I want to talk about something today that I believe could fundamentally change the future of this country.
And it’s not complicated.
In fact, it’s so simple that I think we’ve forgotten just how powerful it is.
We the People.
Three little words.
The first three words of the United States Constitution.
Not “We the Republicans.”
Not “We the Democrats.”
Not “We the billionaires.”
WE THE PEOPLE!
That’s who this country belongs to.
And somewhere along the way, I think we’ve forgotten that.
We’ve become a nation of spectators.
We sit on our couches, watch the news, scroll through social media, and complain about what’s happening in Washington.
We get angry.
We get frustrated.
We argue with strangers on Facebook.
And then what do we do?
We go to bed, wake up the next morning, and do the same damn thing all over again.
Well, I’ve got a question.
What if we actually did something about it?
What if we stopped being spectators and started being citizens?
Because here’s what I’ve come to understand.
We have an extraordinary opportunity right now.
An opportunity to rediscover the power of ordinary Americans working together.
But there’s one thing standing between us and that opportunity.
ORGANIZATION.
That’s it.
We’ve got to get organized.
And I don’t mean forming another political party that spends all its time fighting with the other two.
I’m talking about something much bigger.
I’m talking about neighbors talking to neighbors.
Communities coming together.
People putting aside their differences long enough to recognize that we all have a stake in the future of this country.
And I’ve been learning something about that firsthand.
Over the last several months, I’ve been going out and talking to strangers.
Hundreds of conversations.
People from every walk of life.
Young people. Old people.
People with money. People struggling to pay their bills.
Republicans. Democrats. Independents.
And you know what I’ve discovered?
We’re not nearly as different as we’ve been led to believe.
We may disagree about how to solve our problems.
But most of us want remarkably similar things.
We want a decent life.
We want opportunities for our children.
We want safe neighborhoods.
We want affordable housing and healthcare.
And we want a government that listens to us.
That’s not a Republican idea.
That’s not a Democratic idea.
That’s an American idea.
So here’s what I propose.
Let’s start with something every eligible American can participate in.
VOTING.
And let’s make it as easy as possible for people to exercise that right.
First, we’ve got to help people register.
You cannot participate in an election if you’re eligible but haven’t completed the registration process required by your state.
So let’s help people understand how to register.
Let’s make sure they know the deadlines.
Let’s help them find accurate information.
And let’s do it without asking them who they’re going to vote for.
Because that’s none of our business.
The decision belongs to them.
Second, we’ve got to address transportation.
Think about that for a minute.
There are Americans who want to vote but have difficulty getting to the polls.
Maybe they don’t own a car.
Maybe they’re elderly.
Maybe they have a disability.
Maybe they live miles from the nearest polling place.
Now, in a country that can send people to the moon, surely we can figure out how to help our neighbors get to a voting booth.
We can organize volunteer drivers.
We can coordinate with community organizations.
We can share information about public transportation and accessible voting options.
We can help people understand early voting and absentee voting where those options are available.
And we can do it while respecting every voter’s independence and following election laws.
Third, we’ve got to talk to each other.
And this is the part I’m most excited about.
Because I’ve discovered something remarkable.
When you stop and talk to a stranger, magic can happen.
I’ve experienced it over and over again.
You start with a simple question.
And suddenly you’re hearing somebody’s life story.
You begin to understand their struggles.
Their hopes.
Their fears.
And you realize that this person you’ve never met before has something important to teach you.
That’s how we rebuild communities.
One conversation at a time.
And that’s how we begin rebuilding trust in one another.
Now, here’s why the timing matters.
We’ve got midterm elections coming up in November 2026.
And then we’ve got another major election cycle in 2028.
Two opportunities to demonstrate what an organized, informed, participating electorate looks like.
But I don’t want this effort to end on Election Day.
Because democracy isn’t something we practice once every two or four years.
It’s something we practice every day.
When we attend a city council meeting.
When we ask questions about how our tax dollars are being spent.
When we volunteer.
When we help a neighbor.
When we hold our elected officials accountable.
And when we listen to someone whose opinions are different from our own.
That’s democracy.
And that’s what the Truth Party is really about.
Turning spectators into citizens.
I’m 69 years old.
I’ve lived through some extraordinary moments in American history.
I watched a generation organize against the Vietnam War.
I watched ordinary Americans challenge segregation and change the course of civil rights.
I grew up around people connected to NASA, where thousands of individuals worked together to accomplish something that once seemed impossible.
They put human beings on the moon.
And every one of those experiences taught me something.
Extraordinary accomplishments require ordinary people working together.
Not everybody has to be a leader.
Not everybody has to give a speech.
Not everybody has to start an organization.
Sometimes all you have to do is show up.
Sometimes all you have to do is help somebody else show up.
And sometimes all you have to do is listen.
Now, I know what some people are thinking.
“John, you’re dreaming.”
Maybe I am.
But I look at the history of this country, and I see a long list of things people once said were impossible.
And I see ordinary Americans who refused to accept that answer.
So I’m not interested in spending the next two years simply complaining about what’s wrong with America.
I’m interested in finding out what we can do together.
I’m interested in building relationships.
I’m interested in helping people participate.
I’m interested in creating a country where citizens understand that their voices matter.
And here’s the beautiful thing.
We don’t have to agree on every issue.
We don’t have to belong to the same political party.
We don’t have to vote for the same candidates.
We just have to recognize that this country belongs to all of us.
So let’s use these next few weeks to help people prepare for the midterms.
Let’s use the next two years to build stronger communities.
And let’s make 2028 another milestone in a much longer journey toward greater civic participation.
Because ultimately, this isn’t about one election.
It’s not about one candidate.
And it’s certainly not about me.
It’s about us.
All of us.
The American people.
The people who work.
The people who raise families.
The people who build businesses.
The people who teach our children.
The people who serve our communities.
The people who make this country what it is.
WE THE PEOPLE.
Those words weren’t written as a suggestion.
They established the foundation of our government.
And that foundation is still there.
The question is whether we’re willing to do the work that self-government requires.
So get informed.
Get registered if you’re eligible.
Help your neighbors understand their options.
Make your own decisions.
And participate.
Because the future of this country doesn’t belong exclusively to Washington.
It belongs to all of us.
And together, we can help make sure every voice has an opportunity to be heard.
I’m John Eagleton.
This is the Truth Party.
Turn spectators into citizens.
Thank you.
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