The Saddle

"Things are in the saddle, and ride mankind." 

--Emerson

Even when events happen that push us in unplanned directions, we always have a choice of how to act. 

The world may happen to us, but we choose how to act and react. 

Likewise, whatever choices our political leaders make, the regular people always have the power to choose their response. 

A nation is what its regular people make, or allow, of it.