The following is adapted from Positive Politics by Neil Thanedar.
On the evening of September 11, 2001, as the country reeled from unimaginable tragedy, members of the House and Senate gathered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. No one knew if Congress itself was safe, yet they stood together anyway—not as partisans, but as Americans. After a moment of silence, they began to sing “God Bless America,” a simple act that reminded the nation what politics can be at its best: a tool for collective strength, not division.
That power to unite in crisis is rooted in something essential—governments solve the kinds of problems individuals or companies simply can’t. Economists call these collective action problems. We all benefit from clean air, national defense, stable infrastructure, accessible education, and affordable healthcare. But none of these exist without coordinated public investment.
The results speak for themselves. Before the 1970s, companies could pollute freely, harming entire communities without consequence. Bipartisan legislation changed that. The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act—championed by Democratic leaders in Congress and signed by Republican President Richard Nixon—created the Environmental Protection Agency and set enforceable environmental standards. Since then, major air pollutants have fallen by more than 70 percent even as our economy has grown dramatically. This is what it looks like when politics works.
Despite the headlines, bipartisan cooperation still happens more often than we think. In 2024, GovTrack found that 59 percent of substantive congressional bills passed with overwhelming support. Media may spotlight the conflict, but history remembers the consensus that improves lives.
We experience the benefits of government constantly, often without noticing. Every morning, millions of children take public buses to public schools, eat taxpayer-funded meals, and learn from public educators. Parks, bridges, libraries, emergency services—these “free” services are made possible by millions of public workers whose jobs keep society running. When we celebrate teachers, firefighters, or military service members, we’re celebrating the people who make government real.
Government isn’t just about services—it’s also one of the greatest engines of innovation. DARPA funded the early research that led to the internet, GPS, and mRNA vaccines. NIH funding sits behind nearly every major medical breakthrough of the past few decades. NASA’s innovations shape technologies we use every day. And public investment has often jump-started the private sector: the first web browser emerged from a government-funded supercomputing center.
But these successes didn’t happen by accident. They happened because people chose to participate—scientists, policymakers, advocates, and everyday citizens who demanded better. And now it’s our turn.
If you’re frustrated with politics, don’t step back. Step in. Meet your local representatives. Get involved with an issue you care about. Government is just people doing work for the public, and it gets better when more of us join the effort.
It’s time to bring back Positive Politics. Our future depends on it.
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For more on how positive politics can strengthen communities and drive real change, you can find Positive Politics on Amazon.
Neil Thanedar is a nonprofit leader and activist who started his career as a scientist, founder, and angel investor. His three startups are now worth over $100 million. He is executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, a nonpartisan nonprofit fighting dark money in Michigan politics, and founder and chairman of Labdoor, the independent worldwide alternative to the FDA. He also served as executive director of the Detroit Partnership and senior advisor to his father, Shri Thanedar, in his campaigns for governor, State House, and US Congress. A University of Michigan alumnus, Neil and his family call Michigan home.