TO A POINT: Don't just whine about things; file for office and start making changes

Do you gripe about how things are run in your town? Do you have ideas on how things could be better? Do you want to lower taxes? Improve parks? Slash spending? Bulk up the police force? Clean up the weeds sprouting in empty developments? Widen Highway 95? Offer people alternatives to traveling on Highway 95? Bring in new business? Fill up industrial parks? Better water quality?
Then do something about it. Add your name to this year's ballot. The filing period for city slots is open from Aug. 26 to Sept. 9.
There are plenty of spots to fill. In Cambridge, John Schlagel has decided not to run for re-election. Council member Bob Shogren's seat is also up, although he plans to run again.
In Isanti, Ralph Johnson has decided to leave his city council seat and is instead running for county commissioner. The slot for mayor is also up, and there are two vying for the position thus far, incumbent George Wimmer and current council member Sue Larson. Jeff Kolb's term will also be ending, and he intends to run again. (The filing period for Isanti, which will include a primary, closed on July 15.)
Mayor Rick Smisson is stepping down in Harris and is not pursuing another term. That race is wide open.
Braham's mayor Terry Turnquist is moving away from Braham politics and is eyeing a county commissioner berth, leaving his seat open for grabs. The terms of two council members also expire in December 2008.
Terms will also be up in North Branch and Rush City, as well as the Cambridge-Isanti and Braham School boards, although I haven't yet heard if the current incumbents intend to step away from politics or re-file.
If you live in either Oxford or Nessel Township, they have several seats open. Their elections coincide with the general election in November rather than the typical March election date.
If you have higher aspirations, you can always try for a state, federal or county office, although the filing period for those offices officially closed on July 15. But go ahead and work on a write-in campaign. If you've got a solid platform and great ideas, you'll have a chance. Personally, I'm looking for candidates for all offices that I feel will put the people's needs over their own selfish gains. It's especially disheartening to read about federal legislators across the nation who put their own pork-barrel projects ahead of the greater good. We've got a lot of issues in our nation: our rapidly increasing national debt, schools failing to make adequate yearly progress, a failing Social Security system (which I know will never benefit my generation despite the thousands I've contributed), a transportation system that focuses too strongly on automobiles instead of alternatives like rail, lack of affordable medical care, and more. I'm looking for new ideas and a push away from the status quo. We've got things that aren't working; so we need to find new methods of getting stuff done.
What brings me hope is knowing we've got a lot of talented and intelligent people in this nation. When we put our heads together, we will find solutions. I truly believe that.
So, be part of the solution instead of merely complaining about how our country is going downhill.
File for election. Make a difference.