In the United States, our political structure is dominated by two major parties, Republicans and Democrats. While alternative parties such as the Green Party or the Libertarian Party exist, they rarely achieve meaningful traction at the national level. Like many Americans, I once believed that although the two dominant parties had different approaches, they shared a common goal: to serve the best interests of the American people. I was hopeful that after the elections were over, our elected officials would set aside partisanship and govern in unity.

However, over time, it became clear that this ideal was rooted in naivety. Increasingly, political survival and party loyalty have taken precedence over public service. Far too often, promises made during campaigns are quietly abandoned once officials take office. Instead of progress, we get a cycle of blame, distraction, and political theater. It has become apparent that many promises are recycled precisely because they’re never fulfilled, leaving both parties with talking points to campaign on indefinitely.

Our observations through various efforts, such as those focused on promoting government efficiency, have revealed systemic issues that cross party lines. The amount of waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs is staggering. It leads one to question how deep the corruption goes. While I do not make accusations lightly, I believe it is reasonable to suspect that many career politicians are more invested in personal gain than public service, possibly even protecting illicit financial interests hidden from public scrutiny.

Then came President Donald Trump.

In his first term, President Trump faced relentless opposition from impeachment attempts to personal and professional investigations that were unprecedented in scale and scope. Despite this, he worked to honor his campaign promises, stimulate the economy, secure our borders, and reassert American strength on the global stage. While critics derided him, millions saw in him a leader who was willing to challenge the entrenched political class on both sides of the aisle.

I believe the Trump of 2025 is different from the Trump of 2016, not in principle, but in purpose. He now fully understands the depth of resistance within the so-called “deep state.” He is no longer running for reelection, which gives him the freedom to act boldly. Most notably, the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a sobering reminder of the stakes involved. Whether one views it through a political, spiritual, or constitutional lens, it has become a defining moment in his renewed mission to reform our government.

Regardless of where you stand politically, it’s undeniable that President Trump has reignited a national conversation about accountability, transparency, and the purpose of government. His cabinet appointments this term reflect a seriousness and clarity of purpose that is rare in modern administrations.

We must be vigilant. The political establishment, most particularly within the Democratic Party but also among some Republicans, is doing everything it can to maintain control. Instead of respecting the will of the people, they often work to suppress it, relying on tactics of division: pitting citizens against one another by income level, race, environmental ideology, and more. These strategies serve only one purpose: distraction.

Meanwhile, the weight of taxation continues to grow. We are taxed on our income, our spending, our savings, our property, and our vehicles. In effect, we rent our livelihoods from a government that shows little restraint in its own spending habits yet demands absolute accountability from its citizens.

I don’t claim to be the smartest man in the world, or even the smartest man in Chebanse, where I grew up, but I do know this: unchecked taxation without accountability is not a sign of a free society. It is a symptom of a system that has lost its way.

If we, the American people, do not reclaim our government, the government will continue to encroach on our liberties. The solution does not lie in blind loyalty to any party. It lies in a renewed commitment to principle, to truth, and to holding every elected official accountable, regardless of the letter next to their name.

Now is the time to rise: not in protest of one another, but in defense of what this country was meant to be.