When you see a “no shirt, no service” or “no pets allowed” sign, or when you wait at a red light though no one is coming, do you feel that your freedom has been taken away? If you’re an extreme libertarian you might feel so, but most of us realize that to have a reasonably just, productive and stable society, we need rules and laws that both restrict and encourage certain behavior. The intent is to benefit society as a whole. Much individual freedom remains, but many deciding roles are yielded to groups rather than to the individual. As the concerns range more and more broadly, decision-making may fall to a family, then to a town, then to the state, and finally, when something effects the cohesion of the nation itself and everyone’s mutual involvement, to our national governing bodies.

The majority of citizens in RSU 18 do not value the education of their young people nor do they value our country’s democratic process. How can I say this? The fact that only 19 percent of Belgrade’s registered voters, 20 percent of China’s, 17 percent of Oakland’s, 14 percent of Rome’s and 15 percent of Sidney’s voted on the proposed school budget on June 13 is the basis of this statement. The budget was defeated by only 38 votes.