My Democratic friends always cringe when I say I like Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman. Many couldn’t understand what I saw in him. Meanwhile, on Sunday he dropped out of the race, seeing no possible path to the nomination. But in his defeat he has gained a clear win: articulating a vision for politics and public life so many Americans yearn for. My hope is that Huntsman continues to speak out about his vision.

In many ways the rapid spread of the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements is a healthy sign that people are not mere spectators in the public square. Instead, they are stepping forward to express what matters most to them.