Practice politics by exercising power to enact policy to serve people.

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Politics ...how people decide their fate. --Karl W. Deutsch

Decision-making is at the core of politics

Actors, values, forms, and processes may be the basic parts of politics. But politics is never static. The dynamic, always moving arena where we practice politics, i.e. where we make decisions, includes people, their purposes, policies, and power. As a decision-maker, consider the people backing you, the purpose motivating you, the policies you're crafting, and the power you have.

If you're choosiing others to act on your behalf, consider the people backing them, the purpose motivating them, the policies they espouse, and the power they wield.

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People

"These are my people." Politics happens together. Leaders and followers working together to build a better society. Wherever you're practicing politics, consider your people: Who are your people? Who aren't your people? How can you or your representative gain more people? How strong are your people? How willing are your people?

Your people may be those in your country, in your community, in your work group. Your people may be those in your political party. Your people may be those in your generation, your ethnic group, your neighborhood, your faith. Ken said he feels as if all of humanity are his people.

The more people with you, the better. The more committed, the better. The more united, the better.

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Purpose

The general purpose of politics is to advance the common good, aiming for societal progress. We politic to improve life for ourselves and those around us. Your purpose is whatever motivates you to speak up and act up for your priorities.

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Policy

Policies guide how governments, organizations, or individuals address specific issues, allocate resources, and shape their actions.

Policy is the outcome of the political process. Making policy can be compared to making sausage, as something to not be closely examined. Yet here we are, ready to dive into the process of making policy.

First, what is “Policy?” A policy is a guide or plan governing how people in an organization or polity address issues, allocate resources, and shape actions. A policy is the result of decision-making and policy decisions are made in the context of existing policies as well as the form of governance. Policies may be written for the purpose of prevention, intervention, preservation, or avoidance. They may be simple guidelines, norms, or strongly enforced laws.

Policy choices are determined through the exercise of political power.

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Power

Each of us has political power and we exercise our power through choice. Our choices may add to the power of others, or we may lend our power to others. Our choices may be to share power, to use it as a multiplier. Alternatively our choice may be to withhold, throw away or degrade our power. When a choice point arrives, not choosing is a choice. To not vote is a choice to throw away our power. Everyday choice points work the same way. We may choose to speak or stay silent, to agree or to disagree.

In an election, people "loan" power to a politician. The more wisely the politician uses it, the more dividends he or she can pay constituents. While in office, a politician has the opportunity, in part from the power of office, to pursue both personal and community ends. Most politicians manage to do both. Any politician who disserves the people, pursuing personal ends only, pays a price by losing office or leading a less cohesive, less powerful people.

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