Make a Difference, Know the Facts

by Heather Moreno

Beyond voting for republicans and against tax-raising ballot measures, I paid little attention to politics prior to 2005 and not until 2007 did I get involved in any meaningful way. I naively trusted republicans to be (and act as) conservatives, and while I disagreed with democrats politically I was ignorant of the liberal agenda at the root of their policies. Unfortunately it’s because of people like me that we’re in the position we’re in today.

The traditional response is conservatives are busy building businesses, raising families, attending church, volunteering—being productive members of society—and don’t have time to get politically involved, much less keep up with the laws, taxes, and regulations being voted on by their local, state, and national politicians. Consequently our government reflects the apathy of our society which brings about a disdain for politics. But this only exacerbates the problems and provides an excuse for staying detached.

Faced with the current political crises we wonder how much influence one person can have. In 2007 I became involved with a group that in two weeks collected enough petition signatures to overturn an ordinance passed by a liberal city council majority. This core group of less than a dozen people accomplished something that affected thousands of people. Yet I’m mindful that had we not put forward this effort, the vote of three council members would have restricted the personal property rights of homeowners and small businesses throughout our city.

While not everyone will become as involved as that (although I highly recommend it) we have a responsibility to each other, and to the children who will inherit our country, to become more engaged. Minimally, we need to know the voting records of the politicians for whom we vote. (Note that one of the three council members mentioned above was a registered republican—an “R” by the name does not guarantee conservative values.) Gratefully we live in an age where that information is accessible instantly on the internet. Organizations that form for the purpose of educating members and supporting conservative candidates (e.g. Republican Women Federated clubs, Lincoln Club) also provide resources for analyzing ballot initiatives and researching voting records. The consequences of not becoming informed are already prevalent in the mortgaging of our children’s futures and loss of personal freedoms. A Republic is a fragile thing: unless we tend to the roots that keep it strong we will one day see it fall.

Heather Moreno, a former CPA with KPMG, owns the fitness coaching firm PeopleFit USA. A respected voice in the fitness and wellness industry, Heather presents to various organizations, such as World at Work, St. Joseph Hospital, and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Her article “To Your Health” was published in the September 2003 issue of the Journal of Accountancy and her first book, Achieving Physical Wealth, was released in 2005.

Heather Moreno is past president (2007-2008) of the Atascadero Republican Women Federated and currently serves on the planning commission for the city of Atascadero. For more information on Heather visit her website.