Dear America: It Doesn’t Have to Suck This Much
We’ve grown numb to dysfunction. Government gridlock, crumbling infrastructure, and bureaucratic inertia feel inevitable—like laws of nature. But history screams otherwise: Change isn’t just possible—it’s happened repeatedly, often against steep odds. From banning alcohol to securing women’s suffrage, Americans have reshaped society through sheer grit. Our cynicism is a choice—and it’s time to choose differently.
Lessons from the Past: When Americans Demanded Better
1. The Progressive Era (1890s–1920s)
Faced with corporate monopolies and corrupt political machines, reformers rewrote the rules of democracy:
Direct Democracy: Oregon introduced ballot initiatives and referendums in 1902, letting citizens bypass legislatures to pass laws. By 1917, 20 states had adopted these tools.
Trustbusting: Teddy Roosevelt broke up monopolies like Standard Oil using the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Government Professionalization: Cities like Cleveland and Detroit pioneered “scientific management,” replacing patronage jobs with merit-based civil services.
Constitutional Amendments: The 17th Amendment (direct election of Senators) stripped power from backroom political bosses.
2. The Grace Commission (1980s)
In 1982, Reagan tasked business leaders with streamlining government waste. Their 2,478 recommendations—like modernizing procurement and cutting redundant programs—promised $424 billion in savings over three years. While Congress ignored politically thorny proposals, many efficiency fixes stuck, including digitizing records and consolidating agency functions.
3. Constitutional Revolution
Prohibition (18th Amendment): Temperance activists spent decades lobbying for a nationwide alcohol ban, culminating in ratification in 1919.
Women’s Suffrage (19th Amendment): After 72 years of protests, arrests, and hunger strikes, women won the vote in 1920.
These weren’t minor tweaks—they upended societal norms. As suffragist Alice Paul said: “When you put your hand to the plow, you can’t put it down until you get to the end of the row.”
Global Proof: Reform Works Everywhere
Rwanda: After genocide, the country rebuilt its tax system from scratch. By 2015, tax revenue tripled, funding universal healthcare and education.
Japan: Decentralized power to cities in the 2000s, slashing bureaucratic delays in infrastructure projects.
Georgia: Overhauled its corrupt tax office in 2004, boosting revenue by 40% in two years through transparency and tech upgrades.
Where to Start: Relearning the Art of Change
1. Build Coalitions
The Anti-Saloon League united churches, women’s groups, and rural voters to pass Prohibition. Today, groups like RepresentUs cross partisan lines to fight gerrymandering and dark money.
2. Target Local Power
Progressive-era reformers focused on city councils and school boards first. Example: Gary, Indiana’s 1907 school reforms spread to 200+ cities by 1929.
3. Demand Structural Fixes
Automatic voter registration: Boosts participation while reducing fraud (adopted in 23 states).
Anti-corruption laws: Post-Watergate reforms like the Ethics in Government Act (1978) curbed lobbyist influence—until loopholes emerged. Time to close them.
4. Use Direct Democracy
Ballot initiatives in 2024 banned partisan gerrymandering in Ohio and expanded Medicaid in Idaho—proving states can lead when D.C. stalls.
The Choice Is Ours
Accepting dysfunction is a self-fulfilling prophecy. As Woodrow Wilson argued during the Progressive Era: “The history of liberty is a history of resistance.” From the Grace Commission’s efficiency drives to Rwanda’s tax revolution, progress hinges on stubborn, collective action.
So let’s stop shrugging. Let’s demand IRS systems that don’t crash, permits issued in days, and leaders who deliver. Because when citizens organize—not just complain—government doesn’t have to suck!
