive/conservative swings we see in our country when the other party is in power.

            Unfortunately, it will take an unimaginable scenario for the United States to change to a multiparty election system.

            However, after reading more, my opinion is that ranked choice voting achieves similar goals.

Ranked choice voting has been around for a while and is allowed in 33 states. Assuming Indiana Senate Bill 18 passes making ranked choice voting illegal, that number will be reduced to 32 states.

There appears to be a clear political demarcation between the states that allow it and the ones that prohibit it.

        Thankfully, my opinion is backed by research that has studied ranked choice voting over the years.

            Why prohibit it? The biggest reason given by our legislators is that it will confuse Hoosier voters.

Several studies have debunked that claim. I am a bit offended by those we voted in office thinking we are not smart enough to understand ranked choice voting.

Of course, there is an education process for voters their first time using it, but it has been shown that once they are shown how it works, voters have no problem understanding it.

It leads me to thinking that it is not the voters having a tough time understanding it. Next time you are in front of a state legislator ask them what they know about ranked choice voting and why they voted to ban it in Indiana.

            My bet is that you will hear the same old arguments from years ago that have since been debunked. Much like the arguments against electric cars and renewable energy. They do not hold up anymore.

Election Guide

            I have said it before, I will say it again, the Primary Election Guide published by this newspaper is the single most user friendly voter information guide in the county.

            The guide will be mailed to over 80,000 Hendricks County households thanks to the support of the Hendricks County Community Foundation.

            If you are a candidate, you want to be in this guide. Voters spend hours poring over the pages making notes and comparing candidates.

            Do you want them staring at your competitors ad and not yours?

            Do not miss out. Get ahold of Kirsten Simon and tell her you want, no, need, to be in the Primary Election Guide: Kirsten@therepublicannewspaper.com

            We would also love to see your business in the guide wishing every household in the county a big happy birthday for our nation’s 250th.

Carpe Diem

            The full quote: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero, translated as "Seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future).”