Your Voice Matters: Why Engage in Politics
The future is truly up to all of us, together.
Do you believe that you, personally, have the power to make a difference in the world around you? Do you think that the state of politics and culture in America today have any relation to your actions, values, and decisions?
I believe that there is a widespread and growing sentiment among Americans today that our participation is not required to sustain the democracy that our government was founded upon. The founding fathers feel far away, their work done in a time considered too old and too unlike ours for us to try to imitate them. We, as a nation, subconsciously believe that the freedoms afforded to us will always exist; that there is nothing required on our end to uphold them. Philosophically, you might say we have to defend our freedoms, but functionally, we get busy with our lives: we go to work, we attend church, we spend with friends and family, we seek entertainment, we scroll on our phones, we plan our next vacation…and while none of these things are bad, they require freedom to be enjoyed. We operate on the basis of freedom, without thinking about our role in upholding it. Clarence Thomas once said, “Freedom and responsibility are equally yoked. Only when they are in tandem can we cultivate the vast field of opportunity and have an orderly society. Freedom requires as much courage to live with as it does to get.”[1]
While we enjoy our freedoms, we often choose either not to be informed, or not to vote. Philosophically, we hear stories about soldiers who fought and died for our freedom, or about women who chained themselves to the White House for the chance to have their voices heard in elections, and we see that freedom for us was not free for others. But functionally, we haven’t experienced those sacrifices ourselves, we don’t understand the magnitude of the sacrifices of those who came before us, and we do not live as though our own actions will uphold our freedoms. We wake up in the morning and have the freedom to say what we want, or practice what religion we want, and we go about our day doing nothing to preserve those realities. Ultimately, we do not act as if life as we know it, government as we know it, or freedom as we know it has anything at all to do with us.
But the truth is that freedom has everything to do with our actions, or even more so, with our inaction.
We live in a representative democracy, and we hear the word “democracy” used often these days, but it has weight; it needs to be understood. From our nation’s inception, America was different from her counterparts in the world, because it was here that our founding fathers first established a country wherein its citizens had certain rights that transcended the government. America was established upon the belief that the government existed to protect those intrinsic rights rather than to create them. Because of that distinction, our country was founded as a representative democracy rather than a dictatorship; upon the voices of the people rather than the voices of the few. In other words, in America we elect our government leaders to represent our ideas – which means that our participation is not just a mere example of good civics, it is required. Without the engagement of an informed people, we cease to operate as a representative democracy. If a select few make decisions for the country, but do not represent the values and desires of the people, we are no longer the beacon of freedom we once were over two hundred years ago. I wish more Americans truly contemplated and grasped that. Your participation – yes, YOU – your participation is necessary. It is both your right and your obligation.
That right and obligation does not end with the federal government. Our system is uniquely designed to keep the power with the people – how? Through the states. Rather than modeling ourselves after Britain, a constitutional monarchy, wherein the power resided with the King and Parliament, America was formed with the people in direct view. Rather than concentrate power to the few for their lifetime, power was delegated to the many through federal and state elections. This is why today we see so many differences across all fifty states. Life in California is different than life in Tennessee, and that boils down to the freedom each state has to pass legislation that is representative of the values and desires of the people living within that state. But if the people do not make their voices heard, this process breaks down. Because of our own complacency, states have the potential to be ruled by governors, mayors, and select leaders who enforce their views and value systems which may differ from the will of the majority of the people. This is why it is crucial that you not only involve yourself in national politics, but more importantly, in the state and local politics happening around you. You might vote for a presidential candidate who shares your views but live in a state completely opposed to them. It is only when every citizen of a state participates that the will of the people can be fairly determined, and in turn, the people be fairly governed.
Let’s put some data behind these ideas. According to Pew Research, in the 2018 midterm election, national voter turnout was 49%.[2] Just 49% of all registered voters in America actually voted for their governors, attorney generals, representatives in Congress, and local offices. In the 2022 midterm election, this statistic had further dropped to 46%.[3] Voter turnout for midterm elections is generally lower than presidential election years, but even in the 2020 presidential election, voter turnout was still at just 66%.[4] In what was considered a “high turnout” election, an entire third of the country’s registered voters did not contribute their voice to the leadership in the highest levels of our government.
The sad reality is that voter turnout statistics for state elections are even lower. In California’s most recent election, the March 2024 primary, just 34% of registered voters cast their ballot.[5] That means that two-thirds of the people in our state were not represented. You might be thinking, the primary election doesn’t matter that much anyway, right? After all, isn’t the election in November the one that really counts? What this mindset fails to recognize is that the primary election consisted mostly of statewide ballot measures. The presidential primary portion was just one question; the rest of my ballot concerned state and local candidates and propositions. Proposition 1 will not show up again on the November ballot, the election in March was the only time for California voters to cast their decision on whether it should go into effect or not; and in reality, the proposition passed by only 28,024 votes.[6] Consider that slim margin of victory in conjunction with the fact that 14 million registered voters in California did not even vote on the measure, and it begs the question: Do we really know what the people of California want?
But there is one step further past participation: To truly participate, you must be informed. It is parallel to the medical concept of “informed consent.” Informed consent is the concept that a patient cannot actually give permission for a medical procedure or other such interventions without full knowledge of the possibilities, consequences, outcomes, and alternatives. The argument is that if you do not have all the facts before you, it is impossible to make a decision, because if you had all the facts, you might decide differently. The same is true with government. You must have all the information, all the facts. If you do not know who or what it is that you are voting for, you are not really participating in government at all. Thomas Jefferson put it this way, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”[7]
Think for a moment about the last time you voted. Did you know the names on your ballot? Did you know the candidates’ past histories, track records within government, or stances on key issues that you care about? Or, did you only look to see which had the same political party affiliation as yours, and select those candidates? What about the propositions on your ballot? Did you have an adequate idea of what implications the ballot measures would have on your life, enough so to make an informed decision? Are you aware of key bills that have been passed in your state within the last year? These are all questions meant to persuade you that participating in your federal, state, and local government should not consist of a quick google search or an impulsive decision based on what you have seen lately on social media.
I understand that for most people, this can sound overwhelming. The idea of keeping up to date on everything happening in government and politics seems like too much to add on top of all of the day-to-day responsibilities for those of us with jobs, families, and communities. But it doesn’t have to be! It does not have to consume your life and occupy all your thoughts. It starts with finding the right resources to help you best understand what is going on around you and how you can meaningfully contribute. Edmund Burke, who was a member of Parliament in 1776 and was known for his defense of the American colonies, said, “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.”[8] Small steps toward becoming informed are far better than choosing to disengage entirely. After all, whether you disengage or not, you cannot escape the democratic system meant to give you a say in your government. You have the power to elect leaders who are supposed to represent your interests; you have the power to enact, amend, and repeal legislation in your state. This is incredible! This should encourage you! These are weighty responsibilities, and they must be recognized and treated as such.
Why? Because the truth is that nations do not exist forever just as a given reality, and they fall easily when their own citizens do not stop to seriously consider their own contributions to their government. America is not immune to this. You are not free because there are groups of people in power at the state and federal levels who keep it that way; no, you are free because we as a nation have committed to defending the recognition that all men are truly created equal and endowed with inalienable rights by their Creator, not by their government. The moment you personally fail to uphold that commitment, both on a federal and local level, you as much as forfeit your freedoms.
It is time to take seriously the incredible rights fought and won for you by the men and women who came before you. Regardless of your political positions on high visibility issues, ask questions about all the legislation affecting your state. The state and local elections matter just as much, if not more, because they directly determine the outcome and affect on your life. It is time to become informed. You should not let anyone, not even people who wear the same political party affiliation as you, tell you what you ought to think. Instead, make your own judgements. Vote.
Now, having established the basic, civic responsibility for political engagement, we come to a second argument, and one I have asked myself at times due to my Christian faith. Because while all of the above might sound compelling to my American heritage, the question must further be raised: why should Christians engage in politics? After all, if I serve a God who is sovereign, almighty, omniscient, and transcendent of time, culture, and government, then why should I, or any Christian, care about our political freedoms or temporary leaders?
Let’s start with the very foundation of government. Government is first and foremost a biblical concept. Romans 13:1-7 makes the clear distinction that government was enacted by God for the restraint of evil and punishment of evildoers, as well as the approval of what is good.[9] This is foundational, because as Christians we often let the concept of the separation of church and state keep us from seeing how we are directly responsible for engagement in politics. But government is not a separate, secular entity. If God established it, we cannot see it separate from our lives as His people.
Another step further for why we should then care about government is because the heart of God is for His people, and all who bear His image. This is because government, politics, and legislation all have very real consequences on the lives of a nation’s, or state’s, citizens. We often think about and discuss politics in a high-level, immaterial way, as though it is something without bearing on us. But you cannot disengage from politics because it will, and does, have a direct effect on all areas of your life. Politics materialize into legislation, which further materializes into outcomes; outcomes which change the circumstances around you or what you do. Edmund Burke, again, said, “Bad laws are the worst form of tyranny.”[10] Do you, as a Christian, care about how your government leaders are treating your neighbors? Do you care if your government is upholding righteousness or wickedness?
For example, in California, Senate Bill 407 requires everyone who seeks to become a foster parent to agree to affirm the potential LGBTQ identity of their foster child, regardless of the age or current sexual orientation of the child, should that child ever express such a sexual orientation or gender identity.[11] This means that any Christian who may desire to become a foster parent, whether for the purpose of fostering or adopting out of the foster care system, must be willing to accept the government’s stance on identity, gender, and the role of the parent in order to care for orphans in this way. Christians who feel called to foster may be denied the ability to live out such a calling because they believe differently about sexual orientation, despite being willing and able to love a child regardless of the child’s future life decisions. This is a real bill, with real implications on how YOU – Christian – can live out your life and ministry in the ways in which God calls you. And there are many other important bills! Legislation affects the punishment of crime, the protection of the innocent, the protection of the family unit created by God, and so on. Politics are not abstract, and they cannot be treated as such. We follow the thread then that government was enacted by God for the good of His people and people who bear His image, and government will have a direct effect on how or whether they are able to serve Him.
Even more so, when Paul wrote the book of Romans, the concept of our nation, America, had never yet been established in the ancient world. We live in a unique time and under a unique system of government. We truly have the chance to shape our leadership and our society. How much more responsibility do we have as Christians in America to engage in politics, given that we have the opportunity and right to involvement, unlike so many other faithful Christians around the world? Our leaders are not born into power, they are chosen. They do not lead in a vacuum; they are responsible to the people. We as the Church are a part of that people, and we have even more of a calling to shape our government now than we ever have before. Paul wrote to the churches of his time telling them to submit to their government, to Caesar, to Nero. They would have no say in their government, but they were encouraged to still seek the good of their leaders. Paul also tells government, as well as masters in other areas of the Bible, to treat those under their influence with gentleness, fairness, and to uphold justice. In America, the power has been delegated to the people, written into the very Constitution as being of the people, for the people, and by the people. It is therefore not just the responsibility of the President in America, or other elected leaders, to engage positively in government, but it is as much our responsibility, as the people, to hold them accountable to their sworn offices and to seek the good of our common man – because we have unprecedented say in our government compared to any time in history before us. Additionally, we of all people are most equipped to this work, because God has revealed for us His standard of what is good, right, and true.
There is a passage in the Old Testament which I believe makes this clear to us, and it is found in Jeremiah 29:4-7. The passage reads:
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
The context is given in the verses in that God was sending His own people into exile, into a hostile and foreign land, as a form of judgement of their sin against Him. As He does this, He gives them specific instructions: build houses, plant gardens, create families, seek the welfare of Babylon. He doesn’t tell them to merely hold on for the years they will be there, and to wait for the judgement of the wickedness of the Babylonians. He tells them to set down roots and flourish; and then, not only to personally flourish, but to seek the good of the city so much so that they would see it as their own welfare. Pastor and author John MacArthur writes about these verses, “Jeremiah’s counsel to Israelites in Babylon was to take all the steps in living as colonists planning to be there for a long time. Further, they were to seek Babylon’s peace and intercede in prayer for it, their own welfare being bound with it.”
And just think, all of these commands are given to the Israelites, people who will have no right to a say in their governance, no voice beyond what status they can earn through relationships with the King, as we see play out with Daniel. I believe that while this passage is not necessarily prescriptive, it models for us principles that we can and should apply in our own lives, communities, and churches today, especially as those with a say in our democratic system. Our reason for political engagement is not just to protect our freedoms for freedom’s sake, but to seek the good of those around us. If you believe that because God is in control and working together all things, that that means we do not have to involve ourselves with worldly affairs such as politics, you are not seeking the good of the state in which you live. If you throw up your hands in the belief that you cannot make any sort of impact or that your state, California especially, is too unlike your values to make any real change, you are not seeking the good of those around you.
I want to pause here and address a common question about this among Christians. The ultimate good you can do is to spread the news of the gospel – amen and amen! – because only the gospel can truly transform our culture, only the gospel saves, only the gospel will give you hope for the future regardless of what happens in our societies. But the gospel shapes every area of our lives! The gospel shapes our relationships, it shapes our work life, it shapes our interaction with our families, and it too shapes our political engagement – both how we engage in politics, and why we engage in politics. God gave us practical ways to leave an impression on the societies around us. He designed for us laws and systems to promote order, justice, fairness, and goodness in our societies. We don’t defend these ideals, these freedoms afforded to us, for our own sake, but to defend the heart of God in establishing them. He is a God of order, He is a God of justice, He is a God of abundant blessing and common grace, which means we too seek order, justice, and blessing, for our country and for our states.
How do you seek the welfare of the land? We return to the same actions laid out previously: become informed, get involved, and exercise the freedoms you have been blessed with and often take for granted. This does not mean that you have to run for office, or go out and campaign, or participate in rallies. It is involvement much smaller that will make all the difference. You cannot advocate for good, you cannot restrain evil, if you do not know what is being legislated. Christians, of all people, should speak out when evil is written into law, when injustice is committed against the innocent, and when government hurts its people. To be an advocate for the inalienable rights endowed by our Creator, we must first be aware of the threats being leveled against them, and then we need to commit to pray for wisdom and for change. We have no excuse for ignorance. We cannot simply look away.
So, dear reader, this is your invitation to join me. Join me here to take the small step of understanding and caring about what is going on in your state. Regardless of your religious beliefs, I sincerely hope that you will resolve yourself today to uphold your freedoms and seek the good of those around you through the power of being informed, the challenge of critically examining our politicians and government leaders, and the responses of people committed to exercising common sense and decency. Welcome to The California Conversation.
References:
[1] The American Heritage Education Foundation. “Historic & Contemporary Quotes on American Heritage.” American Heritage, n.d. https://americanheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/docs/Historic___Current_Quotes_on_American_Principles.pdf.
[2] Nadeem, Reem. “1. Voter Turnout, 2018-2022.” Pew Research Center, June 21, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/07/12/voter-turnout-2018-2022/.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] La, Lynn. “California Primary: Voter Turnout Not Record Low.” CalMatters, March 12, 2024. https://calmatters.org/newsletter/california-primary-voter-turnout/.
[6] Hwang, Kristen, and Jeanne Kuang. “Update: California Voters Narrowly Approve Prop. 1, Gavin Newsom’s Mental Health Overhaul.” CalMatters, March 12, 2024. https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/03/election-result-proposition-1/.
[7] The American Heritage Education Foundation. “Historic & Contemporary Quotes on American Heritage.” American Heritage, n.d. https://americanheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/docs/Historic___Current_Quotes_on_American_Principles.pdf.
[8] Ibid.
[9] DeYoung, Kevin. “The Nature and Purpose of Government.” The Gospel Coalition (blog), October 27, 2020. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/the-nature-and-purpose-of-government/.
[10] The American Heritage Education Foundation. “Historic & Contemporary Quotes on American Heritage.” American Heritage, n.d. https://americanheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/docs/Historic___Current_Quotes_on_American_Principles.pdf.
[11] California Family Council. “New CA Bill Requires Foster Parents to Swear Allegiance to LGBT Ideology - California Family Council.” California Family Council (blog), April 19, 2023. https://www.californiafamily.org/2023/04/new-ca-bill-requires-foster-parents-to-swear-allegiance-to-lgbt-ideology/.
