1. We the People

To Mr. President or whom it may concern:



I’ve often thought of writing you a letter. I apologize if I seem informal or cross; I simply feel like writing out my current thoughts. I’ve decided to write you a letter often. Whether or not I decide to send them is a different story. I’d like to talk about communication between the people and those in power, as well as other matters I hold close to my heart – such as my high school’s current position. These aren’t meant to sway you or your opinions; I’d actually prefer for you to stay as you are. I’m simply creating conversation and creating communication between the people and those in power.

I’m afraid of offending you, or your peers. I’ll try not to talk about specific names, as I realize I don’t personally know him/her, ergo I don’t have any right to talk of him/her – or so that is what I believe. It’s not as though I have the ability to speak personally to a congressman or senator; I don’t have the chance to get to know one. Though, if the opportunity arose, I would do absolutely everything to ensure I have been a part of it.

This brings me to part of my point. We the people of the United States don’t often have an opportunity like this, to talk to those in a position of power and express our wants and needs. I desperately hope this letter makes it to your eyes or ears.

I’ve dreamed of meeting a person of political influence. I’ve dreamed of asking questions and getting answers – thorough answers. I can easily find the “what” or the “why” on the internet; it’s the “how” that hides away in secret slumber. It’s nearly impossible for someone with my limited resources. So you’re a politician, and so you’re going to help the public schools, because it’s what you’re concerned with the most – but how? Will you raise taxes? Will you change the way public schools are getting their funding? How do you plan on helping us?

Often times during an election there is no how, and we the people just figure it out as we go along.

I live in California. Try as I might to keep in touch with all the political changes and adaptations going on, it usually proves to be trivial. I’m a full-time student in high school and I’m also an intern at a local animal hospital, so I don’t have too much time on my hands for anything other than homework. As soon as my internship ends, you can bet I’ll be spending much of my spare time researching United States government, its policies, its processes and such.

We touched on proposing legislation and how a bill becomes law in government class. Not once did the passing of anything have to do with the people, aside from the people voting for the proposer/passer. But, you know… sometimes there aren’t too many good choices. Sometimes there aren’t any at all, and I have found, in this last Special Election, there’s usually even less information than there are options. I’d like very much to go to just one website, one page where I can get everything – the “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “how,” and “why” all in one place.

Again, I apologize for the informality of this letter.

As I was talking with my parents, it popped into my head to have a forum where new political ideas could be posted and the people – that is, the people resident to the area potentially affected – could talk and speak their mind, voice their opinions on the matter. You see, more often than not I see politicians putting into play new policies – or editing old policies – without consulting the people, whom it affects above all else. We have amazing technology – we have internet at our disposal. Your disposal, your fingertips! We should use it to better the peoples’ understanding of political intentions, plans, and how’s. We should use it to help the people communicate with those in power.

I realize our say is primarily in voting for the person, but I really don’t think that should count for the policies we can’t vote for. I hear my parents, my peers, and the adults in my life talk amongst themselves about the newest political news, and even if they disagree it is usually put into play. I know that’s solely the people around me, and there is such a greater scope to this – but the politicians should realize this, too, if they don’t.

There is a term in psychology – it’s really a very entertaining class, if you have a teacher as excellent as mine – called the “false consensus effect,” which is the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors. My school’s Associative Student Body does this a lot; just because they like one type of music alone, they think the rest of the student body like it, too, and we’ll be content with only that style of music at each and every school event. Personally, I’m quite the oldies fan. I can easily see this in the political world. Just because the majority of the “political clique,” if I may so call it, approves of an item, that doesn’t mean the people whom it will affect the most approve.

My mom said we can only hear as much as our bubbles permit. My bubble consists of my classmates, my friends, my family, and my teachers. What do the politicians’ bubbles consist of – their family and fellows? Is that a fair representation of we – the people? I do believe I see more of the people, talk to more of a representative population sample, than those with high political status. The populations upon whom the laws and such are to be imposed don’t seem to have much of a say in what’s going on. Nor do the politicians seem to be seeking out the peoples’ opinions.

This, of course, is purely what I see and feel, not a matter of fact. If I am wrong, please don’t let me continue believing I am so right. If I am wrong it is my every intention of being corrected.

I would love to be able to click on one link – one Google result – and have all the information right in front of me, to be able to respond and comment as I wish, to be able to read what others outside of my bubble – people and politician alike – have to say, to have the chance to process that and understand that and compare it to my own opinions and values, and to be able to draw a conclusion with nothing more than fairness. But, above all, I would love for the politicians to read it as well and to take into consideration what we the people have to say.

Their clique is not my clique, and our opinions are often based off those with whom we associate. Every voice counts. Does mine count, too?


Truly sincerely, and from the deepest depths of my growing heart,




L., your average young American citizen