Ballotpedia editor-at-large gives talk on future of U.S. politics, free market

Political change often comes from individuals and grassroots organization, not politicians, said Scott Rasmussen, editor-at-large of the online political encyclopedia Ballotpedia.

Rasmussen’s talk was part of his keynote address at the Washington Policy Center’s “Solutions Summit” on Wednesday at the Davenport Hotel. In the address, he praised free-market principles and explained some of the challenges he expects Republicans to face in the upcoming elections.

“Ten percent of all people who went to the polls voted for Donald Trump, even though they thought he was unqualified,” he said. “The question for Republicans is how to get those people to show up and vote.”

Rasmussen said there is a conflict between what he described as a decentralizing society looking to make more decisions for themselves, and what he called a highly centralized government.

“We all have the right to live our own life the way we see fit, as long as we respect the life of everyone else,” he said. “We want to work with our neighbors to create friendship and fellowship.”

He said the idea that politicians affect the most legislative change is a popular one, but the biggest changes come from people working at a grassroots level.

“American people (don’t) want to be governed by the left or the right or the center – they want to govern themselves,” Rasmussen said. “Political leaders like to take credit.”

Significant legislative change often originates from individuals and small grassroots movements, he said – not political figureheads.

“Everybody in this room knows, even if you haven’t said it, knows that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have done more for this country than any of our last presidents,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to make the world a little bit better.”