Cultivating the Democratic way of Life

I want to begin this piece with an admission. I fall squarely on the left side of the political spectrum. People on the right might call me a “liberal”; some of my buddies on the left will probably shun “liberal” in favor of “progressive” to describe our political persuasion (although this label is fast becoming as pejorative as ‘liberal’). What I want to make clear is that whatever others say I am, there are some things that I am NOT. I am not in favor of “destroying America.” I do not support the erosion of personal liberty in this country. And certainly, I do not wish to undermine the principles of the democratic process upon which this nation was founded. Finally, I not for elitism of any kind…
Just as I declare these things about myself, I must also say the same for many of my adversaries. They do not wish to eradicate freedom, liberty, or prosperity in this country either. Today we too often descend to name-calling and demonizing when stating and defending our political beliefs. Underneath this phenomenon lies an faint and irrational hope that those that see things differently from us will simply fade away. That way, we can just be given the space to make our own agenda into reality. So, we go on… sitting in a circle with our peers in ideology, patting ourselves on the back that we get things right, and that those “crazy” or “evil” people over there are simply deluded. At most, we might reach out to the “indifferent middle/independent” voters and try to convince them of the same view of our opponents, but we never, never, never, even try to engage the extreme “other” in dialogue. This is because we share a particular, and ultimately I believe, misguided depiction of modern democracy: if we simply convince enough people to vote our way, we can put people in office who will implement our agenda for us. This, however, only describes the formal structure of democracy, as we might learn in a high school course on American government. Such a view stands behind the current stalemate in congress and the repeated ineffectiveness of the executive.
We elect politicians in the same manner as we shop. Companies that design a brand of toothpaste, for instance, seek the input of the public about how to design and market their product. They might present a range of possibilities to focus groups, who help narrow these strategies. Ultimately, the company selects path to market the a particular design. Finally, consumers in the store choose which brand among many will best meet their need. Parties offer us their candidates; a few of us might narrow these choices through a primary election; finally, the rest who show up to the polls pick which option will best address the issues I see as important. Once we make our selection, our role is complete; if our candidate wins, we expect them to take care of the problems for us. This is the problem. Once the voter/consumer exercises choice, we perceive the job done. Healthy teeth, however, require that we not only have the toothpaste, but also that we use it everyday, along with flossing, regular trips to the dentist for preventative care, and even cultivating healthy eating/drinking habits. The point is that selecting a good toothpaste is only one very minor portion of dental health. In fact, in the end, any brand of toothpaste would likely suffice were we to include it in a comprehensive plan of health. Essentially, we put the toothpaste to work for us.
The same rings true for a healthy democracy. Just because we vote doesn’t make us good citizens, for this is only one very minor aspect of the democratic process. We cannot rest with getting a particular party into the majority, or “our guy” elected as President. In fact, these things matter little if not part of a more comprehensive initiative of social action by “the people.” We must force the politicians to work for the good of our society. Voting is simply a formality, and we all understand this, even if we don’t admit it openly. The real work of democracy takes place at many levels: behind closed doors, in smoky rooms, and all those places we say undermine the will of the people. Still, democracy also emerges in many other ways as well: through open mass protest, organized popular movements (which we sometimes call lobbyists, PACs, interest groups), blogging, or even a heated debate on the patio of your local café. Democracy is a national conversation about how we might best take care of ourselves. It is not only the formal structures that we put in place to express this spirit. Citizenship requires that we not only vote, but that we also inform ourselves of ALL sides of an issue, explore the dimensions of these angles with our fellow citizens (and non-citizens), and then support directly or indirectly social action which will push our representatives to acknowledge our position and legislate their realization. It is only the total package that leads to a healthy democratic society, all parts working together for the common good. Just because those you elected are in office, doesn’t mean that their failure is the fault of the opposition of “the powers that be.” IT IS YOURS as well if you are doing nothing to put pressure on your local, state, and national governments to listen. Don’t stop with voting; you and I have an obligation to participate in democracy. WE ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR to make good on the promise of freedom and the good society…