May/June 2002 - As Americans, We are so lucky!

President's Perspective
As Americans
We are so lucky!

Lynda Long
President
llong@coldwellbanker.com

  We are so lucky! As Americans, we live in a country where owning, renting, developing and selling private property in a free market is our inalienable right. A country where we're not only allowed to be involved in politics, we're actually encouraged to be involved.

  By contrast, more than half the people on earth have no political rights. They live in countries controlled by rulers and systems that harass, imprison – even put to death – many of those who try to make their voices heard collectively and politically.

  We Americans, however, have unlimited opportunities for political involvement. We are free to vote, to contribute to our choice of candidates, party and political action committees – such as the Columbus Realtors® Political Action Committee (CORPAC).

  However, with this opportunity comes the corresponding responsibility to protect the rights of all property owners. Only through Realtor® involvement on the local level can we effectively influence the election of people to offices who are dedicated to the principles of our free enterprise system. Issues such as private property rights, sign bans, point-of-sale ordinances are too important to ignore. These issues require our involvement as Realtors® in CORPAC and in our representative form of democracy.

  But don't just take my word for it, here's what others have said about political involvement…

George Washington told us, “Government is the offspring of your own choice.”

  Thomas Jefferson warned, “If only the people become inattentive to public affairs – I, and Congress, and Assemblies, judges and governors shall all become wolves.”

  Theodore Roosevelt flatly declared that, “The first duty of an American citizen is that he shall work in politics.”

  Abraham Lincoln said, “Whenever the people grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right to amend it.”

  In talking with our own Congressman Pat Tiberi, he offered this comment…”With so many issues due to be decided by Congress this year, it is essential that Realtors® get involved and stay involved in the political process.  Get to know the issues, and understand what they mean to you, your family and your business.  Then make sure you communicate your views to your elected officials.  On your own or with others, through Political Action Committees or other organizations, it is absolutely vital that you get involved in electing candidates this year that will do the best possible job of representing you at the local, state and national level.”

  As 1999 OAR President John Lynch was fond of saying, “Remember this – for all its faults, political advocacy is just like good advertising – it doesn't cost you money, it makes you money. In fact, your very livelihood and way of life depend upon it.”