Why is it that people are disenchanted with politics today?

Let’s start with the fact our country was founded with a few “anti-government” attitudes. Add to that, rough and tumble campaigns throughout our history. Remember, personal attacks are not a creation of the social media era.

Back in the day, it could literally take days for news from a capital to travel back to constituents. We don’t have that limitation today. Voters probably have more access to government, politics, and public officials in real time than ever before.

Another, often overlooked, reason is the amount of effort, or rather the lack of effort, citizens put into understanding and participating in their own government.

It’s natural to get frustrated by things we don’t understand, be that a business launching a “new and improved” product that you think misses the mark, the latest movie you think bombed, or the next big thing in technology. All those things were done for certain reasons. But if you don’t know those reasons, you can’t appreciate WHY something happened, only the WHAT. How can you find the why?

Much is said by those in the media, academics, and political interests about what is the proper rules of governing, what the politicians are doing or not doing. But scant attention is paid to the proper role of citizens. Voters should look no further than their mirror to decide how to best improve government.

So, as a voter, what can you do?

Step away from your armchair, stop quarterbacking, and get involved.  Our form of government isn’t a spectator sport, it’s participatory.  The First Amendment boldly states “Congress shall make no law” . . . “abridging the right of the people to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”  Complaining to your co-workers about politicians isn’t what the founders had in mind.

The legislative branch is the most accessible part of government. Legislators work hard (despite what you read in the media) and want to hear from, and help, constituents. To help you get engaged, the following are 5 easy things you can start doing today:

• Follow government and politics through websites like:
  • Michigan legislature http://www.legislature.mi.gov/
  • Left side of the political spectrum http://www.progressmichigan.org
  • Right side of the political spectrum http://rightmi.com/category/conservative-news/
• Track issues on the legislature’s website provided above that interest you
• Follow your legislator on Facebook or Twitter
• Attend one of their coffee hours, introduce yourself, and hear what they have to say, ask your questions
• If you like them, offer to put up a yard sign during this year’s election

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.