[eropple]

> Outside of elections you are pretty impotent as an individual.

This is untrue, in most parts of America at least; there are more levels of government that affect you than national ones and I find that folks who make this claim generally aren't aware how to effect change or are unwilling to expend the effort.

You can get pretty far just by talking to people.

[brigadier132]

> there are more levels of government that affect you than national ones and I find that folks who make this claim generally aren't aware how to effect change or are unwilling to expend the effort

Well you are partially right but also I live in a major metropolitan area. I don't think politics is an area where I can really effect change and I have so much going on with my life that I am also unwilling to expend the effort.

[eropple]

And that's fine, it's a choice you can make (we do not put the duty of being an informed and engaged citizen on the body politic), but it doesn't make what you said true. Just true for you. It's not at all uncommon for engaged people to leave significant dents in metropolitan local politics by picking up a phone or by showing up.

I find discouraging others from fully engaging in the civic process much more disappointing than choosing not to fully engage oneself, to be honest.