In an era marked by political polarization and growing disillusionment, the erosion of trust in government has emerged as a pressing concern.

Pew Research has documented a decline in public trust, which has plummeted from 75% in 1960 to a mere 20% today, as a trend that transcends political administrations and warrants urgent attention.

This decline is not confined to any specific political party or era; rather, it represents a broader crisis of faith in our democratic institutions. As we delved deeper, it became evident that this erosion of trust is intrinsically linked to the deeply entrenched partisan politics that often take precedence over the interests of the American people. Both parties, it seemed, were playing to the gallery while the real concerns of citizens were left unaddressed.

Against this backdrop, I had an engaging and thought-provoking conversation with Rishi Kumar, a 2024 candidate for California's 16th District in Silicon Valley's House of Representatives.