This Atlantic essay has me thinking. The net-net is that too many people talk about politics, watch, listen and read about stuff that’s far away, and not enough actually get involved to make a difference.

I stand a bit convicted.

My Bachelor’s is in Political Science (American Politics and Political Economy), and I count myself interested, well-read, even opinionated. But I have not been involved in anything political at any level for a really long time.

The last time it was a gubernatorial race, and it wound up costing me a friendship. I’d distributed some literature and even helped with copy-writing, but it still was an arms-length effort and the candidate was flawed and lost.

I guess nothing has got my dander up enough to want to do anything. I also wondered what difference I possibly could make, and came up with ample reasons NOT to do anything.

That’s not good.

Oh, I talk to people and occasionally write something, but this Atlantic piece talks about someone who formed a group to lobby her city leadership on several important topics. This person was trying to make a difference, and put up time and effort. And had some success.

Maybe the excuses will be fewer now that I’m no longer afraid of alienating possible clients. Or afraid of spending too much precious time away from the things I like to do.

It occurs to me that fear was a big part of why I stayed out of it – I don’t think I realized that. There’s a crisis in the US these days in a lack of civics education, and a poor understanding of history, economics…I could try to help in that respect.

How many of you are thinking the same? Read the essay.

College-Educated Voters Are Ruining American Politics

Political hobbyism is to public affairs what watching SportsCenter is to playing football.