WHY VOTE? Because You Can't Ignore Politics!

Guest Commentary

By Amy Hawkins

June 8, 2026

Politics is an incredible, magnificent, daunting, and life-changing arena. 

I say that not because of what one “gets out” of it, but because it is the arena to which God has called me. In addition, I consider it holy ground because it is people advancing causes and making policies that drastically influence and frame the trajectory of people’s lives. 

Too many people, in my lifetime, have said with their mouths and their actions, “Politics is dirty, why get involved?” Or, “You can’t make a difference so why try?” Or, “I don't have time for it” or “there are other things more important.”  They are wrong. 

The Example from History

If these current-day peers had been around 250 years ago, they would not have bothered to write a declaration, or a constitution, and they would not have made the commitment to dedicate their lives to the grand launching of a healthy societal system we call the United States of America. They would not have set up new education systems or given their lives to make slaves free.

The policies and freedoms we have in America today exist because people who were just like you and me made that sacrifice . . . of their time, their attention, and their energy to make sure government — and politics — was properly balanced, healthy, and effective. 

 “And for the support of this Declaration [of Independence], with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”  Perhaps these are words that we as Americans should still strive to live by.

Don't Be Fooled. Politics Is Inescapable

Politics is intertwined in everything facet of your life: from the price of milk, to what you build on your property, to the standards of education in your community. And it is the people who elect the elected leaders that are the ultimate custodians of this ongoing experiment called Freedom. 

For too many years people have been pointing fingers at elected leaders, chastising them for their decisions and their policies. I think that ire is misplaced. We are a republic; we get to choose the people we want to recruit, train, advocate for, and to elect and hold accountable once in office. So, truthfully, shouldn’t we be looking in the mirror to say, “Could I do more? After all, this is my family, my neighborhood, my community, my state — at stake. What will the policies in the next generation say of me, now?” 

Politics and the people who are involved with it set the agenda for the future of your family, your community, and your nation. The question is not “Will politics and government exist?” but instead, "Who is going to be driving the direction and agenda?"

Bad Government? Take a Look in the Mirror

American Journalist Lincoln Steffans said in The Shame of the Cities, "The misgovernment of the American people is misgovernment by the American people." He is not wrong. 

What we have in government is a reflection of the choices of the people, and what we for generations have allowed. The question is: what will you allow today? Because what is allowed today will be in stone for future generations. 

Friends, we must make sure our neighbors know: “You can ignore politics, but politics will never ignore you.”

Voting Is Your Voice

The question is, will you be ‘inconvenienced’ enough to be engaged? The future of our nation, for the sake of future generations, is beckoning us to do more. Our vote is our voice, and we must vote in every election — not just every four years.  Let us live, serve, and steward this cause well:  politics is as good as the people who are involved. America is calling you: Will you join me in the arena? 

Amy Hawkins is an entrepreneur and owner of Generation Strategies. Based in Jackson, Michigan, she has been involved in statewide politics for over two decades. Her business, launched in 2015, exists to serve causes, campaigns, and clients toward more effective communications.