http://www.goinglegal.com en-us editorial@goinglegal.com Copyright 2006 Al Arnold If you expect to be effective in local politics, you have to know the rules and procedures. If you expect to be taken seriously on issues, you can't afford to lose credibility by not knowing the rules and procedures. A good... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_45740_18.html 20th April 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold So, you have an issue with your local government. How can you most effectively convey your message? Without being able to effectively convey your message not just to the governing body, but your fellow citizens, your job of sw... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_39626_18.html 31st March 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold I have always believed that political apathy starts at the bottom. That is the citizens. They do not go to meetings when issues are being discussed that impact their lives. They do not speak up at the earlyist opportunity to pr... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_38540_18.html 25th March 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold Local government apathy is not just a problem in the USA. It is an international problem. A Google of "local political apathy" proves that very quickly. The problem has also been with us for some time. In 1987 Mayor Ken Livings... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_37750_18.html 21st March 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold At every level of government and politics, an informed electorate is needed to understand the candidates and issues of their community. That sounds pretty basic doesn't it? Citizens cannot make informed decisions before they v... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_34741_18.html 11th March 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold I have been concerned about government/political apathy for some time. Especially, when it comes to local government. A unique idea has come out of Nevada. Daniel Rosen has announced his intent to run for U.S. Congress. If ... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_29191_18.html 14th February 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold "Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable." John Kenneth Galbraith Oh, how true! When you have a problem in your personal life, does your options for solvin... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_28269_18.html 09th February 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold Over the past 25 years, I have observed and participated in local government from a variety of angles. From humble beginnings as a local political cartoonist, through a local elected official career, and now a Local Government ... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_25892_18.html 31st January 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold "My Beat" is Northwestern Wisconsin. I monitor the local government units in an eight county area. Mostly, I am concerned with the actions in the areas of land use, planning, zoning, building, economic development and private p... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_24960_18.html 21st January 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold We all know of at least one local elected official, who seems to have been around forever. At some point in time that person finally decides to retire. Their name will not be on the ballot. One of those local icons was retir... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_24317_18.html 16th January 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold There are a couple of problems that exist, which hinder local government from being the best it can be. One problem that prevents some citizens from attending local government meetings, is the fear of the local elected offi... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_22965_18.html 07th January 2006 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold The basics of learning how your local governments operate, can be mastered over time by devoting only two hours a year, to that goal. That is the time it would take for you to attend, just one local government meeting a year. ... http://www.goinglegal.com/article_22495_18.html 05th January 2006