Why No Viable Candidates?

Why do we keep electing the wrong candidates, over and over? Obviously, it could be because the “right” people don’t become candidates for elected office; they remain in the private sector where they make the most money.

What makes a candidate wrong? We often hear that many vote for candidates on one issue in particular. The candidate is anti-abortion? Good, then it doesn’t matter where he/she stands on roads, home rule, or improved care of our incapacitated citizens, much less the animal population.

We were reminded of that when we looked at some literature Randal Haddock left on our door. While we support Haddock in his quest to become the Democratic nominee for Lauderdale Sheriff, what does it matter that he is “pro-life” as he informs us. Yes, that may matter in the general moral sense...or it may not, since it’s such a catch-all phrase used by so many.

What we want to know is why Mr. Haddock thinks we need to know how he stands on that issue. As far as we know, no Alabama sheriffs have any input into abortion policy in this state or anywhere else. Obviously when a candidate chooses to address irrelevant issues, we have to ask why? Should we vote for Mr. Haddock because he opposes abortion (if he does), no matter how he stands on improved deputy coverage or increased deputy pay or more transparency in dealings with the citizens of the county? We don’t think so.

It’s been very sad that no Democratic candidates for Lauderdale Sheriff have even approached what we would call a minimum of competency and common morality...at least combined. It’s doubtful that many voters cast a ballot for anyone...the ballots against candidates seem to be the deciding factor in most Alabama elections.

Shoalanda