Living Democracy 2021

This week I was invited to come to the County Commission meeting to gain an understanding of local politics in action. At the beginning of the meeting, the officials asked me to introduce myself and explain my Living Democracy project. I told them that my project was centered on collecting veterans’ stories. 

I applied for Living Democracy on a whim. I was captivated by the idea of living in a new town, learning about a strange, new place, and getting to do what I love---writing about my experiences. I was pleasantly surprised when I was offered a position on the Living Democracy team.

As the country seems to distrust national political figures, it is easy to assume the stance that “politicians are in it for themselves.” Listening and observing this week’s Marengo County Commission meeting, I learned that local politics is the purest example of American democracy. Chairman Fred Armstead called the meeting to order Tuesday morning.