I believe that one of them major reasons so many people have so little to do with politics is that they feel overwhelmed. Not merely challenged; overwhelmed. Deer-in-the-headlights overwhelmed. Better to stay at home safely than get mowed down on the road.

Americans are not trained in politics. We learn about Washington, the Revolution, Lincoln and a few other facts; we watch election results and listen to pundits talk out their asses. We do not learn what politics really is and how vital it is that each citizen do more than vote. We are not educated to the fact that we are not the deer; we are the driver of our own vehicle.

And everyone knows how to drive. We know how to go 70 mph on a 3-lane freeway while fiddling with the cd player, talking to the people in the car and sipping a latté. Politics is the same thing: a complicated act made simple by practice, familiarity and learning the easy parts first. Many of us begin to drive by rolling around an empty parking lot; we learn politics by registering to vote and filling in our ballot. The rest is just a matter of time and participation.

If we stopped before getting in our car and thought about all the different ways we could die, all the cars and trucks and bad drivers and drunks and maniacs — we'd head back inside and call in sick. Forever. But we don't think about that because we know we are only facing one road full of drivers at a time. We know that we have the ability to stop or accelerate, to get out of the way if we have to; we know we'll be looking around and keeping ourselves from getting into trouble. And we're pretty sure almost every driver that comes near us is doing the same and we should be ok.

In politics, it's not much different. A letter to the editor, a call to the Senator's office, an evening making phone calls to fellow citizens. Small acts, done in the safety of your home, your office, a campaign run by professionals who know what's going on. The secret to politics, and to progressive politics, is that we each only need to do a little bit. I don't have to drive I5 from Seattle to San Diego; I just get on downtown and exit a few miles later. That's all I have to do for the job I'm doing: a short drive, one that I know I can handle. One I know I can do well.

We need to begin training our kids in real politics. Not the history few remember once high school is done; not the freakshow that elections have become. Real politics. People becoming educated on issues (what exactly is public option?), becoming engaged (dammit, I want that option) and then doing one small thing to make it happen (Senator, you vote for the public option or I'm not voting for you). I've simplified the hell out of this, but that's the point. Politics can be simple. Learn a little and do a little. No one has to fix it all, no matter how huge and important the issue. No one can fix it all. So fix the little you can.

And drive safely.