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I might as well lay this down because I’m going to end up saying it again and again over the next year:
Americans have an unhealthy view of elected officials and government.
We put far too much emphasis on heroic figures saving us from our troubles.
1/
Americans have an unhealthy view of elected officials and government.
We put far too much emphasis on heroic figures saving us from our troubles.
1/
The most effective citizen activism over the past two years came at times when we had *zero faith* our representatives would serve us well if we didn’t agitate for the things we need.
Protecting the ACA, reversing the family separation policy, and on and on.
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Protecting the ACA, reversing the family separation policy, and on and on.
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It is great to love our candidates, leaders and elected representatives.
It is very much not great to assume loving them means the things we want and need will come to be if we just watch.
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It is very much not great to assume loving them means the things we want and need will come to be if we just watch.
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My biggest kerfuffles with people on the left have all centered around this issue.
I bristled at the early worship of Avenatti. I bristle endlessly at the outsized adoration of Bernie. I pushed back on the rush to beatify AOC, Beto, Mayor Pete, and on and on.
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I bristled at the early worship of Avenatti. I bristle endlessly at the outsized adoration of Bernie. I pushed back on the rush to beatify AOC, Beto, Mayor Pete, and on and on.
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It isn’t because I oppose those people.
It’s because elevating people who are elected to be workers on our behalf to pedestals of admiration actually hurts rather than helps.
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It’s because elevating people who are elected to be workers on our behalf to pedestals of admiration actually hurts rather than helps.
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Even when a politician deserves to be lionized and revered, it serves no useful purpose to worship a *public servant*.
It may make people feel better to believe a protective leader is shielding them from harm but we are saved only by our own unceasing work.
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It may make people feel better to believe a protective leader is shielding them from harm but we are saved only by our own unceasing work.
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It doesn’t matter who the person is, when the public rushes to invest love in a hero du jour, I am going to piss of their biggest fans by tamping that down.
Politics isn’t religion; it’s labor.
We work or we don’t.
No politician will ever free us of that.
7/7
Politics isn’t religion; it’s labor.
We work or we don’t.
No politician will ever free us of that.
7/7
