Complacency
The Silent Threat to Our Republic
Dear friends,
Throughout history, the resilience and active participation of American citizens have been the bedrock of the nation's freedom. From the Founding Fathers, who risked everything to establish a republic, to successive generations who defended and nurtured it, active civic engagement has been paramount. American strength has not come from grand acts of bravery alone but from everyday resilience—the ability of ordinary people to show up, work hard, and take responsibility without expecting someone else to fix their problems. This quiet strength built a nation capable of enduring hardship, adapting to challenges, and pushing forward without getting lost in grievance and victimhood. Yet today (and for decades really), a dangerous complacency has threatened the foundation of our republic.
We recognize that the most recent election was ‘live or die’. America could not have survived four more years of unlimited spending and no borders.
Because President Trump is doing all he can to bring America back to it strengths, that doesn’t mean we can sit back and relax. Far from it! It’s a never-ending battle, literally. When we’re not pushing back against the greedy and the power-hungry - let’s call them the ‘pushers’, they are moving us closer and closer to the cliff.
The Founders’ Vision and the Erosion of Civic Duty
The architects of America envisioned a nation where citizens were not mere spectators but active participants in governance. They knew that an informed and engaged populace was essential for the republic's survival. Over time, this sense of duty has faded. Many Americans have become disengaged, with a significant percentage lacking basic knowledge of civics and the nation's true history. This detachment has paved the way for misinformation, division, and a populace ill-equipped to hold leaders accountable.
The Founding Fathers understood that freedom isn’t just something you have—it’s something you work to keep, or you lose. The colonists put up with more and more from the king - all taxes, no representation. You can see that’s where America has been headed. Our so-called representatives make more and more rules, raise taxes to benefit themselves and their pet ideologies and, at the same time, pay less and less attention to We the People. But I digress…
The Founders knew that self-governance required discipline, engagement, and personal responsibility. They knew being docile and quiet had put them in dire straits. An informed and active citizenry wasn’t optional; it was the price of liberty. Over time, however, Americans have moved away from this mindset, especially of personal responsibility. Too many have become uninformed, uninterested in civics and history, and disengaged from the political process—especially at the local level, where real change happens.
The Poison of Apathy
A common illusion is that the community, the city, the country will run just fine without our involvement. But government does not contain itself—it grows wild, unchecked, and then into something unrecognizable. Apathy is like ignoring your body’s health until the sickness is almost past healing. By the time most people wake up to political realities, the damage has already been done.
Alarming Voter Turnouts
This complacency is evident in voter turnout, particularly in primaries and municipal elections, where participation is alarmingly low. Nationally, primary elections see turnout rates between 18% and 29%, while general elections hover between 56% and 68%. Local elections fare even worse. Where I live, local elections in May, 2023, the county reported a voter turnout of only 11.88%. Do you realize your one vote has the power of eight votes. (collincountytx.gov) So, if you get a bad city council or school board, it’s because of complacency.
The Cost of Conservative Complacency
For decades, conservatives have assumed that simply "going with the flow" would be enough to maintain stability. But going with the flow has meant being swept downstream. Meanwhile, the other side, the ‘pushers’, have been highly organized, using education, media, and local governance (not to mention money) to steer America’s direction. The absence of a robust conservative presence in local institutions, media, and educational systems has resulted in a gradual shift away from foundational principles. When one group is disciplined and strategic while the other is passive and complacent, it’s easy to see who wins the long game.
The reality is that engagement is both necessary and almost impossible at the same time. Life is busy. People are focused on their families and work. But civic engagement isn’t a burden—it’s a privilege, a right, and an inheritance that must be protected. Without it, we invite decay and corruption. Freedom is an endangered species and it requires constant effort not to become extinct.
Tough Love: The Path Forward
If we are at a turning point—if America is getting its attitude back—it will come from people embracing that unshakable, no-nonsense mindset again. Less dependence, more self-reliance. Less outrage, more action. Less talking about feelings, more doing what needs to be done. It means growing up as a society, moving past superficial distractions, and recognizing that engagement isn’t optional—it’s survival.
Rekindling Civic Responsibility
Reversing this trend requires a collective awakening - which, thankfully, we are seeing the beginnings of. Citizens must recognize that self-governing is not a spectator sport. It demands active participation, informed discourse, and a commitment to the principles in order to keep our God-given rights. By engaging in local communities, bringing back civic education, and fostering a culture of responsibility, Americans can reclaim our can-do attitude and ensure that our future, and the world’s too really, is not to dance to someone else’s tune.
In essence, combating complacency is not just about increasing voter turnout; it's about revitalizing the whole spirit of American democracy. The stakes are high, and history has shown that when citizens rise to the occasion, transformative change is possible.
This doesn’t mean we need every single person involved in every single issue. What we need is balance, strategy, and discipline:
Pick one battle—something in your city or county that matters and stay on it.
Rotate the watch—share responsibility so no one burns out.
Normalize political discussion—stop treating civic engagement as taboo.
Reframe engagement as a privilege—not a chore, but a power that must not be given away.
The time to act is always. It’s always either election season or voting days. Voting, engaging in local politics, or speaking out, every effort counts. The future of this republic depends on those willing to fight for it.
Freedom isn’t lost overnight—it is given away, piece by piece, when people decide it’s not worth the effort to protect. We are the inheritors of a nation built on resilience and responsibility. We must do the work to keep it.
God bless you, God bless President Trump and team, and God bless America!
Stay calm - President Trump is a businessman who operates strategically, and not everything will make sense at first. His plan to shrink government and Make America Great Again is a process, not an overnight fix. Trust the long game, not just the headlines.
This message reflects my personal perspective on current events. While I strive for accuracy, please verify details through official sources linked above. If sharing, I encourage readers to include this disclaimer to ensure clarity.
United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.
VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html
Until next time…
Please share your thoughts in the comments. Or email me, and let’s have a problem-solving conversation. I welcome ‘letters to the editor’ type emails and may publish yours. I hope we can create a caucus with positive, back-to-the-founders’-dream-for-America results. Have a topic you want to know more about?
Some housekeeping…
Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.
You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.
Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!