The other night while my family was eating supper, the phone rang. When supper was finished, I checked the voice message. A U.S. Representative had called about a town hall meeting taking place.
It was said that if I wanted to participate, I had to press “1” to be entered into the call. The problem with that was that I hadn’t answered the call, making the conversation impossible for me to join. At first, I didn’t care because he’s not a candidate to receive my vote, but then I kept thinking about it and was irritated.
Now, when I say “irritated,” I don’t mean solely by him, the representative who auto-called me. No, my thinking had my irritation building about us. What I realized was that we typically react to government in two ways: Either we’re quick to support and not to support or we’re dismissive and pay no attention.
That last part about not paying attention is the source of my irritation.
The Elected
We elect (or those of us who vote do *looking at the non-voters*) people to represent us in state and federal government. We do this in blind faith that our best interests will be taken into consideration and that government decisions will benefit us and not do harm. Too many of us choose to sit out of being involved with our government, and that includes paying attention to their decisions while in session. And don’t get me wrong, I was one of the people who sat out until a few years ago when I began spending time with activists. Suddenly, learning about the government processes, especially those around policy, became interesting and exciting to me.
The current political environment calls for reactionary responses. We, in a generalized way, don’t pay attention to what’s going on until it’s already been decided, making us react either in support of or in opposition. So, what if we began to participate in proactive ways? What if I would have called the representative’s local office (his message gave the number) the next day and let it be known that I didn’t appreciate a call at supper time with no other option of participating in the call? Would it have helped?
Maybe, maybe not, but I can’t help but to think that he was going through the motions of engaging us, the constituents he represents, without believing that we would call his office the next day.
It’s About Policy
We need to stop listening to the talk that we don’t belong in politics, especially us marginalized folks. The fact is every social ill is tied to policy that was voted into law by people who are paid well (and receive per diems for housing and food) to represent us. And how can we be represented when they don’t even know us or what it’s like to be like us? Believe me when I say that if you are low-income or lower middle-class, politicians typically don’t have a clue what a day in your life is like. Who’s going to educate them about your struggles within the systems they have created through policy other than/better than you?
Our government was created by a group of individuals who created systems and laws that benefited themselves and others like them. My child recently wondered aloud why slavery existed and why our founding fathers didn’t end it. The short answer to her question was that the benefits of being a slave owner far outweighed the losses. Simply put, they weren’t going to end a system that came with great benefits.
It’s the same with today’s government. Lobbyists wine and dine politicians in an effort to shore up their support and stance on issues. Groups have a lot to lose if laws are changed or removed, such as the NRA and oil and gas interests, to name two, so they protect their interests. Here’s the rub: If you’re in a lower socioeconomic or marginalized group, chances are that your interests aren’t going to match those of special interest groups.
Remember in November?
So, what do we do? First of all, vote.
There’s no better answer in my opinion but educate yourself about where the candidates stand on the issues that matter the most to you. Quick internet searches will provide you with the information you need to make an educated choice. Vote for your own self-interest!
You can register to vote here online now, so do it. Even if you feel as if what goes on in Washington DC doesn’t matter with your vote, cast a ballot for your local elections because those affect your life directly.
And get involved! Ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to our quality of life. Email the elected. Call their offices. Do it because your life depends on it, especially now, when it does.
Onward,
Amy Jo
