I believe that one of the things that bothers average citizens, and this is just my opinion, is the lack of urgency that candidates and elected officials in the off season display until it becomes election time.

I like Sen. Andy Berke is still governing and opposing legislation right now. This is his last season on the Hill but he keeps working. Same thing goes for Sen. Beverly Marrero who was defeated earlier this year but she still keeps trucking.

Berke, of course, is running for mayor of Chattanooga, but I really don’t believe that Marrero will fold up her tent despite the fact that later this year she won’t be holding elected office. I can name others who don’t stop in the off-season and I think this is highly important.

They have displayed a sense of urgency.

In our country right now there is a lot of media noise, as I’ve said before, and it’s not easy cutting through the static when talking about issues that impact real people. From women’s reproductive rights to the bitter reality of the recession, we see this every day and not just in an election year.

Just some random thoughts on this Monday morning, and I do want to add that real Tennesseans feel this 365 days a year. They want quality of life and are willing to work for it, they want their children educated, they want to not worry about shelter and most important, they want to feel valued.

These issues are why diligence and urgency are important all the time, not in spurts. I think it is important to remember that.