I have an old friend Frank Schaeffer (the same Frank Schaeffer who, with Jerry Klima and others, helped stop the Casino at Salisbury Beach–see earlier entry) who has just written a book.

The book, is about many things, and one of the things it is about is how only focusing on one issue in an election can really mess things up.

The book is called “Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back.” (The original subtitle was “How I Helped Found the Religious Right and Ruin America”… I loved that one, but I guess it didn’t make it.)

I’ve known Frank and his wife Genie for 35 years (this dates me big time). And one of the things I like so much about Frank’s writing is his sense of humor, self-deprecation and his wonderful and often moving off-beat view of the world.

Reading the book, I had forgotten how involved Frank had been in national politics, which probably explains why he is so amazing when he gets involved in local politics. (In fact, Frank was my original political mentor in the fight to save High Street. Please press here to read that post.)

To quote from Frank Schaeffer’s book:

“…single-issue politics deforms the process and derails common sense. It facilitates the election of leaders just because they are “correct on “my issue.”

Frank is talking about national stuff, but for me, the same principal could most definitely apply on the local level.

I worry that the upcoming Newburyport elections (November 6, 2007) could for some, be “single-issue politics.” The most obvious issue that comes to mind is how a candidate stands on an override for the Newburyport Schools.

One of my concerns, is that one of the reasons that there was such a low turnout for the primary for Mayor of Newburyport, MA, was that possibly the folks that came out for the election for the spring Override for the Newburyport Schools who were for the override, might NOT have voted in the mayoral primary race. Because all the candidates said that they would not be for another spring override (i.e. it could be a none-issue).

And when it comes to the Newburyport City Council race, it appears that often the bottom line is– would or would you not be for an override in Newburyport, MA.

Single-issue elections negate the reality that running a municipality is a very complicated and interwoven proposition.

And it also appears to me that it could be a selfish way to engage in the political process. “I only vote if the issue happens to affect my life. Otherwise, I’m not interested.” (Disclaimer… Obviously this does not apply to all voters.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport