20th April 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
If you expect to be effective in local politics, you have to know the rules and procedures.
If you expect to be taken seriously on issues, you can't afford to lose credibility by not knowing the rules and procedures. A good...
31st March 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
So, you have an issue with your local government. How can you most effectively convey your message? Without being able to effectively convey your message not just to the governing body, but your fellow citizens, your job of sw...
25th March 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
I have always believed that political apathy starts at the bottom. That is the citizens. They do not go to meetings when issues are being discussed that impact their lives. They do not speak up at the earlyist opportunity to pr...
21st March 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
Local government apathy is not just a problem in the USA. It is an international problem. A Google of "local political apathy" proves that very quickly. The problem has also been with us for some time. In 1987 Mayor Ken Livings...
11th March 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
At every level of government and politics, an informed electorate is needed to understand the candidates and issues of their community. That sounds pretty basic doesn't it? Citizens cannot make informed decisions before they v...
14th February 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
I have been concerned about government/political apathy for some time. Especially, when it comes to local government. A unique idea has come out of Nevada.
Daniel Rosen has announced his intent to run for U.S. Congress. If ...
09th February 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable." John Kenneth Galbraith
Oh, how true! When you have a problem in your personal life, does your options for solvin...
31st January 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
Over the past 25 years, I have observed and participated in local government from a variety of angles. From humble beginnings as a local political cartoonist, through a local elected official career, and now a Local Government ...
21st January 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
"My Beat" is Northwestern Wisconsin. I monitor the local government units in an eight county area. Mostly, I am concerned with the actions in the areas of land use, planning, zoning, building, economic development and private p...
16th January 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
We all know of at least one local elected official, who seems to have been around forever. At some point in time that person finally decides to retire. Their name will not be on the ballot.
One of those local icons was retir...
07th January 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
There are a couple of problems that exist, which hinder local government from being the best it can be.
One problem that prevents some citizens from attending local government meetings, is the fear of the local elected offi...
05th January 2006
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold
The basics of learning how your local governments operate, can be mastered over time by devoting only two hours a year, to that goal. That is the time it would take for you to attend, just one local government meeting a year.
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