Citizen YOU! – [Ep. 132]

Linda J. Hansen:  Welcome. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the Prosperity 101® Breakroom Economics Podcast. My name is Linda J. Hansen. Your host and the author of Prosperity 101® - Job Security Through Business Prosperity: The Essential Guide to Understanding How Policy Affects Your Paycheck, and the creator of the Breakroom Economics online course. The book, the course, and the entire podcast library can be found on Prosperity101.com. I seek to connect boardroom to breakroom and policy to paycheck by empowering and encouraging employers to educate employees about the public policy issues that affect their jobs.

My goal is to help people understand the foundations of prosperity, the policies of prosperity, and how to protect their prosperity by becoming informed, involved, and impactful. I believe this will lead to greater employee loyalty, engagement, and retention and to an increased awareness of the blessings and responsibilities of living in a free society. Listen each week to hear from exciting guests and be sure to visit Prosperity101.com.

Thank you for listening today. America is at a crossroads. No matter who you are or where you live or work. Your freedoms are at risk due to a blatant disregard for the US Constitution and the rule of law by many of our elected officials at all levels of government. How did we get here? And what can we do to return to a country where freedoms are protected for all people, not just those who support certain political agendas?

Do you feel like you have no voice? Are you fed up with the elites having all the power? Are you frustrated by inflation, crime, food shortages, cultural upheaval, a weakened sense of national security and declining educational standards? Are you discouraged to see the general degrading of the values that had helped to make America a wonderful melting pot of diverse people from all backgrounds, colors, and creeds?

If so, you are like the millions of people from all walks of life who are waking up to the need for their own personal involvement in government. It is time for citizen – you, to stand up for your freedom. Now is not the time for complacency or apathy. If you want your liberty preserved, you must enter the arena as an informed citizen who proactively accepts the responsibilities of living in a free society.

In this episode, I will suggest ways for employers, employees, and average citizens to get involved to make a positive difference for their communities and our country. Hopefully, I will inspire you, the listener, to do at least one new thing to stand for freedom and the values you hold dear. The preamble to our constitution says, “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

This is so simple, so profound – we, the people. As we read on in the Constitution, we see that our founders were very careful to frame our government as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It is not the other way around. America has been a beautiful expression and example of liberty under God, offering freedom and opportunity to millions across the globe. No country is perfect and America is no exception.

We’ve had dark times in our history when those in leadership use their positions for personal gain or to trample on the rights of others. Thankfully, our system of government, with the divided powers of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches has provided checkpoints for protecting our liberties from assault by tyrannical regimes. This has worked well since our founding, providing a beacon of hope and freedom for generations. 

However, I’m recording this in August of 2022. We are witnessing unprecedented actions by federal, state, and local governments who are abusing their authority and blurring the separation of powers to allow a near police state to emerge in efforts to control people and silence opposition. Many innocent people have been targeted and harassed by power-hungry bureaucrats who care little for truth or for the rule of law. Examples can be found among parents who have opposed curriculum choices. Doctors who have spoken out against unconstitutional mandates. Election officials who have spoken of fraudulent activity. And policy leaders who support ideas or candidates that are deemed politically incorrect.

Don’t be fooled into thinking you may not be next on the list. I’m reminded of this chilling quote by German pastor, Martin Niemöller, which is featured as part of a permanent exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is often referred to as a poem titled, First they came. “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

It does not matter whether you are Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, or a member of any other party. Government overreach and blurring of the separation of powers should concern you. What we are witnessing in America is not unlike what has happened in countries around the world that were targeted for communist takeovers.  And we are dangerously close to allowing this total takeover to occur. 

You may think I am overreacting or overstating this, but I am not. And I invite you to research the 10 basic steps to overthrowing a government easily found in the Communist Manifesto or other documents. Today is primary election day in my state. And while the importance of voting is often promoted, many forget to vote or do not properly research candidates prior to casting their ballot. 

Many people hate even thinking about politics, so they ignore it and try to just live their lives in peace. Then when election day comes, they cast their vote in relative ignorance of policies or issues. Maybe this describes you. If so, I don’t blame you. Politics can be confusing, infuriating, frustrating, and exhausting. But as Edmund Burke wisely said, “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” 

If you would like to start to make a difference, you can do so relatively easily and inexpensively. Here are a few simple steps you can take to make sure you are part of the solution and not a silent part of the problem. Step one, register to vote. Make sure you are registered to vote and make sure that no one else has voted in your name or with your address. Your state will have easy-to-access information on voter registration and I encourage you to do so if you have not done so already. Make sure you know all the dates for elections in your area. Local, state, and national elections are not always on the same days. So, check schedules and plan now to study candidates and become an informed voter. 

Step two, educate yourself. In addition to learning how to register to vote, take time to educate yourself on issues. Headlines are great to catch the eye, but they’re not so great when it comes to truth and details about how legislative actions or bureaucratic policies will affect you, your family, or your livelihood. Don’t rely on candidate talking points or one or two sources for your news. Dig deeper into alternative sources of information. Verify with primary documents or participants. And make sure you are aware of how policies will affect you and your family before you cast a vote. Elections have consequences and policy matters. Make sure you are supporting policies that matter to you

Step three, engage. We, the people, are still in charge of our government, but we cannot be in charge if we do not step up and engage in the process. You do not have to run for office to make a difference, you can volunteer to help in your local communities in ways that will create ripples of success across the nation. I encourage you to visit the website, PrecinctStrategy.com, and sign up to engage at the ward or precinct level in your community. This is typically free and requires a minimal amount of time, but it is essential to ensuring a democratic process in government. You can also visit WhosCounting.us to learn how you can make sure our elections are legally run and our ballots are secure. Volunteers are always needed to become election observers or poll workers, and training is available from a variety of sources. The websites I listed will help you know who to contact in your state, and they will help you learn ways you can serve with the time and resources that you have available.

You can also be engaged by simply lobbying from your kitchen table. Calling, e-mailing, or sending an actual letter to your elected officials will gain attention to your issues and will remind your elected officials that they work for you, not the other way around. Constituents who visit or inform legislators about important issues play a critical role in our system of government. This is a privilege we often take for granted in America. But ask any immigrant who has lived in a communist or socialist country, and they will tell you it is a gift not to be taken lightly. 

Step four, educate others. Become a force multiplier. Help others become engaged citizens, too. If you are a parent, teach your children the truth about American history and help them to study the Constitution and other founding documents. If you are an employer, please share simple facts about American civics and economics with your employees. Your comments do not need to be partisan, they can simply be informative. I have several resources available on my website for this purpose and would be happy to talk to you about addressing your group or personalizing materials to meet the needs of your company or organization.

In conclusion, we do not need to resort to riots, violence, or dishonest tactics to help America thrive again. There are more of us, the people who appreciate the freedom, opportunity, and prosperity that America offers, than there are of those who oppose our system of government and who would like to enforce tyrannical policies. Citizen engagement is key to protecting our freedom and that citizen is you. Thank you.

Thank you again for listening to the Prosperity 101® Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share, and leave a great review. Don’t forget to visit Prosperity101.com to access the entire podcast library, to order my newest book, Job Security Through Business Prosperity: The Essential Guide to Understanding How Policy Affects Your Paycheck, or to enroll you or your employees in the Breakroom Economics online course. You can also receive the free e-book, 10 Tips for Helping Employees Understand How Public Policy Affects Paychecks. 

Freedom is never free. Understanding the foundations of prosperity and the policies of prosperity will help you to protect prosperity as you become informed, involved, and impactful. I give special thanks to our sponsors, Mathews Archery, Inc. and Wisconsin Stamping & Manufacturing. Please contact us today at Prosperity101.com to let us know how we can serve you. Thank you.