Back in the day, things were different in Florida.  Meet Jim Blanton.  He was running to be a member of the Florida Railroad Commission.  Back before the oil industry killed the railroads in favor of less efficient cars and trucks, trains covered the state carrying passengers and freight.  That brings up the Commission.  Back before corporations became people and took over the Florida Legislature (and most of the rest of the country), Floridians used to have a lot more to say about who was running the state.  We voted for a Board of Education, the Parole Commission and apparently, the members of the Railroad Commission.

The commission was established in 1897 to regulate the fares, tariffs and operations of the railroad companies operating in the state of Florida.  In 1911, the regulation of telephone and telegraph companies were added to the commissions portfolio.  Today it’s known as the Public Service Commission and has limited control of some of the utilities in the state.  In 1979, we the people decided that we didn’t want to bother having a say in who served on the Commission.  Today the Commission members are appointed.   Instead of being beholden to the people who elected them, they’re beholden to the political machine that appointed them; a political machine lubricated by well funded special interests.

Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot about how this great country is a “republic” and not a “democracy”.  This means, I’m told, that we should elect the best candidate and then trust them to do the right thing.  Unless of course, that candidate who wins isn’t that one they really wanted, but that’s way too confusing.

This past primary was difficult for me.  I had friends running in several races, including two running for the same office.  I paid a lot of attention to the public media that the campaigns were putting out.  It was sad to see candidates that went negative focusing on supposed shortcomings of their opposition instead of their own ideas and accomplishments.  It was especially sad to see candidates using unflattering photographs of their opponents.  Believe me when I tell you that everyone has a few unflattering photos somewhere.

The photograph comes from the Florida State Archive and was donated to the state by Wayne Martin, who knows how to play a fiddle.