DISCLAIMER: In this post there is no intention to dismiss, vilify or dehumanize Trump voters or Republican voters. I politically identify as a woke yankee democrat.

As a non-American, I’ve been following Trump’s rise the last few months. What struck me the most is how most voters that voted for Trump did so under the impression that change was actually going to happen. What also struck me, was how when Bernie Sanders went to a deep red county, he was received openly. I can’t say I know what they teach, since I never went through the American education system, but from what I’ve spoken with American friends was that there is a great emphasis on federal elections, with little-to-no mention of the forms of citizen participation that exist.

Local elections, local initiatives that slowly go up should be the baseline for democracy. The problem of hoping the Federal Govt. acts for everyone is that the United States is big. Gigantic. However, initiatives, such as community gardens or walk-able communities are more likely on the state or county side than the Federal Government. So much so that, taking the issue of Urban Planning as an example, Eucledian Zoning isn’t even a Federal Law.

80% of Americans can’t name their own state representative. How can we expect accountability from congressmen and politicians that Americans aren’t even aware of?

Ok, so what can be done? If you’re young, I invite you to start a political career in your local community. I may be an idealist, but I do believe that more regular people should go into local elections. Let’s be the change we preach so much.

I am deeply of the belief that America has everything to be the beautiful country it was envisioned as.