We know the Republicans are happy to keep the country in the

“We know the Republicans are happy to keep the country in the dark, and if we Democrats are to recapture the power necessary to assert our values, we must find the energy, courage, creativity, and unity to map out a brighter day for the people we sincerely want to serve.” — Thus spoke John Yarmuth, a statesman of thought and conscience, who looked upon the turbulent stage of American politics and saw not merely the struggle between parties, but the deeper struggle between light and shadow — between ignorance and understanding, apathy and action, division and unity. His words are not just a cry of partisanship, but a call to renewal — a reminder that power, when guided by principle, must serve not ambition, but the people themselves.

To understand this saying, one must look beyond the politics of a single nation and see the universal truth that underlies it: that societies rise and fall according to the light within them. When Yarmuth speaks of keeping the country “in the dark,” he speaks not merely of hidden truths, but of the greater darkness — that of complacency, misinformation, and moral fatigue. Throughout history, those who seek to preserve privilege have often done so by dimming the flame of knowledge. And those who would uplift humanity must do so by rekindling it. Thus, Yarmuth’s call is not merely for victory, but for illumination — for courage to confront deceit with truth, fear with hope, and division with shared purpose.

The ancients knew this struggle well. In Plato’s allegory of the cave, men lived chained to shadows, believing the flickering illusions before them to be reality. Only when one soul broke free and saw the light of the sun did he understand truth — and when he returned to awaken the others, they mocked and resisted him. So too is it in every age: the powerful may prefer darkness, for in shadow their flaws are unseen and their control unchallenged. To lead people toward light requires courage — the courage to speak, to teach, and to suffer the misunderstanding of those who have not yet opened their eyes. Yarmuth’s words stand in this same tradition of enlightenment — the call to lead not by fear, but by awakening.

Yet Yarmuth does not speak only of courage. He summons also energy, creativity, and unity — virtues without which vision dies in the heart. Energy is the will to act; it is the refusal to surrender to despair when the way seems long. Creativity is the power to see beyond the old forms, to imagine new paths where others see only walls. And unity — that most difficult of all virtues — is the bond that transforms many voices into one song. Without unity, the strong are scattered; with it, even the humble can move mountains. Thus, to “map out a brighter day” is not to dream idly, but to labor together, hand in hand, heart to heart, toward a vision greater than any single man or party.

History offers many examples of this battle between light and dark, and of those who dared to choose illumination. Consider Franklin D. Roosevelt, who rose amid the ashes of the Great Depression. In a time of despair, when faith in government had all but vanished, he summoned the courage to act boldly — not for the wealthy or the powerful, but for the common people. His New Deal was not perfect, but it rekindled hope and restored belief that democracy could serve all, not just a few. He did not wait for fortune to favor him; he created fortune through unity, creativity, and unshaken will. In this, he embodied precisely the virtues Yarmuth calls for — the ability to imagine light even when the sky is black.

But Yarmuth’s words also hold a warning. For when those who love truth grow weary, those who profit from darkness prevail. Democracy, like a flame, must be tended; neglect it, and it will flicker out. The battle for light is not fought once, but always — in every generation, in every heart. To recapture power in this sense is not merely to win elections, but to win back the moral purpose of governance: to serve sincerely, to listen deeply, and to build not for today’s applause, but for tomorrow’s justice.

The lesson, then, is timeless: the light of a nation does not rest in its wealth or weapons, but in the courage of its citizens to seek truth and unity. Whether one calls oneself Democrat, Republican, or neither, the duty is the same — to rise above bitterness, to work for understanding, and to build a society guided by compassion and reason. Each person must ask: Am I adding to the light, or deepening the dark?

So remember this, my child: the brighter day that Yarmuth speaks of cannot be given — it must be created. Let your mind be curious, your heart steadfast, your hands tireless in service. Refuse to be lulled into passivity or division. When fear whispers that the world cannot change, answer with action. For the torch of progress passes not from politician to politician, but from soul to soul. Keep it burning — for as long as men and women choose the light, the dark can never prevail.