When you have no real power, go public. The public is where the power is.
Fifty years ago, this would have been a largely inaccurate statement. Nowadays, though, the public have an enormous amount of influence because of the power of social media, and the way in which they utilize it. Even thirty years ago, a male politician could act inappropriately and carry on with impunity. Now that would be far less likely to happen. There are cellphone cameras, social media platforms, and unparalleled access to the media for the public at large. The public have the power to make or break a politician or a political campaign.
Another element of this is the way in which one becomes a "people's champion". This in of itself has a lot of power. Sometimes it is hard for the public to identify with politicians. They seem so remote and in many cases, they do not have to live in the same world that the public do. Someone who is new to politics, a "Joe Public" figure who decides to run for office, has a much better chance of being elected because the public identify with them. This is how the public have power, and this is how the people's champion is more likely to win office.
I believe that it's this optimism about the future that sets us apart as a people, this optimism that makes America an exceptional nation.
Warren observes that America's success as a nation is due to what is commonly referred to as the American Dream. Americans have an unparalleled ability to move forward and to be positive. The American Dream for the individual means that it does not matter where you start; what matters is where you end up, and that can be wherever you want it to be with hard work and a little optimism. The same can be said of America as a nation. America is a relatively new nation in the scheme of things, yet we are the most powerful nation in the world. This is again because of a spirit of positivity, and a feeling that whatever as a nation we can dream, we can accomplish. This is the optimism that enabled man to walk on the moon. It is something distinctly American, and Warren contends that by harnessing this optimism and drive, and belief in the power of America to make things better, this can always be a nation that moves forward and makes progress.
