Op-Ed Student Blog 3 Beau Bichler

  

In an election year, faced with the choice between two candidates that seem equally out of touch, many American citizens feel that the government is no longer capable of representing the interests of the citizens. The situation is so dire that many have decided to opt out of the vote entirely and simply let the chips fall where they may. This is, in my opinion, the worst possible attitude to have toward the democratic process, but it is far from unrelatable. Years of ineffectual governance have left the voting population feeling disillusioned with the sanctity and efficacy of the vote. However, abstaining entirely is an ineffective strategy to effect any real change. Not voting is not the protest many think it is, it simply ensures things stay the way they are. Entrenched power will stay entrenched if the opposition is too disillusioned to vote for change. The participation of citizens is vital to the functioning of any liberal democracy.

  In the United States, indeed in most western democracies, the participation of the individual in the machinations of government is a point of pride. After all, democracy is defined as government by the consent of the governed. However, through practice this bottom-up governance has proven to be more of an ideal than an actual matter of fact. It appears that in countries like the United States and the UK legislation is increasingly tailored to benefit a smaller percentage of society.  The criminalization of homelessness and drug use, as well as tax breaks for the wealthy are certainly not put into place to benefit the largest number of people in society. As I write this the United States Supreme Court has ruled that cities can now outlaw homeless encampments, further criminalization the mere fact of poverty. Legislation like this is not meant to benefit the largest amount of people, only make things more comfortable for the people with wealth. It is my opinion that such policies are a result of out of touch representatives that legislate to benefit their own interests over those that may need it more. As of 2024, the average American salary is around fifty to sixty thousand dollars, while the average salary of a US senator is nearly triple that. Around one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars. It is unreasonable to expect that people so well off would be able to understand the problems that are posed to those less fortunate. Even more unreasonable is to expect that these people would even want to help people worse off, as such policies are seen as threatening to the lifestyle of the wealthy. This leads me to believe that representatives should be more beholden to the ideologies and opinions of the voters that put them into place. As it is, wealthy representatives will likely only entrench themselves behind ideology that benefits their position and keep them wealthy and in power. 

    There is an argument to be made that representatives should have the autonomy that they do because they are, generally, more educated than the average citizen they represent. This argument certainly has merit. Career politicians are more aware of the internal organization of government than most voters, they are mindful of internal politics and aware of the logistics of putting policy into motion. I would argue that this is not enough. An awareness of politics may be helpful to navigate the complex world of government, but as far as addressing social ills it is virtually useless. It may even detract from the ability of a politician to empathize with and understand the people they are supposed to serve.

In order to achieve a more helpful form of representative government, citizens must be willing to hold their representatives accountable. Calling and emailing representatives is a good way to do this, as well as participating in direct action that advocates for policies that the most people need. A slightly more radical solution would be to lower the yearly salary of senate and house members both at the state and federal level. It is my personal belief that a civil servant should be just that. A servant. Slave to the needs of their represented populace, if not they may only serve themselves or the interests of their party. This is obviously not a fool-proof solution to lessening the influence citizens have on their representatives, but it may encourage those representatives to see through the eyes of those they purport to serve. 

The divide between what voters expect and what their representatives provide for them seems to be expanding with each new legislation. Becoming involved in the political process may seem a banal or obvious solution, but it is the single most likely method of effecting real change within our current political system. Voting and organizing have historically proved to be viable avenues through which one can cause social change. The best way to ensure that your community is adequately served is to focus on building that community up. Talk politics with you family and friends, define your politics the way your values dictate and find people with like values. Mobilize this group for voting and protest and you may just be able to cause a real change in the way our representatives protect our interests.