Gerrymandering, billionaire donors, and (dis)empowered citizens—in this back-and-forth with my sister, I try to ask (and answer) the questions we both have about power in America—who holds it, how it’s used, and whether our system still works.

What are we really fighting about when we argue over mandates? In this email to my sister, I explore how the word “mandate” gets used—and misused—across hot-button issues like drag queen story hour, LGBTQ+ books, and vaccine policies. This post breaks down what’s actually happening, what freedom really means, and why disagreement doesn’t have to mean disrespect.