Politics: A Dirty Word

Politics: A Dirty Word

It is easy to become disenchanted with politics.  Being one of the two topics that people don’t like to talk about, the other being religion, it seems to be talked about.  A lot.  Oddly enough, religion gets quite a bit of attention.  And, lately it seems that there is a great deal going on about the two together in the same sentence.  Religion and Politics: What a combination, but let’s not talk about them.

There have been a number of little quizzes going around on social media that helps you determine such things as your aura, the car you should “be”, what kind of flower you are, the type of animal you should be, and so on and  so forth.  There have been multiple so-called analytical questionnaires to help you determine your political persuasion.  I’ve taken a few of them and I’ve been labeled as 100% Republican, being middle-of-the road but leaning slightly to the right, and to the far right of the Tea Party. I’ve always been struck by comments from onlookers saying things like they are an American first (so am I) and are not committed to any one political party or that they don’t believe in politics.

I’ve learned a few things over the years.

First.  Not all politics are at the national and state level.  Quite frankly, the best level of involvement in politics is at the local level.  In spite of all the money that we throw away at state and federal governments (bureaucracies), we receive the greatest services from local government.  Cities, towns, villages, counties, and schools deliver the lion’s share of what we see on a day-to-day basis, and it is at this level where politicians are most likely to actually listen and act on concerns.  Yes, they are interested in your dollar and your vote, but their motivation is more service-oriented than what you find among the ladder-climbers at the state and federal level.  Yes, they may have their own little fiefdoms and be big fish in a little pond, but they also understand that the pond can be drained.  Therefore, from my perspective, if you want to have an impact on the political climate of government, do so at the local level.

Second.  Not all politics is about holding public office.  There are what I would call “king makers”.  These are people who are the life blood of political parties.  They do not run for political office in terms of council member, mayor, governor, town clerk or assessor, or prosecutor.  These are the people who hold titles such as party precinct committee chair or committee member.  These are the people who often look for good candidates for political office and support their candidates.  They often choose political candidates.  More importantly, they are often responsible for determining their party’s “platform” or the things that their little corner of the kingdom stands for, the things they value.  There are a couple of very important things to know about these people.  One is that these positions in political parties often go unfilled.  The second is that these people take their platforms and lobby for them at the state level and when adopted by a state take them to the national level.  These are little fish in a very big sea, but they can make a mighty big splash.  They can be responsible for a state or a national candidate for political office either winning or losing an election in a geographical area.

Third.  Not all political activity is about running for political office.  Being politically involved can be as simple as learning about the candidates and making informed choices before entering the voting booth.  It can be as simple as knocking on doors one afternoon once every two to four years to hand political literature out to people for the person you strongly support.  Political activity can be as simple as attending debates.  Political activity can be as simple as calling or writing letters to office holders expressing your views on current issues.  Being heard is important at the local, state, and national level.  And when somebody does something that you don’t like, that you disagree with, you should let them know-not just on Facebook, but also by letter.  I have found that letters written on paper and sent through the mail receive more attention than e-mail letters.  Political activity can be as simple as volunteering to be an election official on election day.

I’ve often heard it said that we don’t have a right to complain about those holding political office if we don’t vote.  I agree 100%.  But I also believe that we have a responsibility to be politically engaged.  We have no right to complain about our political parties if we don’t participate in them.  Sure, it may take a few years for your voice to be heard.  How much stock is a group to place on a voice that shows up once in 20 years and then only to complain?

That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.