For the last 30 years or more, we’ve been assailed with the conservative mantra that government is bad. And all the repetition has led many of us to buy that line.
But throughout that period, I have observed and absorbed more and more about the workings of democracy. Through high school and college government classes, independent reading of our Constitution and Bill of Rights and most recently participating as a local school board member, I have learned first hand how democracy works.
And it does.
What fails is not our system, but the people we put in it. Government is not bad; we simply put the wrong people in place. And that’s our responsibility. Remember “we the people?”
Then to paraphrase Frank Zappa, if the government is dumb (or bad), then we’re dumb. And maybe even a little ugly on the side!
As a citizenry, 2008 is our accountability moment. Our founding fathers wrestled with empowering ordinary people with the responsibility of selecting and monitoring their own leaders. They knew it was a grave responsibility. And so they also championed a free public education. The system they created was marvelously designed, flexible and self-correcting provided citizens exercised their responsibility to participate through monitoring, communicating, voting and serving.
I’d give us a failing grade.
Throughout my lifetime I’ve watched citizens abandon the political process. Then they whine about being left behind! This is our government until we abandon it, and someone else hijacks it. And I think we’re very nearly there.
So let’s act. Engage in the 2008 elections. Learn about the candidates and vote. But don’t stop there.
Monitor government. Demand media cover not just prurient details of officials’ lives, but their votes on policy. Communicate and advocate with those officials. E-mail and the Internet make this easier than ever. Phones and letters work, too.
And finally, consider serving at some level yourself. Because democracy is shared responsibility, and more people should get involved.
