issues Archives - Ben West

October 4, 2022

Ideas Over Ideology

It’s easy to think of every political race in the context of national partisan elections. The same rhetoric used by Republicans and Democrats running for Congress often trickles down to local races, even though the offices being sought are drastically different. So much emphasis gets placed on divisive social issues that have raged in the public consciousness for decades. But …

September 21, 2022

Reading Between the Lines

There are a lot of nuances involved when it comes to public policy. Candidates will often stick to the most generic, reliable, poll-tested catch phrases to seem as inoffensive as possible and appeal to the broadest cross section of voters. The same phrases, if applied properly, can also mean different things to different people. That’s why it’s important to read …