As a youth writer, I have observed the habits and understandings of peers who either just do or do not perceive the political system well. I have also come to find that broadcasters advertise this system as one much more of a burden to engage with than it can actually be. Either way, it is unseemly; the state of the nation is more polarized than ever. According to the Washington Post, “A potential decline in participation by young voters could hurt President Biden next year in a hypothetical matchup against former president Donald Trump, given Biden draws more support from the demographic,” and recent polls exhibit that the number of American voters between the ages of 18 and 29 has decreased from 57 percent to 49. If the young people of this day are to foster a narrative as reformative as we have been prompted to, a curiously copious amount of us should learn the ins and outs of the forthcoming primary elections effective immediately. And this is how it needs to be done.
First, you cannot care about social issues without caring about politics. My generation has mercifully made its adherence to racially motivated violence, women’s rights and self-identity a passionate vocality but has also preceded to mention to me its blatant indifference towards “politics”. However, as candidates present heavily-sided attitudes towards civil discourse, it does not become inherently difficult to cherry-pick how conservative or liberal an elect has settled himself as on the frontlines. A more right-wing candidate may subdue to a course of action frivolous about demographic and census-based pressures, while those on the left may tend to prioritize that exactly.
With each of my encounters with those disillusioned, I leave wondering if the sociopolitical realm has somehow now made its way deeper into the mainstream whilst simultaneously steering away from governmental politics. The second that reality snaps back, it becomes quite transparent. It has not. And while this remains true, we should all take a second to review the easiest, most appealingly idle way into the best of both worlds. Because as much as it may sting to concur with, it is with a great deal of reluctance that people will take a quick glance at even their favorite partisan news channel nowadays. Focus on understanding four key themes for a good while; economics, humanities, foreign policy and insight. And as a totally un-targeted opinion, benevolence is a highly effective attribute to consider in a presidential candidate as well. At long last, simply negotiate your pro-con concoction into which of the factors you find more valuable than others in an executive, and funnel down a single primitive man, rather than two.
Second, one must be able to hold personal accountability towards elected officials. In the current economy, an American household will often settle down in the morning scrolling endlessly through expense logs, mumbling something or another about how the recommended hospital for emergency chiropractic care is out-of-network against Dad’s insurance plan, which was only receivable on part of the only stable job he could find as a recent immigrant. All of this to say that American healthcare IS deeply flawed, but with carefully selected leaders, some situations can be worked on for the better. And if you or your family is ever in a desperate situation such as this, it is crucial that you save yourself from the regret of wishing you had done your part to have at least tried to inaugurate an effective change maker.
Finally, in solidarity to an American history of disenfranchisement, it is time that we recognize the mere privilege in the comparative simplicity of something as swift as casting your vote. Initially, the Constitution left voter eligibility to the states, resulting in voting rights predominantly for landowning white men, while women, Black people and other marginalized groups were excluded. The 15th Amendment in 1869 granted Black men the right to vote, yet obstacles like poll taxes and literacy tests endured until the 24th Amendment in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Women gained suffrage in 1920 with the 19th Amendment. By the mid-1960s, all citizens over 21 could vote, and in 1971 the voting age was lowered to 18.
Although that quickly encapsulates the process of voter equity, the fact of modern discriminatory practices such as racial gerrymandering remains another great reason for most of our community’s easy accessibility to poll sites to be considered a birthright. Certain politicians currently secure reelection by systematically disenfranchising particular demographics. And because these are exclusively disproportionate barriers, being able to navigate the electoral process as easily as many of us can is unquestionably something to take advantage of.
Democracy is a privilege, and it has and will continue with or without your particular participation in it. But remember that while you may remain an indifferent citizen, others are recognizing every aspect of their personal daily lives that will change so drastically after they cast their vote. So all the while that we phase into the first years of eligibility, I encourage you to become a knowledgable citizen. Read, listen, learn and develop individualistic beliefs. Being opinionated is an incredibly liberating attribute that boasts intelligence and allows for an even broader entrance to participation in your own country’s choices and decisions. Do not pass up the greatest opportunity to do so, and please make sure to vote in a timely manner this year.
