My five questions are as follows.
- What is politics to you?
- What level of participation would you like to see in our elections?
- How important is local politics to you?
- The Constitution and Bill of Rights give us protections; do they need to be updated to provide adequate protections?
- Does our federal system give a good balance between local, state, and central government?
I asked two family members and a friend about their opinions on these questions.
Jacob Cech
My brother Jacob is pretty close to a libertarian in the sense that he feels like many laws are designed for petty or nonsensical reasons, but with the knowledge that a lack of government would lead to anarchy. He didn’t mince words with the first question, saying, “It’s a bunch of old guys wasting our money and then wanting more. Those losers and idiots don’t contribute anything decent.” With those infinitely gentle words, we went on to discuss the importance of local politics and political participation. He said that if people can’t be bothered to vote, they shouldn’t get a say in laws. “If I spend the time researching people and going out to vote, then people who don’t do either should stay home.”
Local politics are tricky for my family because of how often we move. We only get to stay for one or two local elections, and a few times, we moved before we even got the chance. He said it’s not important to him, but that it might matter more to other people. I believe that it is crucial, and I’ve gotten more involved since we have stayed in Alaska for several years, but it’s still occasionally hard to find the time to get out and vote if I’m busy with school and work.
On the question of updating our constitution, he was a firm no. “I wouldn’t want them to change the constitution because I don’t trust them not to change anything else.” I understand where he is coming from, and we’d both like to see more protections added, but he is much more skeptical of any changes, even if they would add a layer of extra security. Regarding the balance of federal powers, he and I agree that the states have more power than is necessary today. When asked about the power the states claim, he said, “Maybe years ago when no one could travel, but they don’t need the level of power they have now with how easy it is to communicate from far away.
Rebecca Cech
My mother, Rebecca, generally tends to be more traditionally conservative, enjoying small government with more state power. “I think that the federal government has encroached into state jurisdiction. I would like to see more limits on central government oversight.” She believes states are closer to their residents and should have more authority concentrated in them. She believes participation in local politics is necessary because “If you don’t even care about the politics in your backyard, how can you care about what affects the nation?”
She would love to see more political participation at every level but is skeptical of mandatory voting. She believes it leads to a slippery slope and that the decision to participate belongs to each individual without coercion. We both have negative thoughts pop up when we hear Politics, though she said it’s a way for groups of people to get what they want. It can be positive for people, and some come alive when participating in a group setting like that.
Abbey Martinez
My friend Abbey Martinez has gone through many political phases in her life. She spent her formative years in another country, so even though she’s American, only within the past few years has she come back and been faced with the glorious dumpster fire that is American politics. She’s told me that she held conservative views initially, then swung the opposite to very progressive when she was independent. However, she and I have mellowed out more, especially as we meet more people in our adult lives and see things from another perspective.
“When I hear the word politics, I think of constant fighting and arguing,” she said. She understands Americans’ lack of political participation, between school, job, and raising a newborn, she noted that there are things that can get in the way and that politics can get placed on a back burner. That being said, she appreciates that local politics allow people to be heard in their immediate community. She says that it feels uplifting to see change in your community rather than hearing about it from far away and not seeing or feeling its effect.
Being in a military family, she also understands that every time she moves, she could be in a state with much different standards or values than what she’s used to. She appreciates that states get to have a say in government. Still, she’s especially concerned that with many states ignoring the federal government or trying to impose harsh restrictions on personal rights, she worries about what will happen if she moves to a military base in a very restrictive state. She would like to see more uniformity between the states in matters like education and personal liberties.
She favors ensuring that our constitution has modern definitions of privacy and security in digital papers. “Rephrasing the document modernly would help set clear ideas of what we need.” She compares it with other more recent constitutions in other countries, noting that they have more specific wording and give a firm stance on protecting personal rights and property.
My Imput
This assignment is a good way for students to ask people they know about politics. Explaining yourself is an excellent step in knowing a subject, and it also opens up a dialogue that could give you a different perspective on things. I liked getting to talk to people that I know and get the chance to get a handle on their opinions of politics. Using a condensed version of this assignment on a discussion board would open up even more opportunities to talk, and each week could have a new topic.