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The Freedom Forum Are We Voters Really That Dumb?From: Fred Bergmann CommentsEarly this year the following letter was published in the NW Florida Daily News. My reply was never published but this is a good time to bring it back. It shows what some of the power elite in this county think of voters and it also reminds us that you can’t believe everything candidates promise you to get elected. If Mr. Ricks would like to respond this forum is available to him, more so than the Letters to The Editor was made available to me at the time. If you agree with my comments, please pass this on to all your friends and neighbors and encourage them to vote King, Hutcheson, and Ransom so the next BOCC will be returned to the people of this county. ANSWER THIS ONE The question I have for the proponents of "government by referendum" is this: How do they expect the same voters who were not smart enough to elect wise representatives to suddenly become smart enough to make wise decisions on specific issues? ROY RICKS Fort Walton Beach Dear Mr. Ricks: I can’t answer your question as a proponent of “government by referendum” but I hope you were only being sarcastic and will accept this as an answer. I have more confidence in the intelligence of voters in this county than you do. I think they will vote wisely once they know the issues and how they affect their lives. They will also be quick to turn out any elected official who speaks wisely before being elected and changes after being elected. For example, I voted for one commissioner who stated publicly she would support a referendum on building a conference center. She changed her position after she was elected. Regarding referendums, if government officials rudely dismiss speakers at public meetings and editorials ridicule letter writers, referendums may be the only way for the public’s opinion to be heard until new officials can be elected.
FRED BERGMANN ______ Last changed: March 04, 2008
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