As the new chairwoman of the Platte County Democrats Central Committee, Meredith Peace feels very excited about the future of Democrats in Platte County.
She is honored by the trust of the Central Committee in her new role as their chair. “I grew up in a small town in North-Central Missouri where it’s very Republican,” Peace said. “I used to trust that politicians would always have a certain level of competence. I think now we all see how things can go off the rails when voters take that competence for granted.”
While political division around the country continues to make headlines, the Central Committee believes there are a lot of issues and causes/reasons/events that have also brought voters together.
“We are still working our way out of a pandemic that forced us to change dramatically,” Peace said. “We have an understanding of what type of leaders we would want to see in emergencies, from temperament, to dedication, to understanding of the issues, and on to action. We often hear about the extreme instances of division that happen on a national level, but at the local levels, a lot of our goals, hopes, and dreams for ourselves and our families are not that much different.”
She said Democrats know they want to be in a safe community, with a chance to work hard for themselves and their families, and want leaders on all levels who can identify with them. “Democrats know we all want to be heard and that the struggles we face are the same ones that our government is focusing on and working to fix,” Peace said. “We want our children to be educated and healthcare to be accessible. We believe our Veterans, Armed Forces, and their families should be taken care of, both while serving and after. We want our world to be habitable for the next generations. It sounds cliché sometimes, but we really do want our kids to have it better than we did.”
In addition to the ‘Democrats Believe’ list, the basic beliefs of the party are anchored in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, which Peace said are living documents that can always guide Americans as our society changes.
“When we examine a new social issue, it’s imperative that we match our assessment and policy with these basic rights that define America,” Peace said.
Since the 2020 election, questions have been raised across the country about the credibility of the results. After all the recounts nationwide, she believes our elections are secure and she trusts in the results from local, to state to national.
“This is a relatively new attack on our democracy,” Peace said. “There are thousands of public servants in our country who work very hard, and now with unprecedented pressures and additional concerns to ensure that each vote cast is counted correctly. Voting is such a privilege in our country and it is hard to fathom the current climate that some of the public servants must endure to complete their responsibilities around elections. It is hard to hear that some groups call into question only certain elections, but then other elections on the same ballot are valid. Just because you lose doesn’t mean it was rigged.”
Voting machines in Platte County are tested regularly to ensure accuracy, and Peace believes they are absolutely accurate.
“Anyone who votes sees the folks volunteering their time to be at the polls all day, away from jobs and families, to be sure that our democracy is functioning for voters,” Peace said. At the county level, we have public servants at the Platte County Board of Elections who are ready to answer questions, help voters with questions about polling places, absentee voting and the hours. There has never been any question regarding the accuracy of our election results in Platte County.”
The Board of Elections has set up an informative website, with links to future ballot issues and candidates, frequently asked questions, and help for people who have any sort of question about when and how to vote.
The Central Committee was fortunate to have the resources for a Democratic election headquarters for the upcoming election. The grand opening was Saturday, Aug. 21, at 7124 NW Prairie View Road.
“I love it when new people decide to come and join us,” Peace said. “As Democrats, we foster the idea that all are welcome and there is enough room at the table for everyone to be engaged. We were all new to politics at some point, and when someone takes time out of their schedule to engage in our community, I feel that we already have a connection. Each person brings their own experiences and talents to politics. Hearing others’ ideas, dreams and priorities for our community makes it all worth it”
Peace believes that it is human nature to seek out community and belonging. “Sometimes thinking independently of people who are important to us or seeking out other information is hard work. We are all busy and information comes at us quickly and in massive quantities. But I have faith that people can discern between candidates on these issues and make their voices heard.”
While our system of government is set up to normally move at a pace that is sometimes slower than we would like, Peace believes those checks and balances have often served us well over the past couple of hundred years. “Stubborn partisanship slows progress on a lot of issues, but I believe in our leaders’ abilities to eventually get across the finish line.”
With many local issues seen as important, a lot of Democrats’ work in Platte County is focused on inclusivity, and their goal is to hear from as many people as possible and invite them to engage in the political system.
“There are so many goals and issues that Democrats are concerned about that most people share,” Peace said. “We want to continue to have great school districts in the county, to have well-paying jobs, to be safe as we go about our days, to have affordable healthcare and be able to make our own decisions about it, to take care of the less fortunate and those who feel like their government hasn’t worked for them in the past. There are a lot of groups that we want to see succeed, such as the unions who offer so many benefits to their members, the charitable organizations that can help people in bad situations, and those that offer support to our most vulnerable.”
They also want to support the Democratic candidates who have taken the time to run for office.
“We live in a great county, with so many positives.” Peace said, “To continue to build on those is an important goal.”
The Central Committee believe programs such as the Affordable Health Care Act and the recently passed infrastructure bill are important for the country, and that voters can see there are quite a lot of provisions that can benefit a wide range of people..”There are non-partisan groups and educational institutions that offer explanations,” Peace said. “Taking the time to learn both sides of any argument will always be worth it, in improving your understanding of any issue. Arguments regarding the deficit and any bill’s effect on it seem to only occur sometimes. When we needed to help Americans during the pandemic, those arguments were not made.”
She said that specifically, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will allow the government to negotiate prices for a handful of medications starting in a few years. This has never been an option for the federal government before.
“Capping seniors’ payments for a year’s worth of medications at $2,000 will dramatically help a lot of people on Medicare,” Peace said. “And the price of insulin being capped doesn’t just help the person to whom it is prescribed, but their entire family. I’ve heard a lot about income taxes with this law as well. For most of us and our families, the bill isn’t designed to increase our taxes. I understand it will affect those making over $400,000 per year and the same is true for small businesses. And as for huge companies with over $1 billion in income per year, they will pay a minimum corporate tax rate of 15%, which will be an increase for most of them.”
The Platte County Democrats Central Committee believes that some of the best ways voters can educate themselves includes going straight to the source. Voters can look at candidate’s website to see priorities, get out and meet local candidates face-to-face and ask them about their stance on specific issues to see if that candidate shares their priorities.
“There is talk about media being biased, and people think you can tell a lot about whether someone watches MSNBC or Fox News,” Peace said. “But I have faith that people can discern the truth, recognize right from wrong, move on from anything shown to be demonstrably false, and be able to discern policies that reflect their values. Sometimes it takes work, but it is worth it.”
For young people and first-time voters, her advice is to get involved and show up at political events to ask questions.
“You will be welcome among Democrats, Peace said. “Someone turning 18 has a different set of priorities than someone retired, but they both have the same general ideas about how a society should support its citizens. Understanding our government is important on a basic level, and then deciding who and how to help people is valuable. And take the time to really think through how you would feel if you were in a situation that is different from your own and how you would want to be treated.”
Peace understands what kind of work is ahead and she is glad that the Central Committee is continuing a strategy to attract more candidates and voters. “We have so many great things happening in Platte County and I anticipate our county will continue to grow and attract new neighbors. My goals include letting all Platte Countians know that Democrats have a ‘big tent.’ This means we welcome anyone who wants to keep our democracy strong for everyone. We’ll be looking for opportunities to get more input from our residents so we can support our leaders and lawmakers. We hope to offer sound resources for factual information and engage more voters who want to learn more about their community’s issues and needs. We look forward to presenting factual, informal gatherings where voters can meet their representatives in person.”
She plans to be at the Election Headquarters a lot this fall, and invites voters to stop by, say hello, and get information about their candidates. “They are sharp, involved and have a lot to offer our community,” Peace said.
She believes young people should also make a vow to themselves to vote in every election, from the very beginning, and have discussions with their parents, peers and other adults and not to be reluctant to disagree. These discussions can help them sort out their own convictions and values and think for themselves.
“Investigate what each political party stands for,” Peace said. “As Maya Angelou said, ‘If someone shows you who they are, believe them.’”
No matter what party a person belongs to, there’s a chance that with less animosity, people could have discussions that could benefit everyone.
“It is important for all voters to make up their own minds about issues, and then see which candidates line up with those priorities,” Peace said. “It is important to understand each other always, even when you disagree. There has been a trend that often all we hear about are the loudest and most extreme voices, but most of us don’t behave like that or think like that. Democrats are willing to have a conversation about tough topics to understand others’ experiences and positions on subjects so that we can both find a way to do things that benefit us all. Trying to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes is hard, but it teaches you about where others come from and where they are heading. I think it happens all the time that there is not animosity among people, and real conversations are occurring. It’s just that those aren’t often highlighted because they aren’t as exciting as some of the outlandish and loud stories that seem to make it to a wider audience.”
Peace believes it’s our civic duty to vote.
“So each time we cast a ballot, we should pick up an ‘I VOTED’ sticker and wear it with pride,” Peace said. “We have just made time to help our community and get our government working for us. In America, everyone has a voice and a vote. Abraham Lincoln said, ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it.’ I hope voters will take that seriously because we can make positive change for our future for everyone.”