Rules for Patriots - Rule #2: Get Involved, Stay Involved

 This is part 3 in a series on Rules for Patriots (the introduction can be found here and Rule #1 here).

Rule #2 - Get Involved, Stay Involved

If you are frustrated by government inaction, excessive action,  overreach, malfeasance, corruption or any other sort of abuse of power, the obvious solution is to get involved.  Most conservatives and patriots have historically believed that meant to get out and vote.  Voting is not enough. Clearly.  If it were these issues that vex you would not exist. Yes voting is important but voting should be be the end-product of an informed involvement.

What does informed involvement look like? Pay attention.  As noted in Rule #1, you have to make sure you are educated.  In the case of voting that means you need to know the candidates long before the election; know the candidates during the primaries.  What are their positions?  Are their positions consistent with their personal or voting record? Are their positions plausible? You have to know the consequences of what you are voting for and you have to be able to make others aware of the same.

That applies not only at the federal level.  It applies at the state level and it applies at the local level. They are every bit as important as the federal government.  They impact your life often to a greater or at least a more immediate degree than the federal government.  Every level of government impacts every other level of government.  From assigning voting rules to redistricting to legal recourse.

But as I mentioned, getting involved does not start and end with informed voting. It does not even start and end with government. Political organizations have been a forte of the Left for decades.  They often run amok in society unchecked.  From the ACLU to SIEU to Planned Parenthood to BLM and ANTIFA, the left has armies dedicated to various aspects of societal influence. The right has organizations as well but they are typically smaller, less visible and most often, less effective (with exceptions of course).  These organizations act outside of government (at least theoretically) and as a result are often capable of much more since they do not operate within the confines of the government. They are subject to rules, which is where INFORMED voting comes in and you can influence those rules.

But have you joined the Taxpayers Federation? Have you checked out Judicial Watch?  And if you know about them, and even if you have joined, is that all you have done?  Even sending money to support them (or candidates when it comes to elections), while helpful is still only limited involvement.  Have you volunteered to do work for them?  Have you attended meetings and/or participated?  That's real involvement.  There is strength in numbers and you can do more than just calling a talk show to complain. Complaints are not action.  Money is limited action.  Volunteering is real action.

And it is not a one time thing.  You get involved and you stay involved because if you let up, you immediately go back on defense.

Pick up a digital pamphlet for the patriotic cause of your choice.  See if the organization is doing things you agree with and if so, join, pledge support and go do work. Volunteer what you can.  That is staying involved.