Independent voices in San Mateo County

Running for San Carlos City Council is John McDowell, a longtime resident of San Carlos, small business owner, community activist and former columnist of the Daily Journal. As an independent voice on issues facing the city, McDowell believes that with a collective community effort and a willingness to engage all parties, we can effectively address issues plaguing Bay Area communities, such as traffic congestion, crowded classrooms, limited parking and stress on our water supply.

Gabriella Makstman, a candidate without party affiliation, is running for a seat on the Daly City Council. A devoted mother of two, Makstman believes she can utilize her background in financial planning to bring fiscal responsibility to the council and address financial challenges facing the city. A refugee of Latvia, Makstman moved to the United States in 1988 under a Reagan administration initiative. Although she is mindful of the challenges facing her city, she is hopeful that she can make a difference in the lives of working people.

One thing is certain about both candidates — their desire to bring meaningful changes to their local communities is unquestionable. It illustrates a distinguishing characteristic in our nation that a foreigner documented more than 200 years ago.

Political scientist and French diplomat Alexis de Tocqueville found himself deeply troubled by the question of what distinguishes the American experience from other nations. Having documented and toured many nations, Tocqueville developed a unique perspective on our democracy in its infancy.

Unlike other governments toured by Tocqueville, the American government was not inclined to encourage participation among its constituency. Rather, the American people took it upon themselves to bring about desired changes in their communities. From protesting burdensome taxes to voting to elect qualified representatives, our nation is deeply rooted in the soil of civic engagement.

Tocqueville was speaking of something intrinsic to the American heart that he had never encountered in France. He confirmed what many of us firmly believe today — that the blood, bone and sinew of our democracy rests on our fervent belief in our ability to shape our own future.

He concluded by predicting that our nation’s appetite for civic engagement and participation could produce countless and disruptive movements, causing social unrest and agitation. Nevertheless, he applauded our democracy for the kind of changes it enabled ordinary working people to achieve.

History validates Tocqueville’s predictions about the challenges our nation would face over the next two centuries. It took nearly 400 years for our nation to abandon an economy driven by the means of slavery. President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation affirmed our nation’s belief that we were empowered to bring meaningful changes to our government. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s further validated Tocqueville’s insight. The movement made possible the enforcement of many rights you and I hold dear today, such as the right to equal protection under the law and the right to vote.

To continue to bring meaningful changes in our communities, we must have the courage to see beyond dark and pessimistic challenges before us. For me, Tocqueville’s insight speaks to something far greater than our nation’s appetite for civic engagement. His writings speak to why we have that passion. We all possess deep within us a humility that recognizes our greatest achievements lie in our ability to make the lives around us, and the next generation, better. Achieving this is what brings a rewarding existence.

This election cycle, I challenge each of you who desire to bring meaningful changes to your community to live up to Tocqueville’s sentiments. Get involved in your local campaign efforts, run for office, become informed about your local ballot measures and, most importantly, cast your vote in the November election.

A native of Pacifica, Jonathan Madison worked as professional policy staff for the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, from 2011-2013. Jonathan works as an attorney and can be reached via email at jonathanemadison@gmail.com.