This month, in my experience with the Broward League of Cities a special and particularly nuanced, tenant of modern politics was revealed to me. During the League’s last general membership meeting I found myself listening to the rhetoric of some highly skilled debaters. And although their discussion of economic principles relative to government spending in the local economy was quite insightful, the true lesson to be learned came in the question session immediately following. The question was posed of how the argument about raising taxes applied to state limitations and ceilings on property taxes and in the following silence lay an unfortunate truism of American politics, previously unknown to me. Most Americans lack a formal understanding of the legislative barriers and challenges, in which their respective elected officials face to producing actual change based upon ideological beliefs of how the world should be. Moreover, such an information deficit generates problems for voters both in the anticipation of change and in their ability to judge the effectiveness of our leadership.  It generates an expectation for more than may be physically possible and further separates the average voter from his or her elected official. In fact, what I have learned constitutes an entirely new definition of the term political awareness.

To me no longer will being politically conscious mean just having a basic understanding of the issues or the candidates whom represent them, but in fact there is new significance embodied in a new foundation that goes far beyond that. Now and forever, the idea of political awareness will contain the recognition that there is more to politics than just good policy, and compromise. Now I realize there are many necessary prerequisites to acting on issues that limit the potential for change, in all avenues of politics. Furthermore, with this new understanding, I have begun a new path to helping other citizens attain a level of greater political enlightenment, telling anyone that will listen what the true obstacles to change are. For I understand that democracy, in its truest sense, relies upon the expression of the opinions of politically aware voters, through their ballots. On this basis, I plan to continue to use my recently obtained political knowledge to increase true political activism by holding information forums and helping register my fellow students to vote, as well as pushing every politically active person I know to apply for next year’s Broward league of Cities’ Ambassadorship. Although my efforts are grassroots in nature, and probably will not change the world, if even one person achieves a greater political awareness through my efforts, I will know I have made a difference.

By: Alex Weiner