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In My Humble Opinion
Jodi McDade
Election season is gearing up for the state and national levels. More and more people are starting to put their names out in the media about whether or not they will be running for office in 2026.
Don’t get excited too early – some are serious, but others are just testing the waters. And there will be more coming out as qualifying time approaches for state and national offices in January. I know many people who jump on the first candidate out only to find out a more qualified person puts their name in the hat later. Be patient when choosing your candidate.
Name recognition is probably the best thing a candidate can have. Example – I would think the majority of voters in Alabama are familiar with Tommy Tuberville. But have you ever heard of some of the others that are considering a run for governor?
So you might ask why would anyone think they could win against Sen. Tuberville? Some may run just to put their name out to the public for future elections. It’s hard to win the first time around. Unfortunately, money has become one of the largest issues in elections – it costs several fortunes to run for the larger offices and probably a tidy sum for local offices.
There are several pretty well-known people considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat that will be open – some have already announced. In addition to financial backing, they will be competing for the attention of well-known politicians who the public will recognize.
The idea is that if you like John, and John is speaking on behalf of Bubba, you’ll lean towards supporting Bubba, also. Elections have become like a popularity contest rather than an interview for the most qualified applicant for the job.
I have to admit that I did not think either Tommy Tuberville or Katie Britt really had the qualifications to be a U.S. senator from Alabama. There were other candidates who had served at the local and state levels and were more experienced for the job. But, I have been pleasantly surprised with how they have both worked hard and have supported the values of our citizens.
Another warning in making your decisions is that just because someone has been in an office for 30 years doesn’t necessarily mean they are still the best qualified for the future. We do need new blood every so often. I am a supporter of term limits instead of serving until you die or become so incapacitated you are no longer making your own decisions.
We have elected officials now at both the state and local levels who have been in office for 40 years-plus. They have never worked outside of politics, do not really understand how everyday citizens live, or know what the real cost of groceries are.
People in Washington like Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Grassley, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durban, among others have served between 40 AND 50 YEARS! This should not happen! But the people in office will never vote to limit themselves!
We are seeing how much a business background can help in the current administration in Washington, D.C. We are actually seeing very knowledgeable and experienced business people in advisory positions.
These people understand the new technology and inventions that have come about during the last 10 to 20 years – unlike me who can’t figure out a new cell phone!
It’s difficult for me to understand how differently people on the left and right think about economics and independent wealth. There are some people who were born into wealth, but the majority of millionaires and billionaires have worked hard and made sacrifices to become successful. And I’m so grateful for the monetary donations these people make to help other people in need.
I’ve never worked for a poor person, and I’ve never had hard feelings towards an employer’s wealth. So many people don’t understand how much money President Trump loses while he is in office. He donates his paychecks to different federal agencies or departments whose budgets aren’t covering expenses. Others in the administration are not accepting reimbursements for their time, either.
On the flip side, we see many people serving in the House of Representatives and Senate who were not wealthy when they went into office, but have become millionaires/billionaires supposedly on their base annual salaries of $174,000.
Even people in leadership positions don’t make any more than $200,000 a year except the Speaker of the House who is paid $223,500 per year. And I’m talking about people on both sides of the aisle.
Many of these people already had their wealth when they were first elected because of businesses they started and/or owned before they went into politics. There has been a good bit of discussion about some of them profiting from insider trading because they know what is getting ready to happen in the economy/stock market.
Lots to think about when it comes to voting for people who will REPRESENT US! It is worth it to at least do some research on the newcomers – go to events to hear them speak, follow them in the news or Facebook, ask other people. Granted we want someone with experience, but sometimes new experience would be better than old experience.
The bottom line is to voice your opinion based on educating yourself before you go to the polls. It’s a year away, but time flies when you’re having fun!
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