By Just Another Friendly Occupier
CHICAGO, Illinois — August 5, 2026
Somewhere along the way, America forgot something so basic it ought to be printed on the first page of every driver’s license.
You are not an employee of the government.
The government is your employee.
Read that again.
Slowly.
The government works for you.
Not the other way around.
Congress?
Employees.
The President?
Employee.
Cabinet secretaries?
Employees.
Federal agencies?
Employees.
Governors?
Employees.
Mayors?
Employees.
That badge doesn’t make somebody royalty.
That office doesn’t make somebody your boss.
That title doesn’t magically promote them above the people who hired them.
The American people are supposed to be the Board of Directors.
Government is supposed to be management.
And every election is supposed to be a performance review.
Somewhere, that relationship got flipped upside down.
Now millions of Americans act like questioning government is somehow disrespectful.
Disrespectful?
To whom?
The guy cashing a taxpayer-funded paycheck?
Here’s a crazy idea.
If I hire somebody to mow my lawn and he starts telling me which part of the yard I’m allowed to stand in, we’ve got a problem.
If I hire a plumber and he informs me that the bathroom now belongs to him because he brought a wrench, we’ve got another problem.
If I hire an electrician and he tells me my opinions about my own house are no longer welcome…
I’m finding another electrician.
Government shouldn’t be any different.
Public service.
Notice the second word.
Service.
Not ownership.
Not domination.
Not celebrity.
Not monarchy with better campaign commercials.
Service.
Here’s another thing that’s been driving me crazy.
Every election season we hear politicians say they want to “fight for you.”
Wonderful.
How about you just work for me?
Show up.
Do the job.
Follow the Constitution.
Balance the books.
Fix the roads.
Protect people’s rights.
Answer questions.
Then go home.
You know…
Like every other employee in America.
Instead, too many politicians act like they own the company.
They demand loyalty.
They expect applause.
They confuse criticism with betrayal.
Sorry.
That’s not leadership.
That’s ego wearing a necktie.
And don’t even get me started on the people who say, “You should respect the office.”
I do.
That’s exactly why I criticize the people occupying it when they abuse it.
Respecting an office doesn’t require applauding the person temporarily sitting behind the desk.
If your mechanic starts pouring maple syrup into your engine, you don’t praise the profession.
You find a different mechanic.
Government isn’t different.
In fact, government deserves more scrutiny because the consequences are bigger.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth.
Politicians love citizens who think they’re employees.
Employees ask permission.
Citizens ask questions.
Employees stay quiet.
Citizens speak up.
Employees worry about keeping the boss happy.
Citizens remind the boss who’s signing the paycheck.
Guess which group healthy democracies need?
If somebody in Washington—or in any state capital—starts acting like they own you, it’s time to remind them that elections are renewal contracts.
Not lifetime appointments.
And not ownership papers.
You don’t belong to them.
They belong to the public.
That’s the deal.
Always has been.
Always should be.
The moment citizens forget that, government stops acting like a public servant and starts acting like management in a company nobody remembers creating.
So stop behaving like you’re reporting to headquarters.
You’re not.
You’re one of the shareholders.
Act like it.
Ask questions.
Demand answers.
Hold people accountable.
And when election day arrives…
Conduct the annual performance review.
Some employees deserve another contract.
Some don’t.
That’s your decision.
Not theirs.
Listen to Cliff Potts & the AI Rebellion on your favorite streaming service, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, and dozens of other platforms worldwide.
