Defense Intelligence Agency | Committed to Excellence in Defense of the Nation

Defense Intelligence Agency | Committed to Excellence in Defense of the Nation


This is one place to increase your knowledge as a responsible citizen of our nation.

Defining "Politics"

It seems that in the 7th century BC Zaleucus, writer of the Locrian Code, thought that the purpose of politics was to reconcile societal fractions and to uphold equality before the law Sounds like good politics to me today

Men, know to us, have been defining 'politics' for about 5000 years. It seems that for most of that time it has been about citizens. Politics, these days in a republic, is that which citizens do as citizens. Its how people make collective decisions. It is a learned art and skill. We taught our children a bit about it at home and in their civics classes at school. In a republic politics are the affairs of citizens.

To be a citizen one need be the citizen of something. These days the thing (or process) is often called the state.

Politics may be called the art of civil administration. It is the way we do governance. That is, politics is the act of people practicing governance. It is the duty and honor of  American citizens to understand and participate in the governance of Country, State, County, City, etc. Its the way we decide who gets the gold and who goes to jail.

Other political duties of citizens of the republic are to oppose corruption, and to support equality before the law, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. It used to be important to be civil too.

The skills and art of politics may be practiced where-ever resources are used or cooperation is desired: church and corporation are institutions that come to mind.: school, sports, and marriage are others.

A principle constituent of the art of politics are the skills of that purposeful, cooperative talk often called dialogue.

Some young neighbors of mine call it a fair-fighting way of getting what you want.

Fellow Citizen,

Please help me to ask a useful question. Help me find a useful answer.

I don't feel represented. I know that there is a process through which I am assigned a representative. I know about the vote. Still I do not feel represented.

I know that I am somehow grouped with people at State, Federal, and local levels and that we are assigned as a group to be 'represented' by an 'elected official.' I don't know the people with whom I am grouped and have no personal relationship with the elected official. And, I do not feel represented.

I am not at all sure about which question to ask or to whom I might address it.

Let me try to form questions which may be useful -- or not:
~ In what sense is 'my political representtive' mine?
~ What 'political' decision making is available to me?
~ What power does political representative have to facilitate communication among citizens.
~ Where is my political power?

It seems that my most informed decision is to give up.

Fellow Citizen

I have questions about my responsibility for our foreign policy:
~ Do I have a responsibility for how our foreign policy looks?
~ How does our foreign policy effect me?
~ How can I keep track of what my representative is doing about our foreign policy?
~ How does the way we relate to the people of other countries effect me?
~ What sources of information about the nature of our foreign policy can I trust most?
~ How can I sort through varies foreign policies?
~ Just what is a foreign policy?
~ How is a foreign policy for me?
~ How can a foreign policy benefit me?
~ How might I go about finding a foreign policy congenial to me?

I guess I could very well ask the same questions about our domestic policy!