by and Bostrom, Michael Chemides, Elen Mejia
Two hundred and fifty years ago Americans rejected the monarchy. They rejected the idea that power should be in the hands of one person, a family or a distant ruling class. Instead, they employed an American promise: legitimate power comes from the people.
Our Constitution begins with three words: “We the People.” As the country marks its 250th anniversary, that promise is worth remembering: In America, the people are supposed to be in charge.
Indeed, every day we see neighbors working together to improve their lives, their communities and their country.
Earlier this year, hundreds of residents of San Marcos, Texas, gathered in a public meeting over concerns about a new data center. D Caldwell/Hess testerA local paper, summarizing the sentiment: “Electricity bills could soon rise while access to clean water is drastically reduced, with unusually large data centers in its way.”
Local governments rejected the unpopular project, and similar efforts are underway across the country. The message in each place is clear: the people who live there, not some distant tech company, should be in charge of the community’s resources.
Rural communities are also adopting the Big Egg. For example, grassroots organizing in Western Wisconsin mobilized residents and passed local protection measures that limit threats from factory farms and support family farmers, clean water and local infrastructure.
Iowans win big against a global pesticide manufacturer. Aware of their state’s unusually high cancer rate, the Iowa Farmers Union rallied from below and blocked a law that would have shielded a billion-dollar corporation from accountability.
This patriotic effort helps fulfill the promise of “We the People”. They also show what is possible when people come together to shape the decisions that affect our lives.
Unfortunately, few Americans feel in control right now. We face an unpredictable economy, health care shortages, brutal and reckless ICE raids, and attacks on mail-in ballots. Even that recent victory in Iowa is at stake — the Supreme Court just shielded the pesticide company from thousands of lawsuits brought by farmers and families who blame Roundup for their cancer.
These are all symptoms of a single disease: a nation in which too much power is held by an elite few rather than ordinary Americans. That’s exactly what researchers at the Topos Partnership found. After listening to nearly 5,000 Americans, we heard one idea emerge: people are supposed to be in charge.
The real story isn’t Democrat vs. Republican, or newcomer vs. citizen, or some contrived clash of civilizations. The real story—what unites and empowers—is about who makes the decisions. Do “we the people” govern ourselves, or are we governed by centralized power?
Most Americans in our survey agree that the answer to this question is complicated, but reminding us of the story that defines us can help heal a fractured nation. As one Colorado moderate expressed, “When everyday people don’t feel responsible, it creates anger, frustration, bitterness. But when everyday people feel like they’re making an impact, it creates a sense of belonging.”
When ordinary people organize, organize, and refuse to obey the dictates of some elite, America moves forward. We’ve seen workers establish safe workplaces and the civil rights movement expand “who counts” across our country. We decided that our race was ours – and acted like it.
Be inspired by America’s history and recent successes. This 4th of July, the most patriotic thing we can do is show who owns this country: us. People are in charge when we come together.
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Photo credit: Residents discuss opposition to a proposed data center in Lockhart, Texas. (Photo: Caldwell / Hess Examiner. Reprinted with permission.)
Previously published with otherwords.org Creative Commons License
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