National politics remind me of a baseball game between the Republicans and the Democrats.
The two teams hash it out with everything at stake, taking every opportunity to jab at whoever is at bat between pitches. The spectators, however, are the real losers in the game, no matter which team they are rooting for.
Most of the country is sitting too high in the stadium seats to actually see what’s happening on the field, and so they watch what’s on the Jumbo-tron and fill in the blanks with rumors about the players. Many people give up after a few innings, claiming they do not even care who wins at that point.
When it comes to state and local government, it is an entirely different ballgame.
I recently got to tour the Georgia State Capitol, and I had an epiphany after doing so.
To enter that building, you first have to show your ID or driver’s license to the security guard. Then, you place your belongings in a bowl to be scanned, like at the airport, and you walk through a metal detector. That’s all you have to do. Once the security team determines that you do not pose a threat, you are free to roam your state’s Capitol at your leisure.
The offices of the senators and representatives are not locked, which came as a surprise to me. When you open the door, there is an assistant who sits at a desk and manages anywhere from one to eight legislators. You are free to set up a meeting with your representative to discuss any issue you feel is pertinent.
I can honestly say I was ignorant about how the Capitol works. You do not need special clearance to enter this building. You do not have to be a lobbyist to talk to your representative. Anyone in the state of Georgia with a valid ID can waltz in the doors, track down their legislator, and get the answers to their burning questions.
I realized there is no reason to be uninformed. If you do not understand a law that has gone into effect recently at the state level, you can go ask your legislator to explain its benefits or its setbacks to you. If there is a bill that is currently being proposed in this session, you can go find the person who wrote it and directly ask them any questions you have.
Are you concerned that the representative you voted for last year has not done anything to benefit you since they were sworn into office? Go set up a meeting and confront him about it. If your legislator actually cares about the current issues, then he will want to hear your concerns.
This is even easier at the local level, like county government. These elected officials are your neighbors, working as teachers and business owners in the community you live in. You can go knock on their door and ask them your questions. This does not mean you will get a straight-forward answer, but you will have done your part in trying.
National politics make for a frustrating pastime, but there are plenty of little league games going on near you where there are plenty of seats and everyone can see exactly what is happening on the field. Local and state politics are within your reach. Take control: it’s easy to be informed.
