Politics. Just the word probably evokes feelings of nauseating distress. But you’re thinking of internet politics, social media politics, cable news politics, horserace politics, viral meme politics, dark money politics, and the politics of personal destruction. Let’s talk about another form of politics as bygone as the setting where it still takes place: in a room filled with real people. Meeting, talking, interacting — all these antiquated behaviors being carried with a simple goal: to make a town work better. This is a type of political interaction where getting there is all about being there. When you put it that way, you realize that this isn’t just a story about politics. It’s a story about the importance of community and face-to-face interactions. This might sound a little sappy, but that’s OK when you’re talking about a state known for its syrup. AP: In Vermont, ‘Town Meeting’ is democracy embodied. What can the rest of the country learn from it? “Across the United States, people are disgusted with politics. Many feel powerless and alienated from their representatives at every level — and especially from those in Washington. The tone long ago became nasty, and many feel forced to pick a side and view those on the other side as adversaries. But in pockets of New England, democracy is done a bit differently. People can still participate directly and in person. One day each year, townsfolk gather to hash out local issues. They talk, listen, debate, vote. And in places like Elmore, once it’s all over, they sit down together for a potluck lunch.” The gradual disappearance of these real life human interactions has left a void that’s been filled with all the garbage in modern politics. Resuscitating them is one way to get back from Us vs Them to We the people.