Tom Kawczynski - Off the Record

I have a personality that sometimes can seem extreme.  Maybe it is because I can be something of a perfectionist, but those closest to me know that I can be difficult.  I put hours, days, weeks, months, and even years into things that matter to me.  I try to do what others don't because I feel things matter.  But, the truth is no person can do anything alone, and having balance is crucial to keep perspective.

There are times when I'm tempted to be at two political meetings per day in perpetuity.  But I would lose myself, and find myself drifting in rhetoric apart from reality.  That is my battle, and thanks to the tireless and mostly thankless effort of the girl, and others, I remain somewhat grounded.  But, the challenge I face is the opposite that I think many (though not the readers of this blog) encounter.

The world is a complex place, but if you are going to participate, you should make an effort to understand what is happening.  I'm doing some planning for future campaigns and important ideas, and one theme that keeps coming up as important to me is what should be the personal responsibility of the citizen and voter.  You cannot force anything, but what I would ask is this:  take 11 minutes per day and try to learn a little about your world.

It could be local, state, national, international or anything.  I just know it is important people have context to understand what is happening.  Act based on knowledge, not ignorance or the promises of any politician.  It impacts you anyway, so you owe it to yourself.  Plus, if everyone did just this, I think those who are elected would be much less able to take advantage of our inattentiveness.