Thanks for Listening: Step Up and Make a Difference

When I was little, voting was talked about by the adults in my Sheffield, AL family and their friends. Their big concern was helping others get around the barriers that were blocking their ability to vote. In our county, Blacks made up less than fifteen percent of the population, so we did not experience the violence doled out in the Black majority counties in lower Alabama.

My first experience in politics was in Clearwater, FL., as part of a multiracial\multiethnic group during the early 1970s. We ran six individuals for public office; four of them won. Then the Republican Governor appointed our only Republican to a House seat that was becoming vacant.

The amount of political power gained was overwhelming. In the mayoral race, our purpose was to expose the issues. When we won, the victory party was like a wake as we wondered how to proceed as insiders.

Gabriel Casares, our new Democratic mayor, replaced a twelve-term Republican. He was re-elected and featured twice on the 60 Minutes TV show.

All of this helped me better understand how changing who runs things locally can improve my own life. Politicians who operate with a strong sense of integrity and purpose help improve all levels of government.

In today’s hostile political environment, one party has chosen to root out moderate and liberal members plus ignore long-held Congressional practices. As a result, almost every House and Senate member now vote in unison on Bills, a practice never seen before.

If we are to maintain the type of governance written into the US Constitution, we must not let the current Republican Party prevail. Non-voters and others have to be awakened to the point of registering to vote, voting, and following up with the actions of the Democrats they help to elect.

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William Leroy Kennedy

Former Financial Services Professional at Kennedy Group, Ltd. – Financial/Motivation

Studied ‎‏‎Architectural Engineering‎‏‎ at Prairie View A&M University “Giving a strong recommendation: Khan Academy for educational success.”

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