BY JAIME YARBROUGH

• Catering by the Bar-O Boys Ranch
• 4 candidates for coroner / Sheriff
• 3 candidates for Superior Court Judge
• 2 candidates for State Governor
• 2 candidates for 2nd District Assembly
• 2 political parties
• 1 collection of ballot measure supporters

add a hand full of spouses, and their children, sprinkle a hand full of volunteers and some close friends, mix in

LESS THAN 20 MEMBERS OF A COUNTY of 28,000 over 6 hours not counting set up and take down?

A TRAIN WRECK!

On a sunny day, with a mild wind, and other than a few social distractions, no one in the county, save the few mentioned,  were concerned about their children’s and everyone else s’ future to attend.  It’s one thing to complain about the weather not expecting anyone to be able to change it. It is quite another to complain about the economy, laws, rules, regulations that effect everyone’s life as much and turn ones nose up at it thinking it will get better without paying attention or learning about how to change it.

As words can have multiple meanings many words mean different things to different people. The words that have or could be used to describe the turn out on Saturday at Meet the Candidates day, would be appalling, embarrassing, pathetic, shameful, puzzling, sad, infuriating, depressing, and/or disappointing.  Conjecture for the poor almost non-existent turn out could range from the success of a master plan to dumb down America, indicative of mass apathy, community ignorance, wide-spread conflicting event scheduling, to being an example of the extreme negativity built up in the public by a unresponsive, corrupt, oppressive legislative and judicial system which THE people no longer believes serves them.

Saturdays good weather and an opportunity to enjoy time off from work, time with the family and do useful, productive and fun things are what the days of spring are best known for.  To spend any of that time indoors wrestling with the decisions for electing the best people to protect us and the freedoms that allow us to enjoy those days may seem boring, if not simply unimportant.  One can only imagine defensive statements like, “why bother when it’s all about money and the wealthy”, “politics is rigged by big business, voting is a waste of time”, “things didn’t get better the last time I voted why do it again, it will only get worse”,  “it’s not my problem, let someone else worry about it” or my favorite, “I don’t know enough about the issues or candidates to vote” (which is why the event was being held.)

The Tea Party Patriots have already hosted a night for the community to hear both the candidates for District Attorney, and the Superior Court Judge, There was a substantial crowd in attendance.  The next forum on the 13th at 6 PM at the Fairgrounds will be to hear the 4 candidates for Coroner/County Sheriff. But, as if not more important, there will be no forum for the Assembly candidates or will there be any gubernatorial runners.

It may seem incredible those who graduate from high school are not just glad they no longer have home work but are relieved because they don’t have to think anymore and stop.  For those who have taken the time to read this article and want to know more about the candidates and issues here are their websites.  Or you can blow it off.  As the saying goes, if you don’t vote you have no right to complain.  Good luck.

• Assembly District 02
• Pamela Elizondo                              pamelizondo2004@yahoo.com
• Matt Heath                                        www.heathforassembly.com
• Del Norte District Attorney
• Bob Drossel                                    robert.drossel@live.com
• Dale Trigg                                        dale@daletrigg.com
• California State Governor
• Janel Buycks    (not present)        www.janelbuycksforchange.com
• Joe Leicht                                       www.joeforgov.org
• Glenn Champ                                 www.glenforgovernor.com
• Del Norte County Coroner / Sheriff
• Dean Wilson            (email)         ncol0095@gmail.com
• Jim Maready                                 jim@jimmareadyforsheriff.com
• Eric Apperson                              ppersonforsheriff@hotmail.com
• Del Norte Superior Court Judge
• Chris Doehle            (email)        ChrisDoehle4judge@gmail.com
• Darren McElfresh                        darren@McElfreshlawfirm.com
• Dohn Henion            (email)        dhenion@charter.net
• Measure A
• State of Jefferson                        www.DelNorteJefferson.net

PS: You get what you VOTE for.  Or not.