The Power of Grassroots: Building a Liberty-Minded Future from the Ground Up – It’s up to us…By: The Spearfish Speakeasy

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https://open.substack.com/pub/thespearfishspeakeasy/p/the-power-of-grassroots-building?r=44png8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
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In a world drowning in political chaos, it’s easy to feel powerless or pushed aside—and brace yourself, the storm WILL intensify before it calms. It’s May 2025 and already the “crazy” of election season 2026 finds itself perched on our doorstep with an already amped up Governor’s race…a race that is BOUND to change dramatically as the daily (sometimes hourly) happenings in our BIGGER political environment continue to change. Nobody can ignore what we see unfolding at the Federal level and what is to come will ripple across the nation. While the winds form around us, here’s the unshakable truth: while it impacts us, the real change doesn’t spark in Washington, D.C., or on 24/7 news cycles—it ignites with you, right where you stand. Grassroots activism, powered by everyday people like us, is the lifeblood of freedom. By championing liberty-minded candidates who defend our Constitution, protect local control, secure our elections, slash wasteful spending, tackle corruption, and embrace changes to our financial system, we create ripples that transform our communities. This momentum empowers us to vote our conscience, reshaping our towns, states, and nation. Now is not the time to hesitate…dive in.

Grassroots: The Foundation of Change

Grassroots movements are about people—neighbors, friends, and everyday citizens—coming together to demand better. Working for unity? Yes. Becoming lemmings? No. To join the movement, you just have to care and want better…no suits, heels or fancy titles required. It’s knocking on doors, hosting meet-and-greets, or sharing ideas. It’s showing up at town halls, school board meetings, or county commission meetings to hold elected officials accountable. Grassroots work is gritty, personal, and powerful because it’s driven by conviction…conviction which for many of us is fueled by The Great Awakening…for me, since 2018. Some of you have been at this for MUCH longer. To you all, I salute you. It’s exhausting, but once you are awake there is no turning back.

Want to see liberty thrive? Start by supporting candidates who value individual freedom, limited government, and personal responsibility. These are the folks who’ll fight for your right to live your life without overreach from bureaucrats or special interests…returning power to the people. Be mindful of those who work with lobbyist organizations. Do your research on what those organizations have and have not backed in the past. For the new voices, new candidates, newly minted “awake” (not woke) who may be entering the arena for the first time…find them, back them, and get them elected—whether it’s for city council, state legislature, or Congress. A huge tenant of The Great Awakening is getting ordinary people back in government to help right the wrongs we know exist…to be a disruptor.

Local Control, National Impact: Why Your Community Shapes the Nation

Local Action = National Impact - America's Future

When we talk about taking our country back, it’s tempting to fixate on Washington, D.C., or the latest national headlines. But the real battleground for liberty isn’t in the halls of Congress—it’s in your town hall, your school board meeting, your county courthouse, your county commission meeting room. Local control, the principle that communities should govern themselves with minimal interference from distant bureaucracies, is the cornerstone of a free society. Every decision made at the local level, whether it’s a zoning law, a school curriculum, or a sheriff’s policy, sends ripples that can reshape the nation…and don’t get it twisted, local control is control by the people. If you have local elected officials rejecting initiative or referendum petitions, you better be working to find a replacement. That is not local control, and it is not liberty minded. Here’s why local control is so powerful and how it drives national impact.

The Power of Proximity

Local government is where your voice carries the most weight. Unlike national elections, where millions of votes can drown out your perspective, local races—think PRECINCT COMMITTEE positions, city council, county commissioner, or school board—are intimate. You can meet candidates face-to-face, attend their debates, or even grab coffee to discuss their plans. Your questions, your vote, and your advocacy matter in ways they rarely do on the national stage. A single passionate citizen can sway a room at a town hall or inspire a policy change that impacts thousands.

This proximity also means accountability. Local officials live in your community, shop at your stores, and send their kids to your schools. They can’t hide behind press secretaries or slick media campaigns. When you elect liberty-minded leaders who prioritize individual freedom and limited government, you’re planting seeds that grow far beyond your zip code.

In an era of growing federal power, local control is more critical than ever. Centralized systems, whether in education, elections, or economic policy often prioritize special interests over people. Local control puts power back where it belongs: with you and your neighbors. It’s where you can fight for liberty in tangible ways, from protecting your kids’ education to ensuring your vote counts. And when enough communities do this, the national landscape shifts toward freedom, accountability, and self-governance.

Think for Yourself, Do Your Research

In an age of soundbites, clickbait, and echo chambers, thinking for yourself is nothing short of a revolutionary act. The world is flooded with voices—pundits, influencers, partisan talking heads, and even well-meaning friends—trying to spoon-feed you their version of the truth. Don’t fall for it. You have the power, and the responsibility, to cut through the noise and form your own conclusions. Liberty begins with an independent mind.

Start by rejecting the easy path of accepting someone else’s opinion (that’s how we got into this mess in the first place). Dig deeper than headlines or viral posts. When evaluating candidates, go straight to primary sources: check their voting records, read their policy proposals on their campaign pages, not just what critics or supporters claim they stand for. Watch debates or town halls to hear their words firsthand. Go meet them in person if you can.

Don’t stop at candidates—research the issues they’ll face. If a candidate talks about “protecting liberty,” ask: What does that mean to them? Are they defending free speech, pushing for election reform, defending property rights, or protecting gun ownership? If they’re pushing local control, check their stance on specific policies like zoning laws or school curricula. If they are for election security and transparency, ask them if that means paper ballots, hand counted. Treat social media as a starting point, not gospel—compare it against hard evidence to separate truth from hype.

Navigating today’s information landscape means staying sharp against narrative warfare (5GW). Be wary of emotionally charged narratives whether they align with your views or not. If a news outlet paints a candidate as a saint or a villain, check their actual voting history or public statements. Ask questions: Who benefits from this narrative? What’s the source? Is there evidence, or just innuendo? A healthy dose of skepticism, paired with a commitment to facts, will keep you grounded and even as the facts emerge, you will still have to choose the shortcomings you can “stomach” because no candidate is perfect.

Research isn’t just about facts. Does a candidate align with your core principles of liberty, accountability, and local empowerment? Are they consistent, or do they flip-flop to chase votes? For example, a candidate might claim to support limited government but vote for bloated budgets—call it out. Another might champion free speech but shy away from tough debates—dig into why. No candidate is perfect; they’re human, with flaws and trade-offs. But you deserve to know who you’re entrusting with power. Be fair in your judgment, hypocrisy doesn’t look good on anyone.

This process takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. Thinking for yourself builds confidence in your choices and shields you from manipulation. It’s how you ensure your vote reflects your vision for a free society, not someone else’s agenda. Equip yourself with knowledge, and you’ll walk into the voting booth with clarity and conviction.

Stay Engaged, Stay Resilient

Grassroots work isn’t a one-and-done deal—it’s a lifestyle. Stay engaged beyond election season. Attend public meetings, join local advocacy groups, or start your own. Write letters, make calls, or organize events to keep liberty on the agenda. Engagement keeps politicians honest and reminds them they work for you, not the other way around. Be mindful and take note of those who refuse to engage with you. How these people “make you feel” when you meet them or speak with them is a real issue and one you shouldn’t ignore.
American Grown - Turner, Michigan Marijuana Dispensary

And don’t let the noise intimidate you. You’ll face pushback—maybe from party loyalists, social media trolls, or even friends or family members who want you to “just pick a side.” Stand firm. You’re not here to follow a script; you’re here to build a future you believe in.

Vote Your Conscience, Not Under Pressure

Voting is your sacred right, not a loyalty oath to a party or a popularity contest. Don’t let anyone bully you into supporting a candidate who doesn’t sit right with you. If you’re told “you have to vote for X or else Y will win,” pause and reflect. Fear tactics are a red flag. Your vote is yours alone, and it should reflect your conscience.

No candidate is flawless. Even the best have quirks or compromises. That’s okay—humans aren’t perfect. But don’t settle for someone just because they’re “electable.” Vote for the person who comes closest to your vision, even if it’s a long shot…yes, a long shot. Things will never change if we keep playing “their” game. Every principled vote sends a signal and builds momentum for the future.

Return to Gold Standard Elections: Paper Ballots, Hand-Counted

Gold Standard Elections - SC-Safe-Elections

This is a HUGELY important topic for me and one I refuse to let die or find compromise on (you know with those folks who still think machines are legit). Elections AFFECT EVERYTHING we are dealing with in government. If we want to fully take our country back, we must secure the foundation of our republic: our elections. Trust in the voting process has been eroded by concerns over electronic voting machines, centralized systems, and lack of transparency. To restore confidence and ensure every voice is heard, we need to return to a gold standard of elections—paper ballots, hand-counted, locally managed.

Paper ballots are simple, verifiable, and resistant to tampering or hacking. Hand-counting, done publicly with oversight from citizens of all backgrounds, ensures transparency and accountability. This isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about reclaiming control from unaccountable tech companies and distant bureaucracies. Local precincts counting their own votes empower communities and deter manipulation.

Push for this reform in your town or county. Demand that election officials prioritize paper ballots and public hand-counts. Volunteer as a poll watcher or counter to safeguard the process. A trustworthy election system is the bedrock of liberty—without it, our votes, and our power, are at risk. Let’s fight to make every ballot count, literally and figuratively.

Don’t Put Politicians on Pedestals

Collectively, we’ve been careful (not perfect!) not to do this with Trump, but let’s be honest, he really is the GOAT for those of us who fully align with the MAGA promise. An imperfect man working in the swamp, taking the slings and arrows, leaving behind a rich comfortable life to deliver us a better tomorrow by taking on the hellscape that is Globalism and the Deep State…the guy deserves the praise. I’ll deal with the hypocrisy of this statement, happily! Be that as it may, local politicians are not saviors, celebrities, or superheroes. They’re public servants, hired by us to do a job. When we idolize them, we risk blind loyalty, which clouds our judgment and lets them off the hook. This can be problematic when it is so close to home. Liberty-minded leaders deserve support, but they don’t get a free pass. Hold them accountable—praise their wins, call out their missteps, and always measure them against the principles they claim to uphold.

The moment we put someone on a pedestal; we surrender our power. Keep your heroes at eye level, where you can shake their hand, ask tough questions, or vote them out if they stray. None of this is easy when all you really want to do is be a cheerleader for those that we have worked so hard to get elected over the past couple of years, but you have to try to stay objective. We have some very good legislators and local elected officials…tell them good job but help them stay good too! I will add that if you say you are grassroots and a part of this movement but all you do is take our more liberty minded elected officials to task, while never uttering a word in the direction of the Dems or the TransRepublicans, you might want to consider a change of tactic. That crap wears on people.

The Road Ahead

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The fight for liberty starts at your doorstep, but its impact can change a nation. Be grassroots: show up, speak out, and rally others. Elect leaders who champion freedom. Demand gold standard elections to protect your voice. Think critically, research thoroughly, and engage relentlessly. Vote your conscience, free from pressure, and never forget that politicians work for you—not the other way around.

This is our moment. Let’s build a future where liberty thrives and our elections reflect the will of the people, one vote, one ballot, one community at a time. Get out there, do the work, and let’s continue the work to take our state AND our country back.

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