Workers, tools, leadership and politics
By Jim Orwig
Currently on Facebook, as I scroll through various algorithm generated offerings, there appears the face of a 30ish male wearing a hardhat and glancing from side to side in disbelief as he supposedly views shocking scenes from constructions sites. Workers crash heavy equipment, shatter large pieces of glass, lose control of power tools, endanger fellow workers or themselves on ladders and scaffolds, dodge collapsing buildings, ceilings, and floors. As a former remodeling contractor, I have an unhealthy fascination with these scenes, as I know how quickly injuries can happen when a worker is distracted or unaware of what another worker is doing. Personally, etched in my long-term memory, I have the vision of the finger of a friend and co-worker of mine indicating the spot I should strike with my 8-pound sledgehammer, as I was swinging the sledgehammer to strike the spot where his finger rested. It is difficult to process the information required to stop the work of gravity within a fraction of a second. Sledgehammer and finger met. Sledgehammer won and fingertip was smashed. This was one of the first jobs I worked on as a contractor and it served to condition me to be much more careful around the materials and tools of construction.
On a well-run construction job, someone needs to have a vision of what the finished product will look like, schedule the timing of work, the timing of when materials will be available, what workers will do what jobs, who will do cleanup, who will monitor quality, how will mistakes be rectified, changes made and so on. Finishing the work, getting paid, and moving on to the next project is the goal from start to finish. Hopefully no one gets hurt in the process, and the more experienced that the workers are, the less likely there will be injuries.
I believe there is a similarity of what I just described to political parties. Our political parties are composed of people of all ages who choose to be involved and want their voices to be heard and to be engaged in politics in a way that makes a difference. We need the energy, enthusiasm, idealism, and vision of not only the young, but of those who have been part of the work of building a better, more just, and inclusive world for decades. The use of tools that increase participation goes hand-in-and with the long-term relationships and experiences that have been successful in winning elections.
I believe it is a mistake to be like the guy who is watching mayhem and sighing. We need everyone who calls themselves a Democrat to be there for meetings, to volunteer for fundraising events, to contribute what they can financially, and to speak up if they have ideas that may be effective, perceive something is missing, ineffective, or potentially causing harm. We have great candidates who are committing time, resources, and energy to meet the needs of our community. Our goal is their election to office, and our job is to do the work that will make that possible. There is work for everyone, and our County Chairperson, Emily Walters, is a leader who is challenging us to build a stronger Democratic presence in Crawford County and a better life for all Kansans. Let’s go!
