every thing but kissing babies

i was at a comic event, and a lady comedian, who happens to be a PETA activist, upon hearing me talk about being involved with local politics, asked me how she could get involved in politics as such herself.
after the 2008 elections, which brought about the belief of "change", it is by far easier to evoke or start a platform of change at a local level, where its not always about political parties per se, more of the person and their ideals. in a small town like mine, where the only concern is repaving the roads, or who tipped over some dairy cows on a friday night, you will find, a few folks, pounding the pavements and pressing flesh, years before an election, trying to get their name or agenda defined, so as when election time does come, it is a much easier sell, to have been already in the public eye, than to be a unknown, and try to evoke "change" of a damaged system.
people get inolved in politics for one of two reasons, 1 being to further their own best interests, and 2, to act upon something that may impact ones own agenda(ie; taxes, property rights, legal issues, etc.). these reasons, make being envolved in local government, much easier, and far more impacting of your own personal rights, than trying to "change" a political system like the state or federal government.
like a computer, a government system, is only as good as the sum of its parts; there maybe laws in place to doctrine the way the system works, in its most basic format (ie; windows98, vista, etc) but the actual cause and effect of the "changes" we try to enact, generally are devoid of any political party cause, rather the social implications of the area and population of the voting public.
take any small town; you know when elections are due; the people who will benefit most from the attention, are and have been out, making the most of every photo op, store or business opening, gala events and even baby showers, if need be, to get as much face time, to be considered a 'public' face, a man of the people, when the time comes. throwing out a political party affliation may or may not really matter at this point, as the only real impact you are going to make, is on a smaller demographic, not a party machine per se. in this case, you, the canidate, are elected on the people's mandate, rather than buying power of the political party's cogs. until you get at a larger populace, does a political agenda of a party mandate, matter to the election.
still want to see politics in action; go to your city council meetings, learn the faces, know the names and their agenda's for your town; this is american government at its finest and most raw.
if you really want "change" and really want to make a difference in the say of your voice, and be heard, go out, make a difference and act on your local level and you will feel the difference that one person can truely make.