Troy Talk
LOOKING BACK OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS
Friends, I hope you are enjoying your summer and taking the time to cherish these moments with family and friends. Representing the area in which I grew up, is truly a humbling and rewarding experience. Having the chance to speak on behalf of my neighbors, concerning the issues which impact our community is a responsibility that I cherish every day that I am privileged to serve. As always, I want to keep you, my Bosses, informed as to what is happening “under the dome” in Trenton. And, specifically what I am doing as your representative. So, let’s look back over the first six months of the 2014-2015 Legislative Session and review what has taken place.
The American Way: Sports, Statistics & Health Care
Tomorrow we celebrate July 4th, a tribute to our country's fight for independence. For many, watching sports is part of this celebratory weekend, as we immerse ourselves in a steady stream of accomplishments and statistics from baseball to the World Cup. We’ll know everyone’s batting average, earned run average or the distance a soccer player ran in a knockout game for a key goal. We are interested, if not obsessed, with statistics that measure performance, because sports are important to many Americans.
We ALL Carry Student Debt
For recent high school students, the joys of June graduations fill the air combined with the anticipation (for many) of attending college in the fall. However, once the rays on these jubilant days dim, these same students will face clouds of economic uncertainly in four years that many recent college students must now confront.
Going, Going … Green
When did the thought of promoting clean energy standards and practices become synonymous with any and every negative connotation folks can think of? There simply is no doubt that fossil fuels, as our nation's sole source for energy, is a dying industry. (If you’ll forgive the pun.) But its death is s-l-o-w, and many politicians can barely think five years ahead, much less 50 years. For the average citizen, like us, these are conversations of a larger philosophical nature that are unquestionably difficult to identify with. Especially, as we are often faced with more immediate concerns in our day-to-day lives. However, we should be mindful of this important issue.
An Open Letter To My Hero….My Dad
This Sunday is Father's Day. A day we observe to remind us to remember our fathers in some way. A day to give thanks and appreciation, for the love and care we have received and are receiving, from our dads. I wanted to pen this week’s post acknowledging my hero….my dad. Now my dad cares little about a lot of sentimental or emotional praise. He comes from that era where being the stoic “man of the house” was the norm and expected. Therefore, I will limit my words of praise to simply this: I have, in my forty years on Earth, meet and known many fine dads, and as a student of history have read about many great men , yet, I can truthfully say nothing makes me prouder than to be Elijah Singleton Jr.’s son. So here goes my letter:
Casting My Vote for Voting
While driving to work Monday, I heard a National Public Radio news story of how the political parties’ leaders are flying around the country, inserting themselves in the game of supporting their favorite daughter or son for the primary elections held this past Tuesday. The news story dealt with an important senate race in the South.
As an elected official, it should surprise no one that I urge everyone to vote. It might sound like a cliché, that voting is the bedrock of a democratic nation, yet it is precisely that foundation upon which we all rely.
According to a news report, turnout was low for Tuesday’s primary. For those committed to the ideals, direction and platform of a political party, such as mine with the Democratic Party, voting in a primary is an important first step in helping choose the final candidates that will face an opponent, usually a republican, in the general election.