Here's what this election won't decide.
By Ezekiel Kweku Politics Editor, Opinion |
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It’s the morning after the election, the contest is too close to call and everything seems to hang in the balance. |
Or that’s how it feels, anyway. This feeling, though, is an illusion. It’s true that federal policy can and does have a real, material impact on people’s everyday lives. It’s also true that it really does matter which party is at the levers of the government. From health care to taxes, Democrats and Republicans differ in real ways.
But the federal government — and, really, government at any level — is not the only institution that governs us. We are all embedded in an array of interlocking institutions, formal and informal: schools, neighborhoods, churches, companies, families. And each one we find ourselves in comes with a role and a responsibility. Yuval Levin argues that not only is our politics writ large founded on the proper functioning of these institutions, but also that their dysfunction is the cause of our deepest problems. |
While the government has a role to play in creating an environment in which these institutions — the core of our society — can thrive, ultimately they are beyond its reach. The election will not decide for me whether or not I am a good father, co-worker, neighbor. Only I can do that. This may seem simple or naïve, but that’s because it is so fundamental. The president can’t fix our problems, but we can. |
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