MARK SCHUMANN

Listening to local musician Bobby Owens sing “Money Can’t Buy Me Love” at the LOVJuice Holiday Open House yesterday, I though, curiously enough, about the recent municipal election in Sebastian.  The Indian River County Executive Committee contributed $1,000 each to the three registered Republican candidates running in what was, by state law, to be a non-partisan race.  As it turned out, only one of the “Republican” candidates was elected.  Nope. Money can’t buy you love.

Did the Republican Executive Committee support those three candidates because they were the three best qualified to serve the people of Sebastian, or because they just happened to be registered Republicans?  Was the Republican Executive Committee investing in better government, or was it simply hoping to strengthen and further expand the Republican franchise?

The same local Republican Party held a forum for the candidates running for the Vero Beach City Council, but in truth, the event was a “forum” only for the registered Republicans running in what was, again by state law, to be a non-partisan race.

By refusing to let candidate Amelia Graves speak, the Republicans deprived themselves of an opportunity to hear the candidate who came in second in a five-candidate field, and who now serves on the Vero Beach City Council.  Graves received almost as many votes and the remaining three candidates combined.

To be sure, the partisanship displayed by the local Republican Party in the recent municipal elections is not unique to this community or to Republicans.  This kind of strident partisanship is reflective of the mentality of college football fans.  Philosophically, it is about a quarter inch deep.  While absolute, unquestioned loyalty may be healthy in the world of sports, in the arena of public policy, fidelity to the greater good should transcend party loyalties.

President Dwight Eisenhower dedicated much effort to bringing the political parties closer together.  For his bi-partisanship he was often harshly criticized by the most strident in his own party.   No doubt, Eisenhower would have suffered the same abuse had he been a Democrat.  Republicans, after all, do not have a monopoly on promoting party interests at the expense of the public good.  Partisans, whether on the left or the right, make a living and a way of life out of drawing as sharp a distinction as possible between their agenda at that of the other side.

Witnessing partisanship played out locally, I cannot help but wonder if here, as in Washington, paralyzing gridlock will some day be our fate.  I certainly hope not, for there are many important issues facing our community, including preserving the Indian River Lagoon, expanding economic opportunity, securing a safe and adequate supply of fresh water and supporting improvements in education – from Pre-K through college.  If Democrats, or Republicans believe they have a monopoly on the best ideas for addressing these complex issues, they are sorely mistaken.