Photo by Deb Gau Author Alan Duff spoke to area residents at the American Legion in Marshall on Tuesday evening. The talk covered topics from government corruption to grassroots activism, which Duff wrote about in his book “Fixing America’s Shattered Politics.”

MARSHALL — The belief that government should serve the people is of crucial importance to the United States. But current U.S. politicians are more concerned with power than service, author Alan Duff argued.

“We need to empower mainstream America,” Duff said, during a talk at the Marshall American Legion on Tuesday evening.

The talk was hosted by Action 4 Liberty.

“We’re a conservative grassroots organization,” based in the Twin Cities area, said Action 4 Liberty President Jake Duesenberg. Duesenberg and Duff were in Marshall as part of a tour of communities in greater Minnesota.

Duff spoke on issues he wrote about in his book, “Fixing America’s Shattered Politics.” Duff is a retired major in the U.S. Army Reserves, a former Isanti City Council member, and a former Isanti County commissioner. Last year, he ran in the Republican primary against Minnesota Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt.

Duff said the country is facing serious problems with government corruption, even at the local level.

“I believe self-serving politicians and their accomplices are the greatest threat to America,” Duff said. “We the people must regain our lost government before it’s too late.”

Duff’s talk drew on his experiences serving on the Isanti County Board. Duff said while he was a county commissioner, he saw a commissioner abusing per diem payments, and other incidents like members of the public not being allowed to speak at an open meeting. Duff said the same kind of behavior is also going on in state government.

The U.S. government, Duff said, is no longer serving the people, but a political elite. He said the situation is leading toward more big government and higher taxes.

“This new American way is unsustainable,” Duff said.

Duff advocated bringing more service principles, like those he’s seen in the U.S. military, into government. The focus should be on honesty and integrity, and on government agencies following defined standards and boundaries, he said. Duff also said members of the public should become more engaged in government, pushing for transparency and ethics.