The West Wing was a television show that captivated me as a child and helped force me into the kind of patriotism that was sometimes difficult to find during my adolescence. I followed the first two seasons diligently, watching with my dad on Wednesday nights. I didn’t always understand the fast pace or what the official jobs of the characters really were, but I learned about politics, about America. At some point I stopped watching, but I never really forgot how moving some episodes had been or how much of an impact the television show had on my development as a politically minded American citizen.
Across an ocean for the last year as a Peace Corps Volunteer has provided ample time to catch up on the seasons I had missed and re-watch those first two. As someone serving my nation abroad, I felt a connection to the public servants in the White House, and the fictional current events propelled my interests in what was going on in America. Watching those first seasons I saw the parallels between our nation’s actions during the early 2000s and was moved to tears remembering how little my thoughts have changed in the ten years since I regularly followed the show. I waited to hear President Bartlett ask “What’s next?“ as they moved on to the next crisis or simple affair that could change the course of history. I would often make a quick lunch on my tiny stove and sit on my make-shift couch with the fan strategically positioned and open my computer to watch an episode or two of this show, slowly working my way through the seasons and the drama, always feeling a sort of pride and astonishment at the amazing accomplishment that is the United States.
The first few seasons I debated my own interest in pursuing politics or trying to get Colt to do so, the fourth and fifth seasons I thought a lot about our relationship with the rest of the world, the Islamic nations and the international marketplace. During the sixth and seventh my mind turned to the bittersweet and remarkable nature of America, resilient and malleable like the Constitution itself. Always I was looking for guidance from the gentle leadership of Jed Bartlett, a president that seemed benevolent and strong, the perfect leader of the world. I know I would have voted for him.
I thought a lot about how democracy works in America, all the red tape; it’s easy to get jaded and cynical about the process and become frustrated with the game of politics. I myself became much less involved and interested in the political landscape after high school. Once I found myself in a blue state for college, my passionate interests in politics seemed absurd; I had no one to disagree with anymore. I got lazy. Sure I was motivated to basic action during the 2008 presidential election, taking part in some simple campaigning between studying for finals and lab exams. I was invigorated by the fight for the White House and really believed in President Obama’s goals. I just didn’t really think it had anything to do with me. So I voted and forgot about it. I fell into the trap that the top of the ticket is all that matters. But I was wrong to forget about the other parts of government and the other levels of government. My apathy was misplaced.
If I’ve learned anything from the West Wing it’s that the Executive branch is only the beginning of the story. It’s more powerful in action than perhaps intended, but when it comes to legislation and policy and domestic changes on a federal level, Congress is just as influential and just as worthy. And there are small fights for those seats every two years, fights that are crucial for the smooth operation of our country. And if we care, we have to get involved. Apathy is not acceptable. It’s not okay to just say that you’re not interested in politics or that the game doesn’t matter to you; that game is what makes America what it is. The potential of the political system is what leads to greatness.
I wish that I had more formal education about political science. I really do. I chose to spend most of my time in traditional sciences with a splash of social and economic issues and that’s fine. I just wish I had had more time for an undergraduate education or the money or the foresight to have gotten even more out of my fantastic degree. But I don’t have that and am passionate about medical school and practicing medicine. But I can guarantee that I will be an active voice in policy. That means closely following legislation and voicing my opinions loudly. It means taking an active role in the causes and the leaders I believe in. It means learning on the go, playing the game and meeting the system head on to defend it and change it whenever necessary.
That’s a great thing about the West Wing in the end. After eight years in the White House, the president stepped aside and the next guy took over. The next administration began to tackle problems left behind and address new challenges. Every few years we get a fresh start to how this country is governed and it is always peaceably handed over with bittersweet memories and open expectations. It takes an involved and passionate public to hold our leaders to the highest standards and loudly demand perfection even when it is impossible or people disagree. The West Wing showed me that this process is fun and exhilarating, exhausting and toll taking. In its ideal form, American politics is about duty, about serving the people, the nation. It’s about taking responsibility and handing over the reigns in the end. None of us can ignore the call to serve or give up in frustration when things get tough.
In just a few months the nation will be gearing up for another election year. President Obama (eerily similar to the West Wing’s Matt Santos) along with hundreds of others will be on the campaign trail hard at work to win the minds and hearts of the American people again or for the first time. I will be here in Africa, barely making it home in time to vote next year, but I will be watching as often as I can. That’s the amazing thing about the West Wing; the show is over but the spirit continues. Every time we challenge our leaders, ask questions of the Constitution, or have even a casual conversation about a candidate for office, we are making history, fulfilling our own civic duty. We are living the greatness of the United States and there is no possible excuse for complacency. So this year, do your part. If you have a complaint, do something about it. Don’t forget about what makes America the best nation in the world. Get involved. Take up the call yourself and ask, “What’s next?”
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