America's Current Predicament

Bottom line up front: Our Nation is divided, people can't afford housing & groceries, there is an epidemic of chronic disease, our freedoms are being eroded, our border is open, and our country is being invaded; we are on the brink of WW-III, and the national debt is $34 trillion.

These concerns may or may not resonate with you, or perhaps you identify different pressing issues, but it's hard to deny that everything isn't running smoothly. It's easy to blame the politicians or the corporations and lobbyists that influence them, but we also need to look in the mirror and ask:

What have we done to prevent these issues from escalating?

Have we actively participated as citizens, attending local town hall events and exercising our right to vote in local elections?

Do we conscientiously support businesses and products that align with our values rather than simply opting for convenience?

Are we well-informed about the voting records and stances of our state representatives and senators?

When casting our votes, do we scrutinize candidates' backgrounds and positions or default to party affiliations?

When we encounter problems, do we spread awareness and take tangible steps to prevent their recurrence?

Are we engaged with advocacy groups and nonprofits that work towards governmental or community reforms?

We could pose more questions to evaluate our civic engagement, but these are the most pressing ones that come to mind.

"A republic, if you can keep it" – Ben Franklin

When our founding fathers established our democratic republic, they envisioned a system where the people would govern themselves.

"The Constitution establishes a federal democratic republic form of government. That is, we have an indivisible union of 50 sovereign States. It is a democracy because people govern themselves. It is representative because people choose elected officials by free and secret ballot. It is a republic because the government derives power from the people (1)."

As public interest in governance has waned, we've increasingly become subject to the whims of career politicians and special interest groups. We often find ourselves baffled by nonsensical laws or the failure of common-sense bills to pass through legislative bodies.

Why are Americans disengaged?

Depending on who you ask, you may get a few different responses to this question, but common responses are:

• Lack of time due to busy schedules.

• A sense of futility: "I can't change anything, so why bother?"

• Ignorance of existing issues.

My Unpopular Opinion

You do have time once you remove the distractions from your life. Who cares what the bachelor or the real housewives are doing? Or what moronic thing an overpaid athlete or celebrity has to say about social justice. Or the endless stream of commercials on TV trying to get you to buy junk food and their prescription pills; Ozempic is a deal with the devil.

And you can change things! Everything you do matters! From where you spend your money, where you choose to live, and who you vote for.

If you're unaware of what's happening in our country, it may be time to stop making Tik-Tok videos and fantasy football teams. With all that's happening around us, who has time for that?

Call to Action

The only way to safeguard and reclaim our civil liberties is through active local, state, and federal engagement.

Start Here:

1. Find your town, city, or county website and determine when they meet. Attend these meetings because they directly affect your community.

2. Know who your state and federal representatives are, how to contact them, and stay aware of proposed bills, amendments, and laws, especially those specific to your state.

3. Sign up for emails from your representatives and community offices if they offer the option.

4. When you identify a problem, whatever it may be, see if an organization is already working to combat it. If not, start one, write an Op-ed, call your representative, or email us!

5. Evaluate all news critically, don't follow the crowd or adhere to party lines, and always do what makes sense and be righteous, even if it's unpopular.

Conclusion

Many are happy to trade their freedom and health for safety and convenience. Many in government are willing to look the other way or be willfully ignorant if the price is right or if they get to climb the next rung of their political career.

The erosion of our liberties has been insidious and always vailed as something for our safety or convenience. Now more than ever, it's essential to be an engaged citizen and pay attention to the actions of those in government. Get involved, make noise, vote, and remember that every action matters when done collectively across our Nation, no matter how small.

Resources

Vote Smart – Free, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials.

Ballotpedia - The digital encyclopedia of American politics and the Nation's premier resource for unbiased information on elections, politics, and policy.

Open Secrets - Nonpartisan, independent, and nonprofit, OpenSecrets is the Nation's premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.

USA.gov/elected-officials - This site provides the names and contact information for your representatives on the federal, state, and local levels.

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