You know what I’ve realized? We’ve stopped being citizens and become spectators.
We’re not participating in democracy anymore. We’re binge-watching it.
Politics has become the longest-running reality show in American history.
Every morning, millions of Americans wake up and ask, “What crazy thing happened overnight?” Not because they’re involved. Because they’re fans.
We’ve turned democracy into the NFL.
You’ve got your team colors.
You’ve got your jerseys.
You’ve got your fantasy league statistics.
And no matter what your team does, you’re sticking with them.
“Yeah, our guy got indicted, bankrupted three companies, and accidentally invaded Greenland, but the other side is worse.”
At this point, if Abraham Lincoln came back from the dead and said, “Hey folks, maybe we should work together,” both sides would call him a communist.
And then there’s voter turnout.
In some elections, only about 38% of eligible people vote.
Thirty-eight percent.
That’s not a democracy. That’s a group project where only one kid did the work and everybody else still expects an A.
Can you imagine applying that logic to anything else?
“Did you raise your children?”
“Eh… about 38%.”
“Did you pay your taxes?”
“About 38%.”
“Did the surgeon remove your appendix?”
“He got about a third of it. Said he had a tee time.”
But then those same people who don’t vote spend four hours a day posting online.
“I can’t believe what’s happening to this country!”
Really? Because you had one job.
Vote.
That’s it.
Nobody asked you to storm a beach at Normandy.
Nobody asked you to cross the Delaware.
Nobody asked you to write the Constitution.
We asked you to stand in an air-conditioned room for ten minutes and fill in little circles with a pen.
And millions of Americans were like, “Nah. Sounds exhausting.”
But here’s the scary part.
What happens if participation goes to 90%?
Everything changes.
Politicians would lose their minds.
The lobbyists would panic.
Cable news would collapse.
Can you imagine the emergency meetings?
“Sir, we have a problem.”
“What?”
“The American people are paying attention.”
“My God.”
“They’re reading bills before they’re passed.”
“Dear God.”
“They’re asking where the money went.”
“Get me the helicopter.”
Because the truth is, the system isn’t really afraid of protests.
It’s not afraid of tweets.
It’s not even afraid of politicians.
The one thing it’s terrified of is an informed citizen who actually shows up.
Because America was never supposed to be a spectator sport.
It was supposed to be a participation trophy.
And frankly, after the last few years, I think we’ve all earned one.
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