It is easy to spot when a politician shows up. There are usually cameras nearby, a ribbon waiting to be cut, or a giant check to be presented.
Smiles flash, hands shake, and a quick quote about “supporting the community” is delivered before everyone moves on to the next event. However, true representation, the real, meaningful leadership, requires far more than simply showing up for the sound bites and photo ops.
We deserve and need more than politicians who pop in for appearances. We deserve public servants who dig in, listen, learn, and work for the people they represent, especially when no one is watching.
We need representatives to be more focused on addressing the issues than on managing their image. This can be tough in this social media society in which we live because it’s so easy to post polished videos, issue talking points, and be captured at every possible event.
Who doesn’t have a camera in their pocket at all times? But when the cameras turn off and the real work begins, crafting policy, navigating strict budgets, and understanding community concerns, is when the service starts.
Being an elected official is not supposed to be glamorous. It is supposed to be about service. It means sitting through long meetings, listening to constituents who are angry or frustrated, and asking hard questions that do not always lead to applause. It means advocating for what is right, even when it is not popular. It means showing up in the quiet moments, at town halls, school board meetings, and neighborhood gatherings, where people are looking for answers, not photo ops.
Showing up should mean being present—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Our leaders should take the time to understand the challenges people face, including rising costs, job insecurity, aging infrastructure, and the strains on local schools. They should be talking to small business owners about what it takes to stay afloat, asking teachers what support they need, and visiting senior centers to hear directly from those living on fixed incomes. Those conversations do not make for flashy social media posts, but they make a difference.
The truth is, it is easy to stand in front of a camera and say, “I care.”
It is a lot harder to roll up your sleeves and actually do something about it. It is harder to study a complex policy proposal, make a tough vote, or admit when your side does not have all the answers. But that is what leadership looks like.
We are all familiar with the “check presentation circuit”. Those representatives who show up just long enough to hand over a ceremonial donation or grant, smile for the photo, and move on. There is nothing inherently wrong with celebrating good news or community investment. But when that becomes the main way a leader interacts with their constituents, it’s a problem.
Our communities need advocates, not actors.
What if, instead of just showing up for the big moments, our representatives were present for the messy ones? The late-night community meetings, when residents are arguing over an issue. The tough discussions about how to balance a budget without cutting essential services. The quiet calls to families struggling to access healthcare or navigate bureaucracy.
Those are the moments that reveal character and commitment.
We need leaders who are willing to use their influence to solve problems, not just spotlight them. Leaders who know the details of the issues because they have taken the time to understand them. Leaders who don’t just speak about the people they represent but to them, and, more importantly, with them.
Our communities are full of people who work hard every day without getting the recognition they deserve. Teachers, nurses, linemen, small business owners, and parents are going about their days, doing their jobs. All are doing the hard work of keeping things running, often with little to no fanfare. They do not get photo ops for showing up. They just do it because it matters.
Shouldn’t we expect the same from those we elect to lead us?
When our representatives treat their roles like a performance, the public loses trust. People stop believing that government can work for them. Cynicism grows. But when our leaders truly engage, ask questions, listen carefully, and follow through, it restores a little faith in the process.
The next time you see a smiling photo of an elected official handing over a check or cutting a ribbon, ask yourself: Were they here before the cameras came out? Will they be here after the applause fades? Are they helping to solve problems, or just helping their own image?
Public service should be about more than optics. It’s about outcomes. It’s about results that improve lives, not headlines that boost egos. It’s about remembering that leadership isn’t measured by how many events you attend, but by how many lives you’ve helped change.
Here, I feel we do a better job of recognizing who truly represents and supports us. Here, I believe we reward hard work with our vote. We know who is working for us. Those who don’t, should and will have a short time in whatever elected office they are in (for the moment).
Our communities do not need celebrities. We need servants. We need leaders who don’t just show up, but stand up, speak up, and stay engaged; the kind who understand that the real work of democracy happens long after the flashbulbs fade.
Because in the end, showing up for a photo is easy. It is showing up for the people, that’s the hard part, but in my experience, it is the most rewarding.
It’s time for people to pay attention.
