On the national political scene, there is a lot of frustration on the part of many everyday citizens over their inability to cope with big money, big business and big government in endeavoring to get public policy to advantage the majority interest rather than the special interests.
Hence we get the political rise of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders.
Even if either gets elected president, very little is likely to change in Washington.
What many citizens fail to realize is that "we the people" can make a difference at the local level of government.
The prime and current example of local citizens making a difference surfaced in the March 15, 2016 primary election on Jackson Township's Issue 6.
Stunning! Absolutely stunning when one takes into account the campaign finance statement of a political organization (Committee for Jackson's Smart Future) which serves as the "hand in politics" of Jackson Township developer Donald DeVille as compared to that of the ordinaries of Jackson under the campaign finance report name of Jackson Citizen Action.
The campaign finance disparity: $36,000 to $4,000 (more or less) or if you will $9 in DeVille money to the citizens' $1.
However, DeVille was up against—in the conduct and financing of the campaign—an army of angry Jackson citizens. It appears that there were at least three dozen "we put our money where our mouth is" (individual contributors not list in "social or fundraising event" tally).
Here are the actual pre-primary campaign finance reports:
DEVILLE'S
CITIZENS'
And DeVille loses 7.3 votes against his proposal as opposed to 2.7 votes for in every block of ten votes cast.
Whether it is Stark Countians being upset about the Stark County commissioners (Bosley, Harmon and Vignos/2008) "imposing' a 1/2 cent sales tax:
Or a North Canton citizen-fueled drive to control the costs of Dogwood City government:
There is a rich, rich history of Stark Countians being effective in holding Stark County political subdivision accountable.
Citizens action can indeed defeat Big Money and Big "local" Government!
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