Every time I attempt to write about politics, what I want to write about is love. Love is the reason I care about politics. To me, our politics are representative of our morals and beliefs. There is no bigger forum with which to take a stand than on how policy affects people. Republicans and Democrats alike have flaws…we are all human. In the general public, I think both Republicans and Democrats care about people and about this country. When I hear either side saying that the opposite side (by some crude, juvenile name) hates America and wants to destroy it…well, that’s absolutely ridiculous and wrong. And it isn’t helpful in any way.

The problem with politics right now actually isn’t that complex. The first problem is that we have corporations and billionaires paying off our politicians on both sides. Our government is dysfunctional because they do not work for the people. They work for their donors. Our government is set up as legalized bribery. I think most people are in agreement on this. The second problem is that we are not equipped to deal with politics in the social media age. Not only do we have bots from foreign countries influencing our commentary and publishing actual fake news, but that infiltration has so divided our country into sides that we have all forgotten that we’re on the same side, the side of America. And we have forgotten to listen, read, and speak on issues rather than talking points we heard from some political pundit who are also legally bribed by those pushing their specific agenda.

We need to get back to basics. We need to ensure that politicians are working for us, not donors. We need to reinvest in education and in creative innovation. We need to stop arguing over immigration because, quite honestly, that is not our biggest problem right now. If we are truly about the people, then we should all be vocal about getting DACA passed for dreamers, and we should all be championing an extension of the CHIP program. We should be pro-people, not anti-people. We shouldn’t be building walls between countries; we should be building connection and trust. Nativism, tribalism, Nationalism…these frames of existence do not work to keep us safer. They make us more vulnerable. They separate us from allies and fellow innovators that are working towards a global community. I know some don’t want to acknowledge it, but we are and have to be a global community if we are going to continue growing and evolving as a country. We do face challenges in this world…but in order to be a leader we have to be for peace and community. We cannot lead with an isolationist mentality. Leaders don’t isolate; leaders bring people together.

Lastly, we have to bridge the gap of the economic divide. If the average earner can’t make it on a minimum wage without needing government assistance, that is not opportunity or Democracy. That is poverty. History has shown that income inequality exacerbates crime, racism, and sexism. It furthers the gap of distrust among those in power versus those who have none. Those power dynamics range from distrust of the government by citizens to distrust among minority groups to distrust within separate classes. That distrust and anxiety that poverty ensures, creates a hot bed of unease that leads to those named injustices. It is all tied together. WE are all tied together. People in this world, not even just this country, ARE connected. We are connected spiritually, economically, and even physically. What is done to you is done to me. If we don’t begin to stand up for those who have less than us, less in privilege and in status, we will never see a day where peace is achieved or sickness and evil eradicated. People in pain or suffering are people who become oppressors themselves. We need to relieve people’s pain all over the world. We need to be providers of hope. That is why we take in refugees and immigrants. We inherit people with hope and strong work ethics…people who appreciate the opportunities given to them. We need to take back this country as a united front, Republicans and Democrats alike, and create the world we want to see. If we actually got together, I bet our vision would look very similar. We may have disagreements about how to get there, but let’s at least create the same picture of what that should look like. And I am telling you, in no way is that picture going to be all white. It is going to be full of multiple colors and identities. If it were an actual painting, it would have shades of all colors that span the spectrum, and it would represent individuals, not groups. Because we are ALL individuals, singularly unique…and we all contribute something to make this world a better place. Let us no longer be scared of each other. Most of us only want to be heard and seen and loved. Let us work towards that.