There is no meaningful future without optimism

We’re in the middle of an intense political season in the United States, in which those of us who are politically engaged become hyper-aware of those who are not. The cynicism about the ability of our political process to make any kind of meaningful change for people’s lives is both well-earned and misplaced.

Our political system is designed to make slow, incremental progress. But if we don’t engage with it, it makes no progress—or the opposite of progress, as I’d argue we’ve seen over the past few years.

Pragmatic optimism is the only way forward. We have to believe in our own ability to make change, even as we’re sober about how long most it will take.