Special Message In this county, beautiful beyond belief, which touches three lakes; Keuka, Canandaigua, and Seneca . . . where many have no streetlights and so see more stars than city people realize exist . . . where the moon rises over the grape-covered hills and makes a path across the waters . . . where people live, 80 years later, in the same house where they were born . . . where people trust those whom they have known all their lives but are wary of newcomers . . . where people are intensely self sufficient but always ready to harvest the fields of a sick neighbor . . . where the first movie theater in generations opened just a few years ago . . .where incomes are low and employment opportunities limited . . . where an outsider might expect many Democrats but the tradition is small town and rural Republican, tightly resisting governmental programs which take money to be distributed elsewhere . . . in this county of only 13,000 voters, only 24% are Democrats while Republicans (almost 60%) hold most elected offices and make virtually all local policies.
Despite the odds, our Democratic County Committee endeavors to live out our MISSION STATEMENT: As Yates County Democrats, we intend to be accountable to a diverse county, to people of different professions, backgrounds and needs. The political process, as we define it, must emphasize interaction, listening to people's concerns with tolerance and respect, working together to find ways to reconcile differing views. Our goal is to encourage the formulation of rules and policies which benefit the entire community and to encourage their application and enforcement in a fair and equitable manner. We support the development of a strong and energetic Yates County Democratic Party because it allows local residents to participate in a multiparty system which makes candidates of all parties more accountable to their constituencies.
If you are reading this as an active Democrat in this county, we thank you again for your steadfastness and faith in our principles and our work. It is natural to question, again and again, your choices of where to put your time and energy. Politics, that notorious art of the possible, does not blend very well with idealism, particularly in a democratic society. As hard as our founders tried to build a nation strong in checks and balances, that troublesome majority vote often intrudes. Thank you for choosing to stay with the tortuous path of party politics, far from perfect as it is. If we don't, what hope is there for alternative leadership?
If you are a Democrat in this county who would like to find out more about us and become involved, contact Chair Carolyn Schaffer at 315-536-0007 or by e-mail at carolyns@airxcess.net. I will wholeheartedly invite you to our next meeting so you can see for yourself what we are up to and decide if you would like to become active.
How to reach the County Chair Address: 2997 Merrit Hill Road, Penn Yan, NY 14527 Phone: 315-536-0007 E-mail: carolyns@airxcess.net
