Midsummer Musings: Primary Election, Mosquitoes

If you’ve been preoccupied looking out the window wondering whether it stopped raining, you might have missed the fact that New Jersey will have a special primary election Aug. 13. Try not to get too excited. It hit me that this very special and costly day was upon us when I opened my mail-in ballot from Cape May County Clerk Rita Fulginiti. Surely, those seeking that high office in “The Millionaire’s Club,” for the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg, are household names to everyone in this county.
On the Republican ballot, choose Alieta Eck, “Citizen Candidate – Real Hope” or Steven M. Lonegan “Cape May County Regular Republican Organization.”
On the Democratic ballot, choose Frank Pallone Jr., “Democrat for U.S. Senate,” Rush Holt, “Teacher, Scientist, Progressive,” Sheila Y. Oliver, or Corey Booker, “Cape May County Democratic Committee 2013.”
Being what formerly was termed an “independent” and now classified an “unaffiliated” voter, I can only keep the ballots as reminders of the election. They will also make nice bookmarks, but if anyone like me submits either ballot, they are then considered affiliated with that party.
Remember those thrilling days of yesteryear when political campaigns did not start until after Labor Day? Of course that is all changed now. Campaigns start, literally the night when June’s primary election figures are tallied. Battle lines are officially drawn in the sand, and, sadly, the same old mudslinging starts once again. Warring factions always begin with a pledge to walk only the high ground, stick strictly “to the issues” and keep all nastiness as far from the process as Honolulu is from Bangor.
Then paid mercenaries intervene and the cycle begins one more time.
All a voter is left to do is either: A. Vote the party column and hope for the best. B. Vote for the person and hope for the best.
Campaign advisors, who always deny their actions, must decree “Go negative. That’s what they want, down and dirty. Sic ‘em.”
Voters are left to ponder, “Who – of the two – is honest, forthright and will best do the job I am electing them to do?”
Man, that’s a tough job when all we see are grainy, out-of-focus black-and-white photos of an alleged sleazy opponent contrasted with crisp, colorful smiling photos of the candidate who pays for the slick piece. Who would you vote for in that case? Good luck,
and don’t let all the nasty talk dissuade you from casting a vote. If you vote by mail, do it early and you’ll know you are among a growing number of peers who are forcing a change in campaigns by making up their mind very early.
Now, if only there could be a truly clean campaign, I know, I’m wearing rose-colored bifocals, but it could happen…couldn’t it?
Darn, it’s raining again. Just when I thought the day was going to be sunny and with square kilometers of blue sky, down comes more water.
Just last night, long about sunset, I saw something that brought back memories of foolish youth: a mosquito spraying truck. Used to be we’d run outside and breathe in all that toxic stuff, not realizing it would probably kill us, but somehow we lived, how, I don’t really know, but we did.
I’m told that, due to all this rain, there are pockets in the county that are being eaten alive by mosquitoes. That’s why it’s important to do what we have not done for years of dry summers: take care to dump excess water from things like buckets, cans, trash can lids, old tires, and anything that could hold water. Mosquitoes need such places to breed, and the present wet weather is making it possible for those which escape the county Mosquito Department’s larvacide measures to grow to adulthood and bite us to reproduce the species.
Mosquitoes like to bite the hand that feeds them, so take protective measures.
For those readers who are in some way affiliated with Cape May County 4-H, you’ll be forgiven for not reading next week’s Compass Points. That’s because you’ll be too busy running around getting last-minute items for the annual 4-H Fair that will take place July 18, 19 and 20.
Having first been a member, and eventually a leader, I know what it takes to channel youthful energy into getting exhibits created and projects ready for display. Most who attend the fair walk past the Lockwood Center where many exhibits are located. I always make it a point to stop in to see them, since that is really a bulk of what the fair is all about: showcasing the talents of our next generation.
There, with various colored ribbons displayed, will be seen produce, hand-sewn items, club projects, and who know what else done by young 4-H members.
Don’t just eat your barbecued chicken, buy a funnel cake, and walk out back to see the livestock exhibits, horses and hogs, rabbits and roosters. They are an important part of 4-H, but there is much more to be seen. Take a few minutes to see the power of youth at work in 4-H.
In the meantime, be kind to a tourist. Offer directions if asked. Smile. Remember, you might be in some strange place and need directions. Then the shoe will be on the other foot. For now, it’s all up to you.