Is Time Right for Adult Civics 101 Classes?

Vote for me. I’m honest, he’s crooked. I’ll lower taxes, give away ice cream on Saturday afternoon, and I love animals, even ones in shelters. He’s been known to kick his dog, hates ice cream and will raise taxes, he said so, here’s proof. Here they come, slick mailings with opponents peering ominously with devil-like, red eyes or shown in ugly, out-of-focus black-and-white pictures. Ugh! From such stuff voters are to make an educated selection?
Suppose the electorate, or what remains of that valiant cluster of stalwart beings, would flatly reject the rhetoric that is poured forth at this time of year. What if they were really shrewd, (not something for which voters are widely acclaimed), and countered, “Stop it!” No one person can, single-handedly raise taxes. It’s just not possible. If your tax bill went up, rest assured one person cannot be held responsible for the creeping taxation you feel from your back pocket. If someone claims to have held the line on taxes, it was in concert with the majority voting, not that one person.
Would it behoove schools to scratch ancient history classes (since few learn from past goofs and gaffes) and replace them with a real-world course in civics? The electorate is woefully ignorant of governments that reach into their wallets for money. This will only worsen with time, or could it be that is the design? Not all ignorance is bliss.
For a laugh, ask three people in what Congressional district Cape May County is located? Ask the same trio in what N.J. legislative district they reside? Just for kicks ask who their state senator is, and, for extra credit, or a free glass of water, who are the two assemblymen who represent this district? When blank stares appear on their faces, tell them the answers, in this order: Second, First, Jeff Van Drew, Samuel Fiocchi, and Robert Andrzejczak.
It’s great sport among elders to opine that schools are failing to teach all the necessary stuff for students to succeed. How many knew all the answers? If you did, I suspect you are very unusual, but congratulations. That was the easy part. We didn’t even broach the subject of what it takes to get a law passed in the state or nation.
Now for a really complicated query, who is president of your local board of education? How many members are on that board? Did you vote for them at the last election? While the school budget makes up the lion’s share of your tax bill, have you any idea just how large the budget is this year? Do you know the tax rate?
There is a group of five in charge of county government. Has the average citizen any idea what they are called? Is there any reason to know when and where that body politic meets? If the question arose large was the county’s budget this year, would that be a question deeper than the cure for cancer? (Sorry, you’ll have to read through the entire column to find the answer you should already know.)
Annually, a select group of pupils from every high school in Cape May County is invited to spend a day with that bunch of people who operate county government. On that day, they shadow various officials to learn their duties. Perhaps one day they might actually fill the seats for three-year terms that they fill for just over an hour that day. It would be good to have that type real-time civics lesson taught in school.
It would be a real benefit to society to have civics classes for adults as well as forensic clubs. Those classes and clubs could teach the oft-forgotten skills of debating with an opponent without getting nasty. It may be true that the very thought of public speaking brings about spells of dizziness, dry mouth and nausea. Such clubs would help voters and the soon-to-vote how to make points in public to convince others of their views. We have lost that act of civility in the public arena it seems. Will it ever return?
Consider the recent Scottish vote on independence. For the first time in the United Kingdom, youths aged 16 and 17, were permitted to cast ballots. With nearly 85 percent of those eligible casting a ballot, that nation voted 54 percent to 45 percent to reject independence and remain with the Crown. If that vote evoked recollection of a notion bandied about for South Jersey statehood that makes two of us. Statehood and independence are worlds apart, but each contain important lessons in civics. Just the debate would take some diligent thought, not something many want to do if it takes more than 30 seconds.
Bone up on civics before taking as gospel everything you’ll hear, see and read about candidates and their opponents, what they say and what they pledge. No one raises taxes alone. If any vows to lower the tax bill, and you should begin to believe it, ask: how? Election isn’t really the time to ask about taxes. That times comes earlier in the year, when budgets are introduced and passed. Caustic as they may be, sessions are not held in secret; they’re passed in public meetings anyone can attend. In a democracy, the people certainly get the government they deserve. Make certain you get the best government you deserve.
(Answers: Board of Chosen Freeholders meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The first meeting of the month begins at 7 p.m. with a 5:30 p.m. caucus, open to the public. The second meeting of the month is at 4:30 p.m. with a 3 p.m. caucus. The 2014 county budget is $139,081,329.50. Of that sum, $98,334,470.18 is being raised by taxation.)