BY NEIL PATEL
One of the biggest reasons American politics have turned upside down over the past few years is growing numbers of Americans do not think leaders represent their interests. That simple sentiment underlies nearly every recent problem in American politics. Yet for some reason, almost nobody has engaged in the process of figuring out how this happened and how to fix it.
Itâs hard to trust elected representatives if you think they are in it to line their own pockets. Voters also donât trust politicians who seem to prioritize foreign interests or special interests over their own well-being. Those are precisely the sentiments many voters feel today.
It has now been over six years since Americaâs political class was put on clear notice that their voters are not happy. During those six years, almost zero effort has been expended to understand why voters are so frustrated and turned off. Itâs much easier for a politician to bemoan the state of the country than look inwardly at a system in clear need of reform. Go to any dinner party or any after-work trade association get-together in Washington, D.C., and you will hear a lot of complaining about the political system breaking down â which it has. What you are unlikely to hear, however, is much introspection or proposed solutions. Trust in government continues to plummet year over year, to previously unimaginable depths, and those in power still refuse to look for solutions. Until they do, the system will not heal. If they are ever interested in starting, hereâs a good starting place.
