My first election and I have less than a month to make my vote count
19. There’s not much you can do at this point in your life. In the eyes of the government, I am a full-blown, legal adult; I can get arrested, buy lotto tickets, cigarettes, and VOTE. Many of us wish we could drink like our European friends, but we still have two more years to mature in this point. But wahoo, I can practice the democratic process, so exciting… Besides the fact of the constant, in-my-face advertising to register, the message is important, why waste such a freedom many in this world suffered for? With constant papers and midterms flooding my agenda it’s almost impossible for me to sneak a look at the race day-by-day unless it’s the backlash of a debate or a sex scandal rocking snap stories. So with less than a month until one of the most controversial elections in history comes to a dramatic sudden death, it’s time to crack down, get my facts together, and pick a candidate.
Elephant/Donkey…Unicorn Party?
(Background this piece is not a bias, but a very true account of what’s going on in a young republican’s mind)
Yes, you read that correctly, I tend to identify as a moderate republican. But before I loose your attention, this is no Pro-Trump propaganda, like most of the GOP, it’s tough for me to back him as my candidate, for many reasons; we can all agree. With the scandals aside, what he stands for is really what we should be viewing his candidacy as, “Making America Great Again”. Very Reagan-esqe. America is great right now, but we are loosing momentum, like after every two term president, the feel of the nation is changed, that doesn’t mean party-wise necessarily, but fresh ideas are always a perk, and that’s exactly what candidates say. An example is Medicare or “the affordable health care initiative (Obamacare)”. Trump slams it saying it’s a disaster, which some can agree it has had its faults with the quality care it provides. Clinton, who was in Obama’s cabinet during his first term, has hopes to expand benefits by increasing taxes on the wealthy 1%. A key word for both of these messages is “hope.” Such promises are rarely fulfilled when in office. So, as voters we need to keep an open mind and take in the ideas of both, and the candidate that you feel has the same mindset as you wish to see lead is your person. Sorry if that seems like a very generalized tip for how to approach such issues but it really is the best advice.
More Issues than Vogue
Let’s face it, we are the epitome of millennials. When it comes to issues brought up in debates especially, it’s as if they are speaking an entirely different language. This is where my Poly-Sci major really comes in clutch! But I still can’t hold a candle to the comprehension my parents, or even grandparents, have in the race. The person representing this “hope” may only be in office for 4 or 8 years, but what groundwork they lay will span for generations. So let’s take a look at the headliners:
Economy
Terrorism
Jobs
Healthcare
Again these are just the top 4 that have been surfacing the tabloids and debates, there are so many more, especially more specific to each party platform, and I highly encourage anyone to take the time and investigate each of the candidate’s opinions on the issues that may or may not pertain to you.
I strongly encourage taking a look at: www.presidental-canidates.insidegov.com/compare/40-70/Hillary-Clinton-vs-Donald-Trump
This is a great layout comparing both platforms on the same issues also with up to date polling. Even includes campaign spending in different sectors so you can see which audience each office is rallying for.
Also, a fun quiz I discovered with hall mates last year is the website: www.ISideWith.com
A very interesting quiz on the election to see if your beliefs align with the potential candidates, by presenting scenarios and reforms with multiple solutions and opinions, divided in multiple sectors of issues pertaining to our country. At the end they present you with percentages of your opinions in comparison with each candidate and even provide explanations of your answers with each candidate’s stance.
I leave you with the framework to go forth and do your homework. Make it a point to check the news, even if it’s just for a few minutes while you wait in line for a coffee, in order to stay informed and prep yourself for a very interesting Tuesday in the next coming weeks, definitely a day you’ll never forget.