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By Ranjan Jindal (PPS'26)
“Face these times with purpose, and, to use a word that has become unfashionable in our politics these days, with hope.”
Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg concluded his transformative lecture with a call to action, an obligatory call in a defining political moment to not turn apathetic but to use the lessons of history to shape the future. He emphasized that we have no excuse to be pessimistic because of the countless heroes that have faced adversity before us and the future heroes being cultivated in places like Duke.
The lecture from Buttigieg and subsequent fireside chat with Professor Deondra Rose on September 25th called “Pathways Forward: The Road to a New America,” was a powerful blueprint for a future defined by progress, technology, and efficiency. I tend to go about my day with a glass-half-full approach, so Buttigieg’s optimistic message aligned with my frame of mind. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to a forefront political leader eloquently lay out his policy objectives and his desire for a shared humanity.
Buttigieg framed our moment in a way I hadn’t previously thought about. Yes, our government’s structure is changing drastically in ways that Buttigieg and others in the Democratic party disagree with. But for years, trust in American institutions and government has declined because of their bureaucratic inefficiencies and antiquated nature. While I don’t agree with the execution of many of this administration’s priorities, including the Department of Government Efficiency and the Make America Healthy Again movement, I do think our government needs to be more efficient and our country should have better access to healthier foods. Because so many crucial aspects of government are being cut or shut down, the next generation of leaders has the privilege to build up new agencies and institutions “dramatically better than any of us have lived to see,” as Buttigieg put it. We can use nascent technologies and the wealth accumulation from that to expand our imagination on economic policy ideas. We can ensure that effective governance is possible, and that government doesn’t just work for those with political influence but for everyone it represents.
Prior to his talk, I participated in a Q&A with my Patman Political Engagement Program fellows. I asked Secretary Buttigieg about the lessons he learned from his role as Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and how we can apply those lessons to national politics. His eyes lit up with a passionate defense of local government. He said in his lecture that upon winning election, Buttigieg refused to accept the narrative that South Bend was a dying city and used a results-focused approach to rebuild its economic infrastructure.
Buttigieg explained that there’s no room for fake news at a local level; if there’s a pothole, constituents will demand that politicians act. I loved his policy of holding a town-hall-style event where he would join agency heads at a location and allow every constituent who came to air their concerns and ask questions for five minutes. After my summer internship in state government, I learned how constant constituent engagement and proximity between politicians and stakeholders leads to increased accountability from our government officials. I loved the state experience because local policy influences our lives a lot more than we realize, and it has tangible implications for two of my biggest policy areas of interest, economics and infrastructure.
Buttigieg also addressed the perennial issue of political polarization, exacerbated by our current fragmented media landscape. He spoke of the ails of social media and acutely pointed out that the algorithm does not care about truth or diversity of opinion. I appreciate his willingness to spread his platform on a variety of media outlets, from Fox News to the “Flagrant” podcast. He explained that it’s imperative to make efforts to engage outside of your circles, and that human connection “urgently requires getting offline.” “We’ve got to be connecting and relating to each other in ways that the algorithm simply won’t support,” he said. I enjoyed listening to his vulnerability and candidness with his military experience and coming out story. His two young kids have both lightened up his job but also have grounded him in policy issues and made him fully understand what is at stake.
Still, the one message that replays in my head is that of hope. Buttigieg said that hope is more often a consequence of action than its cause. Even though my generation may feel a burden to solve a multitude of pressing societal issues, it’s a privilege that we can be the voices to shape lasting change we can be proud of. I was fortunate enough to sit with Buttigieg at a dinner afterwards, and he radiated optimism and enthusiasm about where we can go and how to hold our politicians accountable for concrete results. He emphasized that government can be effective with politicians who actively listen to their constituents and lead from a place of humility. That’s a future I want to help build and a country I want to live in.
Ranjan Jindal is a Trinity senior studying public policy, economics, and journalism. He is interested in both economic policy and the intersection between media and politics. Jindal is an active member of The Duke Chronicle, where he served as sports editor during his junior year and now works as audience engagement director. He also has been a member of the POLIS student committee for all of his four years. Jindal has interned in both the journalism and political worlds over the past two summers at PolitiFact and the North Carolina state Senate. Outside of school, he loves playing and watching sports, reading, and playing the piano.