Submitted by Allison Hope, Greenwich
We all have choices in this life. We can choose to be in service to others or put our individual selves above all else. We can choose to plan for and protect our future and that of our children and grandchildren, or we can focus only on the now. We can choose to eat at Pizza Post or Arcuri’s (or any of the other pizza joints in town – my personal preference is Greenwich Pizzeria).
Choice is a beautiful thing, one that is promised to us through the framework our Founding Fathers put in place with the notion and practice of participatory democracy.
We have the tremendous privilege of getting to have a say in who shapes our dos and don’ts, our safety and our opportunity.
Election Day is less than a month away, and it is the most important one of our lifetimes. We cannot sit this one out.
At the federal level, we will break new ceilings, either to usher in the first woman president, or else risk losing our 250-year-old democracy to an unstable narcissist with a sycophant Project 25 cabinet.
While all eyes are on the national circus, critical seats are at stake much closer to home.
Much hangs in the balance within Connecticut and our own town of Greenwich.
A woman’s right to choose what she does with her own body needs to remain protected in our state (and threat of it getting banned even in Connecticut is real with a Trump presidency). There is only one party on the ballot this November 5 who has pledged, without reserve, to prioritize this significant issue.
The threat of school shootings is at an all-time high, with parents, teachers, staff and yes, our children, who wear our hearts in our throats every day at the thought of someone taking their lives on a whim. We must continue to strengthen our gun control laws and access to healthcare, including mental healthcare. There is only one party this November 5 who has committed without caveats to fighting this issue on behalf of keeping our children and families safe.
The infrastructure in our schools in Greenwich is failing. The buildings our children learn do not meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Ceilings have caved in. Sewage has leaked in. Central Middle School requires a total rebuild. There is only one party that has brought home dollars from Hartford to help fund these projects.
Severe weather is getting worse, and our town is vulnerable, including for those who never had to worry about it before. There is only one party that has consistently acknowledged the truth about climate change and advocated for the resources to build our resiliency so that we don’t lose our homes to flooding.
It is a misnomer to say you aren’t political, simply because everything is inherently political. How our property lines are divided, the taxes we pay, the condition of the schools our children go to, the holidays we get off, and so much more. The very air we breathe and the water we drink is shaped by politics – what is the allowable chemical limit in drinking water; what steps are being taken to safeguard the environment? This is all shaped by policy led by policymakers that we elect to office.
We have a right and responsibility to get out and vote this year, and it’s clear who the true champions are on the right side of history.
They come in the form of authentic, hard-working, honest, intelligent leaders. Leaders who are not afraid to stand up for what’s right, for the people of Greenwich.
They are Hector Arzeno for State Rep.
They are Steve Meskers for State Rep.
They are Rachel Khanna for State Rep.
They are Nick Simmons for State Senate.
These are the standup leaders who do not care if you bleed red or blue, if you are rich or poor, young or old, nor the color of your skin or who you love. They care about all of Greenwich. They have been effective at bringing home resources from Hartford to fund the things we most need that our local Republicans have suffocated out of the budget year after year, election cycle after election cycle.
These leaders show up. At every turn. For those most vulnerable and even for those who disagree with them. They are committed to supporting us all, and doing what’s right, not what’s political.
The call to vote on November 5, and to vote Democrat down the line is loud. Early voting is now law in Connecticut for the first time, so you can vote anytime between October 21 and November 3. There is also no better pride than getting an “I voted” sticker for voting at your polling station on Election Day, November 5 (and supporting the Girl Scouts or softball girls bake sale). So, make a plan to cast your vote, and be a part of shaping a better tomorrow for us all.
The choice is clear, but we need each and every resident to help make it happen.
NOTE: GFP is accepting letters to the editor about candidates in the Nov 5, 2024 election for consideration from Oct 8 until Oct 29th at 12:00 noon.