you rule.
No, Really.
What’s
Your But
to
By “you” we mean you, me, all of us.
In our system of government we elect
individuals to learn about the issues
that affect our lives. They represent
our views at local, state and national
levels of government.
These representatives serve on school boards, in
city councils, in the state legislature or the United
States Congress. We elect them to listen to our ideas
and make decisions about our government that we’re
too busy to make ourselve s. Anyone who meets
the qualifications can run for office. And all of us,
regardless of age, have a voice. By that we mean
you have a right to be heard and—if enough people
support your views—actually make a difference.
This right to be heard is part of the system of laws
established for the good of the community: laws
protecting people from unjust government. The
birth of this system began more than 230 years
ago. A few courageous folks in the British colonies
of North America dared to break away from rule by
rich nobles and kings. The colonists believed that
everyone was created equal and everyone should
have the right to decide laws that govern their lives.
This was a radically new idea. As a result, the British
rulers looked upon the colonists as revolutionists,
radicals, even criminals.
It’s
Me
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he
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Gree
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D
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the M
ept it
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nings
rea s
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begin
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l
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the a
a
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init
reek
y is
, the
the G
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ocrac
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two
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t
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peopl
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lly, “r
“t h e
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rule.”
n?
On the co
ver
range of fe you saw political ca
mpaign-lik
elings. To
find out w
e buttons
little quiz
hat kind o
expressing
. For each
f
a
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Each opti
tt
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,
o
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ned a poin
is
e with mo
t value.
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re.
1
2
olitics bore
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b. I think
ead of gett
democrac
ing involve
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d I’ll just
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ant to be
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an elected
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rence?
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at I have to
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up and m
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ud to use.
nt ]
e heard. T
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h
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Now add
ge
up all you
r
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ts. If you
If you sco
scored fou
red five or
r or less, th
more, you
of you wh
’re Engage
en Skeptic
o aren’t so
d. Maybe
is your bu
sure abou
reading on
tton.
t politics.
will enligh
ten those
3
e
Of the People, By the Peopl
Revolutionary War, they
After the colonists won the
y in
—a representative democrac
decided to form a republic
ct
h representatives they ele
which the people rule throug
people
m. It’s a government of the
to make decisions for the
hts of
the decisions, while the rig
where the majority makes
power
by law. In thi s system the
the minority are prote cted
These
hands of everyday citizens.
to make laws is put in the
vote on
and me—hold elections to
citizens—again that’s you
rately
ve will be the best in accu
which candidate they belie
the people.
representing the views of
“That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”
Thomas Jefferson
third president of the united states
ced
issue introdu
s o f
r
a
l
l
i
p
y
c
a
r
c
o
m
de
very messy
Finding Common Ground
talking
es a lot of discussion. But
uir
req
m
te
sys
our
,
see
n
As you ca
to work together
it possible for lawmakers
things out is what makes
d areas of
only way legislators can fin
in finding solutions. It’s the
various values,
“common ground”—among the
d
lle
ca
n
fte
—o
nt
me
ree
ag
t. Our
of the voters they represen
ns
nio
opi
d
an
s
tie
ori
pri
,
interests
ple within
the different kinds of peo
country is strengthened by
others have
always get our way when
it. But as a result we can’t
ionships of trust
y important to build relat
ver
it’s
So,
ls.
goa
ng
osi
opp
in how
nts of view. And to believe
poi
ing
fer
dif
out
rk
wo
to
in order
our system works.
Here’s the bottom line: Un
less everyone
agrees 100% to support
one solution
or another—which usually
does not
occur—then compromise
comes into
play. Compromise require
s tolerance
for differences and disagr
eements, and
a willingness to make tra
de- offs. But
a compromise only works
if a majority
agrees to support it. Wh
en people can’t
reach a compromise, not
hing gets done.
As a result, this means
starting all
over again in looking at the
issues and
solutions in new and diff
erent ways.
n
nd negotiatio
a
te
a
b
e
d
re
mo
s refined
compromise
hed
reement reac
ag
vote
issue put to
decides
majority rule
sed
new law pas
Is Compr
omise
Selling O
ut?
W h en v a
between
differen
rious opin
the view
ions exis
s of
t
t groups
, district
s,
parties,
even bra
nches of
governme
nt, there
will alway
be conflic
s
t. And t
here will
always b
e a need
for delib
eration
a nd c o m p
romise. D
on’t thin
k
so ? G e t
five of y
our frien
ds
togethe
r and try
to decid
e
w h at m o
vie to go
to o r w h
at
kind of p
izza to o
rder. You
’ll see.
The Original Vote
“I am a compromiser
and maneuverer.
I try to get something.
That’s the way our
system works.”
Lyndon Baines Johnson
36th president of
the united states
That Rocked
Did you know that for nearly 200
the age of 21 couldn’t vote? The
group of young adults and oth
years, Americans under
n, in the mid-1960s, a
er like-minded citizens
became activists for change. The
y wrote and called
their members of Congress. The
y marched in protests,
chanted slogans and staged sit
-ins. They grabbed
headlines and rocked the nation
in debate. And won.
In 1971 states ratified the 26t
h Amendment to the
Constitution and gave 18-, 19and 20-year-olds
the right to vote. Who said you
ng adults can’t make
a difference? Your ideas do cou
nt, don’t ever doubt
this fact.
Illustration Credit: Scott Broo
ks
Why? Because reaching
agreement in a
nation as big as ours—wh
ere so many
different kinds of people
hold so many
different points of view—
is ver y dif ficult
to do. Think about your
friends and
family, how even the peo
ple who are
closest to you don’t always
agree.
Now, multiply this though
t by millions
of people from all races,
beliefs and
cultural backgrounds, and
you can
begin to see why reaching
agreement on
local, state and national
issues is hard.
To help reach agreements
representatives
rely on deliberation, deb
ate, negotiation
and compromise. Delibe
ration is when
people sit down and discus
s their issues
and why they think their
solution works.
Debate is the process in
which people
try to persuade others to
support their
ide as. It’s during this pro
ces s that
things get ver y me ssy.
Passionate,
often heated debate occ
urs. Folks who
feel strongly about their
views are now
debating with folks who
feel equally
as strong about the opposi
te view. Did
we mention, messy?
w debated
points of vie
begin
negotiations
s suggested
compromise
Things can get
Our democratic governmen
t
took revolutionary thinking
to create it. And requires
compromise to make it wo
rk.
ple
ear from peo
h
rs
to
la
is
g
le
y
c
a
r
c
o
m
e
Give D
:
e
c
i
o
V
h
s
e
r
aF
Yours
Me, The People.
Where in the world could you find an Olym
pic athlete, a teacher, a tugboat captain
, a nurse, a
jewelry designer, a combat pilot, a surgeon
and a border patrol officer working together
to find
solutions to our nation’s problems? Answer
: in state legislatures and in Congress.
National and state legislators are ordin
ary people—like our family, our friends,
neighbors,
perhaps even you someday—who answ
er a call to public service and want to
make
a difference
through politics. But you don’t have to
be elected to make a difference. Your
point of view
is important and so are your efforts to
bring about changes. You can help make
changes in your school, your community,
your city, state or even our nation.
d
s of laws they’
d
n
ki
e
th
t
u
o
b
n don’t
ple think a
w who do ofte
Not many peo
fe
se
o
th
n
ve
E
ssed.
ected
like to have pa
slators. Your el
gi
le
r
ei
th
d
to
s
ea
u to understan
yo
convey their id
m
o
fr
r
a
e
h
s need to
r fresh
representative
n you add you
e
h
W
t.
u
o
b
a
me
care
ressing the sa
xp
e
s
the issues you
e
ic
vo
t
n
is
any differe
emerge. And th
voice to the m
to
s
n
gi
e
b
rn
e
r patt
rs.
opinion, a clea
n on lawmake
io
ss
re
p
im
n
a
t.
makes
t we care abou
n about wha
also
ators must lear
sl
gi
le
,
t or call. They
bs
jo
r
To do thei
who write, visi
le
op
s
pe
de
to
si
t
ng
en
listeni
g differ
They do this by
ps representin
ou
gr
do.
st
re
ho
w
te
e
in
various
led by thos
check in with
you will be ru
,
up
e up
k
ok
ea
sp
,
sp
t
er
u don’
ed togeth
of issues. If yo
all group band
.
sm
ld
a
or
w
w
ho
e
s;
th
lonist
changed
Think of the co
e beliefs, and
os
th
on
d
te
lief, ac
in common be
ch
e can have su
su
is
y
Not ever
u
yo
t
bu
cance,
historic signifi
g
bi
ns
er
nc
lve co
can help reso
.
up
eaking
or small by sp
Ronald Reagan
40th president of the united states
They’re All Ears
If you don’t think legislators list
you, now HEAR this: they do. Leg
are elected to learn about the
en to
islators
key issues
that affect us, and to represe
nt our
views at local, state and nationa
l levels.
Legislators find out how people
feel about
issues in their district in many
ways. Some
send out letters. Some have loca
l offices
Volume
e
h
T
p
U
n
r
u
T
n don’t
ly, folks ofte
n. Sad
b IS to liste
jo
’s
or
cause
t
la
is
g
A le
r to them be
e
t
t
a
m
t
ha
t
t things
hing
speak up abou
. But, if somet
re
a
c
or
n
e
one will list
nt to other
they fear no
ably importa
ob
pr
’s
it
,
ou
to y
that
is important
e something
se
ou
y
e
im
t
next
ity, talk
people. So, the
your commun
in
or
ol
ho
ed at sc
me
can be improv
want to do so
y
a
m
ou
Y
.
lp
ho can he
once you
to someone w
ar case. And
le
c
a
ke
a
m
t to
sed to
research firs
be very surpri
ht
ig
m
ou
y
facts,
present the
views, and
rs share your
he
ot
y
n
a
m
find out how
oes count.
voice really d
r
ou
y
h
c
u
m
how
“Democracy is not some fragile
flower; still it needs cultivating.”
where anyone can stop by and
talk
to the lawmaker, or his or her
staff. And most have web sit
es
and email addresses. This is wha
t
we meant when we said earlier
that “you have a
“We have become not a melting pot but a
beautiful mosaic—different people, different
beliefs, different yearnings, different dreams.”
Jimmy Carter
35th president of the united states
voice”—because
your legislator
wants to hear
what you think.
Reading
this
could chang
e your mind
,
if not your l
ife.
Myth
Special intere
st groups
don’t represen
t the
values and inte
rests of
regular people
, like me.
Power to the
People, as in, You
in
It’s simple math: There’s power
ons
numbers. Which is why organizati
h others
have power. People who join wit
pass
to influence representatives to
Most of us thin
k our
own interests
represent
the public will
; that ours
is the be st ap
proach
for ever yone.
And it’s
usually the “o
ther guy’s
desires” that
we view as
“special intere
sts.”
Reality
Nearly eight in
10 Americans
belong to
an organized
group with a po
licy agenda.
About 40 perc
ent are membe
rs of two
or more groups
. You don’t ev
en have to
formally join
to identif y with
a certain
group, like pa
rent s who do
not belong
to the P TA or
older adults w
ho don’t
belong to A AR
P.
Many people
are members
of organized
intere st groups
; more than lik
ely, your
parents are. An
d legislators de
pend on the
goodwill and vo
tes of individu
als associated
with these vario
us groups. So
, ordinary
Americans are
actually well-r
epresented
by interest grou
ps and legislat
ors.
e
laws they want are likely to hav
more sway. However, there are
many people with strong views
g
different from yours attemptin
more involved your group is, the
more attention it’s likely to
get from representatives.
Illus tration Credit: Sco
tt Bro oks
t
to get laws passed, too. And tha
be
means while your position may
not
represented and heard, it may
win. The larger, more active and
legislation
In My World.
ate hundreds of laws.
Legislators have helped cre
ur life? Read this story of
Don’t think they affect yo
you might be surprised:
a typical 14-year-old, and
Standard time set by
federal government
rm. As I made my bed, I
I woke up to my stupid ala
ed to my mattress: “Do not
dards
laughed at the tag attach
Product safety stan
.”
law
of
alty
pen
government
er
al
und
er
fed
ove
rem
monitored by
Local School
District
Regulations
Clothing fabrics tested
program
for safety by federal
Safe drinking water
ss
cla
my
ing
m
ber
for
em
[must con
wear, rem
regulated by state
I couldn’t decide what to
s at a
ple
sam
ter
to state laws]
wa
e
tak
to
& federal standards
d trip
was taking a science fiel
ding an email
rea
and
nd
frie
a
g
nin
nearby river. After pho
to wear my grub sneakers.
from another, I decided
eloped
Internet initially dev
s
g
din
fun
al
er
fed
Federal and state law
gh
throu
y
fet
sa
bus
l
govern schoo
. I still had time before
Handling mail was one
down a bowl of Wheaties
ped
gul
I
’s
ent
nm
Food purity &
er
mutt for a walk to the
of federal gov
school bus, so I took the
quality must meet
first services the
ers.
Local Leash
s
mailbox to mail some lett
government standard
Laws & Dog
Licensing
en exam
State requires writt
Ordinances
license
49 states
& driver test to get
to
bus. I asked my brother
require drivers to
ehow, duh, I missed the
Som
my
ed
ts
bel
ten
t
fas
I
wear sea
h school. As
drive me on his way to hig
State checks to
er
gas gauge—the dude nev
the
at
d
nce
gla
seat belt, I
il
make sure gas pump
unt
it
some. I can’t wa
ded
nee
we
ire
him
qu
re
told
s
and
law
e
does—
Stat
dispenses full gallon
more years. Sweet.
minimum age of
I get my license—just 2
laries come
16 to get license
Funds for teacher sa
nment
er
gov
e
at
from local & st
ency tests
Standardized compet
ired by state
for key subjects requ
were
time, social studies. We
I got to my first class on
asked
r
che
eralism and the Tea
on the chapter about fed
ed
rais
I
s.
live
law affects our
to what extent we think
tag
the
rip
I
ess
unl
much,
my hand and said, “Not
”
ss!
ttre
ma
my
off
“Our voice can be heard, even
if we’re not old enough to vote.”
Middle School Student
“If you have a plan, we want to hear
it. Believe me, your ideas count. An
individual can make a difference.”
George H. W. Bush
41st president of
No
G e t i n the
Before you say
Understanding
is the First Step
Since debating issues and making laws is such
a long and complicated process, you’re probably
wondering why you should even bother to pay
attention, let alone get involved. What’s important
to understand is that for representative democracy
to work, it takes people getting involved. However,
this doesn’t mean everyone needs to participate.
politics
The fact is, some people are simply not intere sted in
participate,
to
not
decide
do
and that’s absolutely cool. Even if you
of
system
our
how
for
you can at least gain an appreciation
government works.
racy,
And that’s our goal: To clearly explain representative democ
and
play
ss
Congre
and
tures
the important role our state legisla
d. Our hope
to open your mind to the possibility of getting involve
to
ready,
you’re
when
and,
is that you’ll want to find out more
s
Perhap
big.
ng
anythi
be
to
take an active role. It doesn’t have
from
go
and
l
counci
school
you can start by participating in your
ntly
there. If you decide to give it a try, you might be pleasa
as
such
nce,
differe
a
make
surprised at how fun it is to help
.
school
getting better food served at your
Know
Keeping democracy alive requires
much more than feeling good
during the singing of our national
anthem or just displaying a flag in
the window of your car or home.
For representative democracy to
succeed—and preserve our personal
freedoms—it requires that we help
make it work. Some ways to support
our democracy are easy and require
little effort:
If you wan
t to be mo
re inform
here’s a q
ed,
uick list o
f
web sites
groups yo
and
u can con
tact:
gress
n
o
C
t
u
o
b
re A
Learn Mo
tures
a
l
s
i
g
e
L
and State egislatures
tate L
ference of S
National Con
w w w.ncsl.org
a University
ess at Indian
gr
on
C
on
r
Cente
g
ncongress.or
w w w.centero
on
ivic Educati
Center for C
.org
w w w.civiced
cted
Get Connlf.e
com
yourse
w w w.declare
vote.com
w w w.rockthe
ise.com
w w w.youthno
m ed Educate
• Stay Info r
the issues.
yourself about
erest
tics Show int
• Discuss Po li
s.
well as problem
in solutions as
oups
Alo n e Join gr
• Do n ’t Go It
point of view.
who share your
you.
ho represents
• Vote Know w
h
ay in touch wit
• B e H eard St
ficials.
your elected of
t
Understand tha
• Appr eciate
be messy, but
the process may
it’s good.
g
ionengage.or
w w w.generat
.org
w w w.mobilize
ingusa.org
w w w.kidsvot
Who
Find Out
s You
t
n
e
s
e
r
p
Re
Smart
Project Vote
art.org
sm
w w w.vote-
o Life
t
s
c
i
v
i
C
Bring
assro omam
l
C
r
u
o
Y
rogr
in
lP
ack to Schoo
egislators B
L
s
a’
ic
er
m
A
l
/backtoschoo
w w w.ncsl.org
the united states
DENVER
7700 East
First Plac
e • Denve
r, CO 802
30 • 303
WASHING
.364.770
TON
0
444 Nort
h Capitol
Street, N.W
., Suite 5
15 • Wash
www.ncsl
ington, D
.org/trust
.C. 2000
1 • 202.6
24.5400
Funded b
y the U.S
. Departm
Education
ent of Ed
for Demo
ucation u
cracy Act
nder
approved
by the U.S the
Copyright
. Congress
2008 Na
.
tional Con
ference o
f State Le
gislatures.