I Joined the Front Lines of American Politics
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
What are the front lines of American politics? Ask different Americans & you’ll hear different things: protests supporting Gaza in the streets of Manhattan, hearings in Congress on health care, perhaps political party meetings across the country.
All politics are local
Alexis de Tocqueville said that the key to American politics is the township – the small villages that formed functioning self-governing communities in the young American republic. Politics in America is truly localized – he remarked – as Americans’ sense of duty & patriotism began with their cities and spread outward, first to the county, then to the state, and finally to the federal government.
I’ve felt this keenly in my own activism. Though I’ve worked at the White House, produced political content & engaged with federal representatives for issues I care about, the power felt dispersed & diffuse. It was indirect at best & of no impact at least. Where real power lies – at least to me – is through elected officials who legislate & lead our communities. And where that power often begins isn’t on the Internet or The White House, but in the township.
Folsom – my hometown – is as quintessential of an American township as you can get. The city had only 4 stoplights when my parents moved to it in 1991 but has since grown tremendously, now boasting nearly 90,000 residents, two high schools, hundreds of thriving small businesses (including several boba shops much to the adoration of my better half, Cat), and a slowly creeping expansion of more homes, shops, & community growth. Like all townships in America, Folsom faces issues specific and hyper-localized to its residents: bad traffic on the main thoroughfare through town, a shortage of cops, & an increasing homeless population. The problems must be solved predominantly by the community itself through its elected officials.
Which brings me to Barbara Leary, a candidate for city council in Folsom. Barbara is a veteran community organizer & activist in Folsom. She’s a forward-thinking advocate who believes in the importance of climate conscious policy, sustainable city-led (read: not developer-led) growth, & common-sense policy like public safety & reducing homelessness. Throughout her many years in Folsom she’s fought back against proposals to open up gambling shops in town, organized a neighborhood advocacy coalition, & volunteered thousands of her own hours to support federal, state, and local candidates in their elections.
Barbara is emblematic of the community-driven spirit that has allowed America – and the notion of an American township – to flourish since its birth. I’m proud to support her for Folsom City Council District 4 & serve as her campaign manager this election season. I believe that she will make our city a better place to live & is more than qualified to tackle the issues facing our town.
“Don’t complain, do something.”
I don’t know about you, but I believe we as Americans have tremendous issues facing our country today.
Nationwide it’s gun violence, health care accessibility, voting rights, immigration reform, modernizing government, & protecting and enhancing the American dream to own a home and have a good-paying job.
Statewide in California it’s housing affordability, homelessness, crime, & our state’s economy.
And locally in Folsom it’s strategic city growth, homelessness, & balancing the city budget.
When it comes to politics – the dirty, grimey, toxic, dysfunctional, & corrupt underbelly of democracy – it’s easy to languish at the news & complain about the status quo. It’s easy to check out and focus on the positive aspects of our lives like family, friends, or career. It’s easy to give up hope when we are faced with news like the massacre of our school children or attacks on women’s freedoms.
But I remember something my mother taught me when I was young: don’t just complain, do something about it. It’s only through action that we can change the source of our anguish and make a difference in the lives of others.
In this historic election year of 2024 when democracy, freedom, & fundamental values of humanity in America are being tested at every level, I encourage you to find your “front line” in the political sphere and engage with it. Carry the community-oriented American spirit that our forefathers & past generations have gifted us. Be the citizen that JFK, MLK, Thomas Jefferson, & Alexander Hamilton would be proud of. Turn towards – not away – from our democracy.
For my part, you can find me producing political content on social media, writing about our nation’s issues in this newsletter (thank you for reading!), and building Barbara’s campaign on the ground in the township of Folsom. These are the front lines of American politics to me.
Where is your front line, and will you get involved?
The state of our union rests on your answer!