Why Politics?

Judge John Tyler was a prominent man, the governor of Virginia, a teenage friend of Thomas Jefferson and later a confidant of founding fathers like John Marshall, Edmund Randolph, George Washington, George Wythe, James Madison, and James Monroe; his son, also named John Tyler, served as a representative, senator, president of the Senate, governor of Virginia, vice president, and tenth president of the US, an office in which, despite his antiquated views on slavery and states, he pulled America out of a long economic crisis, ended the Second Seminole War, opened up trade with China, brought Florida and Texas into the union, set the Maine-Canada border, and, most importantly, set the precedent of presidential ascension. Judge Tyler often said, "Better that wise and good men govern than be governed." A powerful statement, but what does it mean?

Democrats, Republicans, and all other citizens of this nation have opinions on how she should be run. The difference between good people and great people is that great people participate; they make their voices heard. It is far easier, once one becomes acquainted with the inner machinations of politics, to respect outspoken and similarly respectful members of the opposition than complacent people who silently agree. While in some cases people cannot participate in government, in most cases it is simply a matter of choosing not to.

The reasons are endless: some claim that politics is confusing, that it is only the realm of the wealthy and the corrupt, or that one person cannot make a difference. Now, one is forced to mount a defense of the very rudimentary principles that make a democracy succeed. Participation in elections was once 80%, but now, federal elections have just half of the populace participating, and state and local elections that seem less impact due draw pathetic numbers of voters. It cannot truly be called a democracy if the only people who make their interests known are people with vested interests. Each man, woman, and child must make themselves their own advocate, and the most consistent and consequential arena in which these changes are created is the political arena. 

We do not need to "Make America Great Again." America is already great. We merely need to make people realize that their word and work, all readily available, is what will forge the path of tomorrow.