Can we please, please, PLEASE give up this notion that all politics are local?

[Darkhawk32]

A few years ago, I had a disagreement with my local Democracy for America group. They were still under the notion that politics were still locally based and what is best for the people on a local level.

With everything we've seen in politics and the media, can we please give up the notion that people care and are locally focused when it concerns their ideas and their votes?

[Kalidurga]

1. You are right, we should give up this idea post haste...

When the people that we elect go to DC and effect national politics, that alone should give us pause. There are way too many teabaggers in DC to ignore the effect that local politics can have on a national level.

[RZM]

2. Local politics are much less partisan than state and national politics

When the issue is filling potholes and the like, it matters a lot less what party the person is from. It's more about how capable and resistant to corruption they are.

[rustydog]

3. That would explain how David Vitter, Christian family values GOP won re-election

in hi sdistirct...politics aren't local...I get it.

[RobertEarl]

4. No, it is local

When Obama comes to town, the locals get fired up.

Our state, county and city pols have a very great affect on local politics.
Face to face politics for folks like us are done locally.

DC is a whole 'nother thing but congresscritters and senators still come to get local votes.

[Gormy Cuss]

5. We could, but I agree with Tip O'Neill.

All politics is local, in that if you don't understand what the people at the local level care about you will never succeed at the state or national level.

[demosincebirth]

6. I never believed it. When I heard it years ago I said "huh?"

[EC]

7. Well, it is local to one extent...

the people we elect locally eventually run for higher office. Like Sarah Palin started on the school board, then oops she makes mayor ...we do have to be careful locally. The most maddening worst part of it is, locally isn't partisan, we don't know who is Dem and who is Pub unless we look up their contributions or look for other info on line. Often it's really easy to get elected locally because people don't run or a lot of people don't vote. It's really easier during mid-term elections. So we need to really watch who runs during those and make an effort to vote during mid-terms.

[loyalsister]

8. "All politics is local" has more than one meaning

My understanding is that Tip O'neil was talking about sensitivity to people and their issues at the most personal level.
There is also the matter of the bottom up influence of local politics. Local politicians are often very accessible and they are operating in a pipeline of candidacy AND ideas. The anti- evolution bills started at school board levels.
My city has passed ordinances related to renewable energy, marriage equality, drug and mental health courts, and marijuana decriminalization.

When ideas and policies are tested at the local level, proponents can point to success when advocating for them to be enacted at a higher level. In this context, your state, county, city, governments as well as neighborhood and school boards, etc. have a lot to offer when we pay attention.
Additionally, issue oriented board are often the advocates that gather information to justify their policy proposals.
Paying attention to where things start has some advantages when arguing politics.