Name recognition

To the editor:

I find it very discouraging that a person who runs for office has to take thousands of dollars from vendors or people just to get name recognition. If you did your duty, people would know your name – they would associate it with good and giving of oneself.

How about name recognition for doing your job and being good at it? How about doing something good when no one is looking? When no one knows? How about name recognition for teaching in classrooms and the children at night tell their parents what an awesome day they had. Or name recognition because you donate your time and talent to the community?

Should it be about name recognition even if you do nothing or are self-indulgent? Should it be about being an involved citizen and community leader who sets the example, tone and pace, or just name recognition?

Why is it that some elected officials have to sign their name with their title even if the comments are their own thought and nothing to do with their elected position?

I will tell you. It is called low self-esteem, trying to control, intimidation and power. It is a shame that many people fall for it. I would encourage everyone to look, listen and ask questions moving forward. Who are the doers in the community?

Remember at the end of the day, it takes three votes. No one person gets a school built or a new road built, no one person improves the grades, no one person improves morale or gets someone fired, no one person does anything – it takes three votes. In all political races, we need to ask ourselves the following:

Who takes money from the very people they do business with and, at the end of the day, do they really vote for what is right?

Who listens to the people and the community and does what is right?

Who does their homework and understands, and will explain, while it might not seem right, it must be done because … and then tells us?

Who does things for self-benefit?

Remember, anyone can buy name recognition; we have all seen that, good or bad, it can be bought. Let’s all do our homework this time and get back to doing what is right.

Cindy Lou Hartig
St. Cloud

Cindy Hartig also is an Osceola County School Board member

Clarifies accusations

To the editor:

Reading Ms. Nancy Y. Smith’s letter, I was pleased that she agreed with my earlier letter that emotion and misinformation should not be used to make a point. I would have to disagree with her accusations that my letter does what I came out against. Not wanting to make this a soap opera, I will just clarify some of her accusations.

Ms. Smith states that my letter used emotion or misinformation by stating that everyone would vote to lower taxes. For the record, I never stated that. All I did was ask the question, “Who wouldn’t vote to lower taxes?” That wasn’t a statement or information, but a question. Furthermore, I never stated that people elected to make tough decisions would vote for lower taxes. As experience has shown that is not always the case. What I did state was that I supported electing candidates to office who would vote to lower taxes.

Ms. Smith’s letter continues to accuse me of using emotion by stating “no mandates from government for programs that are not supported by a majority of the voters.” Her argument is that we voted as a majority for a president because he promised to try to provide health care for all of our citizens. My letter never broached that subject. That was a mandate. If I agree with it or not is immaterial to the point being made; the majority spoke and we all have to live with it. My statement regarding “making government smaller” is not an emotional statement but that of my philosophy. She states that when people have tried to make government smaller there were protests and it became an emotional issue.

Any issue can become an emotional one but I wasn’t using emotion to sway individuals either way, all I did was state my philosophy.

Ms. Smith concludes that my “mantra” was an emotional criticism of Mr. Ferentinos’ family values. How she came to this conclusion is beyond me. My letter never ties Mr. Ferentinos to family values. As a matter of fact, I personally know Mr. Ferentinos and know that he has a strong sense of family values.

In conclusion, criticize my thoughts or philosophy all you want, just state the facts straight.

Jeffery A. Goldmacher
Kissimmee