It’s striking to me that the campaigns for city council, mayor and King County executive are underway and the issues seem so trivial. Compared with 2008 and the ‘big picture’ issues from Obama on down, this year’s political dialogue seems modest in scope. It’s easy to assume the economy has put a damper on discussion of big ideas and programs but I think the problem goes much deeper.

The recent state audit ripping apart King County’s financial structures and lack of controls is amazing because it is, simply, a representation of a broader problem. What is the role of King County in the 21st Century? Why are the candidates talking about this core question in such modest ways? Why is the discussion so limited when the larger issue is whether King County will lead on transportation, environment, regional planning, land use and other core regional issues? The Puget Sound Regional Council exists in large part because people don’t have much faith in King County’s ability to lead the region without stepping on toes; Puget Sound Water Quality Authority and so many other regional entities NEED King County to be a major regional voice and player, but to do so with integrity and values about our regional interests.

I think the reluctance around King County’s role is driven by the lack of consensus at the county in years past. So many good public officials struggle to make a difference in the county system and I don’t pretend to have a grip on how to do any better, but I do sense a missed opportunity this year.

In a post-Obama election world–ie, post 2008–the message is authenticity, courageous honesty, bold thinking about big picture problems, competence to address real issues impacting real people, experience and integrity to tackle tough problems.

Folks running for mayor and executive and everything in between are failing on some level, in my view, to embrace these larger questions of roles. What is the role of the city today? What is the role of the county in a changing economic environment? What is the role of the state? Different levels of government have different roles and it’s partronizing for everyone running for office to preach education, quality of life, etc. when that has so little to do with the role of the government in which they hope to serve.

The blogs are a flutter with chat about “progressive” versus “conservative” candidates–and I think they miss the central issue of this year. The theme and message this year is ACTION. The battle today is not about left versus right, liberal versus conservative, neighborhood versus downtown. The battle today is between the lethargy of the institutional infrastructure of governmental bureaucracy and a willingness to tackle bold action. We need people in city hall, county council, executive and Olympia who will embrace the courageous honesty to tackle the inaction driven by fear, uncertainty and doubt.

I’d like to see the candidates this year embrace a broader message of having the courage to tackle the really tough issues and not shy away from hard conversations.

Franklin D. Roosevelt said something to the effect of: ‘do something, do anything, but ACT.’