We need Trump’s DOGE reforms, but here’s what you can do closer to home to create a brighter future

The 2024 election sent a clear signal: Americans are hungry for more opportunity and social mobility to climb the income ladder and build better lives for themselves and their families. Many who went to the polls and pulled the lever for President Donald Trump did so looking for a political savior. His work is exposing the government-funded social engineering of previous administrations, but we must also foster a network of strong social capital to support society as government is appropriately reined in.

Social mobility hinges less on presidential policy promises and more on us – individual agency and community. Lost in today’s election hysteria is the importance of community-driven problem-solving.

Two types of barriers can prevent American flourishing: Artificial barriers created by government policies or regulations, and natural barriers – the personal challenges that prevent individuals from improving their lives.

As the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) takes an unsparing look at our federal government, we are starting to see the breakdown of certain artificial barriers. But while such barriers that inhibit career mobility – like restrictive land use regulations, burdensome tax policies, and occupational licensing requirements – can be addressed through regulatory reform, natural barriers present a different type of obstacle.

These barriers – such as broken family structures, mental health issues, substance abuse, chronic unemployment, or a lack of meaningful social relationships – are unlikely to be solved (at least not in the long term) by top-down policies or cookie-cutter government programs. Instead, they require self-determination and community support.

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