American politics used to be an amateur sport. But somewhere along the way, we handed over to professionals all the things people used to do for free.
Interpretation
The quote reflects a shift in American politics from grassroots involvement to professionalization.
Bob Schieffer's quote highlights a transformation in American politics, where citizens who once actively participated in political processes have relinquished their roles to professional politicians. This shift suggests that politics has become more of a specialized field rather than a communal or amateur endeavor, leading to a disconnect between politicians and the general public.
In practice
During a town hall meeting, one might reference this quote to encourage community engagement in local politics.
The Iraq war was fought by one-half of one percent of us. And unless we were part of that small group or had a relative who was, we went about our lives as usual most of the time: no draft, no new taxes, no changes. Not so for the small group who fought the war and their families.
I've had a lot of fun, and when I talk to kids in journalism schools, I say, look, I know what the journalism teachers tell you that this is a great way to perform public service and all that, but I say the main reason, if you decide what you want to do is be a reporter, the main reason you want to do it is because it's just so much fun.
Once the coffers of the federal government are opened to the public, there will be no shutting them again.
Even in the 1950s, President Eisenhower was concerned about what he called a campaign of hatred of the U.S. in the Arab world, because of the perception on the Arab street that it supported harsh and oppressive regimes to take their oil.
A country survives its legislation. That truth should not comfort the conservative nor depress the radical. For it means that public policy can enlarge its scope and increase its audacity, can try big experiments without trembling too much over the result. This nation could enter upon the most radical experiments and could afford to fail in them.
Are the peoples of the Middle East somehow beyond the reach of liberty? Are millions of men and women and children condemned by history or culture to live in despotism? Are they alone never to know freedom and never even to have a choice in the matter?
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.
The authority of the Supreme Court must not be permitted to control the Congress or the Executive when acting in their legislative capacities, but to have only such influence as the force of their reasoning may deserve.
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