In the United States, like other countries, politics often seem completely out of control. This is not new, nor is it any surprise.
Much has been written and reported about politics and politicians by different news sources, opinion editorials, bloggers, and various other outlets. The amount of raw information available is overwhelming. Often, getting mired in details is exhausting, which is what politicians count on. They count on ignorance in the populace, and complacency in members of society who care about what happens but who are too tired of all of the shouting to stay actively involved.
Is it better to ignore everything in the hopes that matters will resolve themselves? No. Are there huge issues that affect all of us, but that don’t touch us personally right away? Yes.
Those two questions are crucial to consider when pondering politics. Remaining informed when everyone is hurling accusations, and different media outlets are offering agenda-based information. The result -often- is that we, the people, are so busy arguing about points that we fail to look at the bigger picture. This is exactly how politicians seem to want to keep things - so that while we are busy chattering, they continue catering to special interest groups and lobbyists unchecked, and casually disregard the collective will of their respective constituencies. Again, this is nothing new, nor is it any surprise.
Many, if not most people in the United States have forgotten how to use our power as individuals working together to keep our government officials in check. The matter of complacency has snowballed for decades with the idea that, "Oh well, s/he’s only in office for a couple of years - I’ll vote differently next election." This happens at city, county, state, and national levels - all across the country - and has resulted in feelings of disenfranchisement and disillusion on a national scale. The reasons for this stance are numerous and complex, but the solution is very simple.
Stop listening to the chatter. Ignore the talking heads. Ask the most important question: What, politically, is important to me and my family?
Note, the question is not the state as a whole or the nation as a whole…but at the level that means the most to us as individuals. Chances are, you are not alone. Are the state-level and national-level concerns important? Yes, of course! But to get to a point of understanding the bigger picture, you have to understand what is happening in your own backyard first. All of those details are interconnected, and you can do a lot more at the local level than the state and national levels. Further, becoming involved at the local level shines a beacon on how state and national issues are addressed at your local community level, making decisions on how to vote for what is important to you and your family a lot easier. Knowing who to vote for at the local level often answers the question of who to vote for at the higher levels.
At the macro, we have gone from a nation of independent thinkers to individuals who let politicians (and pundits) tell us what and how to think. That is not their intended purpose. The politician’s sole purpose - as elected officials - is to represent the will of his/her constituency at governmental levels. Not the will of lobbyists and interest groups. This is true at all levels of government. Without remaining abreast of what local officials are doing, and how they are interacting with your community, the hope of effecting change is compromised. How much more, then, at the state and national levels?
Some important questions at multiple levels:
Do you know who sits on your city council? Do you know who your mayor is? Do you know what that person’s avowed platforms are? Do those platforms represent your values adequately?
Do you know who your governor is? Does your governor share your values in more than words but in actions? Or does your governor accept cash and non-cash gifts to benefit him/herself on your hard-earned tax dollars? Are you abreast on what your governor is doing to benefit your state in terms of areas that are important to you and your family - such as agriculture, tourism, education, Medicaid, highways, or whatever matters to you?
Do you know who your district representative to Congress is? Do you know what their voting record is on issues that matter to you? Do you know what their position is on platforms that are important to your state and to your city? Have you contacted his/her office to ask specifically? Have you written any letters or emails notifying him/her of your position on those issues that are important to you?
For local, district, and county level, a quick Google search can answer who your officials are and route you to their Website.
For state level, you can go here or here for your Representatives; and here for your senator. Their contact information is readily available.
For the state level, did you know that whatever they or their telephone clerks tell you can be cross-checked against their public voting record? With politics, as with almost everything in this life, a healthy sense of skepticism is necessary - no matter who is in office or what their party affiliations are. Relying on "experts" and talking heads undermines YOUR free will, but does not release you from your responsibilities as a citizen.
All too often, people complain about who their leaders are and how much politicians can’t be trusted. However, without making every possible effort to know what their records are that affect individuals, those complaints become moot. Failure to vote consigns people to being governed by their inferiors; and refusal for whatever reason to find out what the actual platforms held by respective representatives makes the complainant equally responsible for whatever it is he or she is unhappy about. The blame is not solely on the politicians, but also on the populace who do not keep them in check by holding them accountable - loudly and firmly.
