It’s Over! The last ballot has been cast and most of them have been counted. The volume of emails and texts from candidates should be dropping rapidly, so you don’t have to waste a lot of time on digital decluttering. The endless political commercials have shifted to Medicare advantage, and even that ad campaign ends on December 7th.
So you though iI was over! Not so fast! In even numbered years we choose our elected officials. They pester us for money and attention. In odd-numbered years the roles are reversed. It’s our job to watch, persuade, congratulate, or criticize, but mostly to tell them what we want, what we care about, what stories they need to hear from us. Congress reconvenes January 3rd and most state legislatures will be back at work on January 12th. Your local governments—counties, cities, school boards—just paused briefly for a swearing in and went on about their business,
Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to listen, pick your issues, and make your voice heard. How do you flip the switch from listening to telling? How do you become an effective, if sometimes annoying, citizen activist? There are several levels of engagement and a few good tips on getting your message across.
For starters, pick one or two issues you care deeply about. Maybe it is local affordable housing. Or the cost of health care, the future of Social Security, data centers. If you have a story to tell or relevant expertise to share, you may want to pursue an agenda where your street creds will get you a listening ear As an economist, I want to focus on the economics of affordable housing, health care and the future of Social Security.
Don’t bother your city Council about Social Security. That’s for your member of Congress. Housing is more of a local and state issue, data centers are at all three levels of government, health care is state and federal.
Find out what legislation is being proposed. Think about what you want to say. Find organizations that are also working on this issue. Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or post your thoughts on social media. Get to know the elected officials who will be making these decisions. Speak up at a city council meeting or a legislative hearing. Call your legislator or council member or send a real letter. DO NOT EMAIL! They tally their mail and phone calls!
If enough of us are paying attention, something good could happen. If we say the election is over and go back to our daily routines, nothing is going to get batter. It’s up to you, or as we say in the south, you-all—emphasis on all.
