How does a person begin to understand politics?

[Royal]

I'm clueless about politics, or how our country really works. I want to know more, but am not interested in anything too deep or complicated, just yet. A college class is not an option, but are there any good reads or websites anyone can recommend to get me started?

[AureaADaniels]

It comes with age but if you are already old and stupid(don't take this in a bad way) then you can start by learning about the political parties online(even wikipedia could help)

[MichaelTKeller]

I say dive in! Start with your state legislature, it gets the idea across in a much simpler way. I would even suggest taking a day and following someone around. If you live in a state where you can listen or watch the legislature, do it. Start following a controversial bill in your local news and you'll be able to see the path it takes.

If you want a more accurate way in which bills are made and turn into law, say so. I'll write a summary. I love this crap.

EDIT: I am so bothered by the rant responses here that I have to say two things. First is that immediately aligning yourself with a party is silly. That attitude is a huge part of what's wrong with our current system. We elect people, not a party. Parties don't fail us, the people we elect do. Start researching your representation and vote for the person best able to do the job. If you see a pattern in the way you vote (if they are all Dems or GOP) then join that party so you can do things like vote in their primary. I know a woman who always votes GOP because of abortion. That's right, a litmus test for state officials because of a Federal issue. In every other aspect she's Dem, she wants to pull out her hair every time HER PARTY does something stupid. Ugh. Just don't do it. Learn about *your* candidates.

That brings me to the "it's all lies" and "everyone's evil" crap. That big, bad, powerful Senate, for instance, isn't a huge out of control building running around stomping on people. It's 100 people who will all be in an election in the next six years. People. If you feel like they aren't doing a good job, get involved to find someone worthy of your vote. Whether that's working for the challenger, or finding a primary challenger, our elected officials have their jobs or not by our collective will. If everyone paid attention and cared, rather than ignoring or throwing up their hands, we wouldn't have so many of these problems.

So I guess my advice now is to start by researching your two Senators, your Congressperson specifically, the state's in general. Then do it at your state level, county, and finally city.

I also think it's interesting that everyone else assumed you'd want US politics. I recommend State or lower because they actually have more to do with what you do on a daily basis. Also, knowing these people now will make following US easier later. That's where many of these people come from.

[LauraWPeeler]

Watch C=span and you will find out real fast how they wheel and deal. If they dont want the voters to know what they are doing they go behind closed door for secret meetings. Lets vote that 1/3 out this year of Congress.

[GertrudeJKinzel]

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.politicalcompass.org/index">http://www.politicalcompass.org/index</a><!-- m -->

is a web site that may be a good place to start. Take their test and then you can also look at where various governments and political parties fit on the scale.

One of the books I read that gave me a better understanding of the way American government works was a book by Robert A. Caro called "Master of the Senate" (published in 2002 by Alfred A. Knopf <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.aaknopf.com">http://www.aaknopf.com</a><!-- m -->) about Lyndon Johnson's years in the Senate . I had a better understanding of how congress and the executive branches of U.S. government worked by the time I finished the book.

[WildorCrazy]

Start with a bottle of whiskey --sorry, politics are complicated. Thanks for being sincerely interested. That's more than the vast majority. Oh, and the old adage is something about "laws and saugage being made".

[NancyWSkaggs]

Easy question..... Take an idea that is good for the majority..........then go in the total OPPOSITE direction. Give your people a LOT of false hope. Soon they will be numb and know enough NOT to expect things to improve. Apathy will eventually take over and "they" will put a black man in "office" who has NO reason to be there......................Now you're up to speed, and that's ALL there is to "politics". Easy, HUH ??????????

[TheHollow]

Politics is the fight to protect, project your ideas unto others. Start with what ideas you innately believe in and ask WHY do you believe that. (Avoid the ones that your parents, peers, country or the media programmed into you.)

Then look at politician who thinks the same as you. But here's a real problem, even though you may share the same beliefs, the implementation may be different from what you have in mind.

For example, if a politician says he/she believes in HUMAN RIGHTS, then s/he should be opposed to Gitmo. But if s/he advocates Gitmo, then s/he is suggesting that certain people doesnt deserve human rights - which contras what s/he says. Which brings the discourse back to the things you believe in.

Your beliefs must aligned with your actions. And never use pretext to justify actions that betray your ideas.

Then check the websites of the parties. Look at thier positions. And compare.