many communities in the US have elected officials doing all sorts of things quietly, advised by big tech and companies with very vested interests, with no good/quick channel for voters to express concerns until it turns into a journalistic expose of a done deal gone awry.

if there is a silver lining on this cloud, i expect a lot more local activism, interest in local politics, and voter engagement going forward. in particular, i hope that the under 45 year old demographic get upset and get actively involved, including running for office.