As it stands, Donald Trump is the front-runner of the Republican party. A man who speaks of banning all Muslims from entering the United States because he fails to understand the comprehensiveness of the vetting process for refugees is, according to polls, supported by a majority of Republican voters. In the same party, Senator Ted Cruz speaks of abolishing the IRS. Carly Fiorina claims the government does not "bother to check Facebook or Twitter to find out who's pledging allegiance to jihadists."
Currently, the vetting process for refugees seeking to enter the United States is a multi-agency process that takes more than a year to complete. Refugees undergo "the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States," and if there is even a hint of doubt that the applicant poses a security risk, they will not be admitted to the United States. As for the use of social media to screen visa applicants? The government began checking social media sites in early 2015.
As for Ted Cruz, if he intends to collect his flat tax on individuals and businesses, he will still need the IRS. Someone has to process payments, assist taxpayers, and audit businesses and individuals to ensure they actually pay their taxes.
Frankly, having these candidates and their fellow GOP members so close to the presidency scares me silly.
Yet, hope is not lost. If you feel as I do, there is a way to prevent one of these candidates from becoming our next president. In fact, the answer is simple.
Vote.
If you are over 18 and a U.S. citizen, it is likely you are eligible to vote. More than that, it is your civic duty to vote, regardless of what side you choose to take.
Yet in 2014, only 19.9 percent of voters aged 18 to 29 cast ballots. While non-presidential election years always see fewer voters, when you look at the last two presidential elections in 2008 and 2012, the numbers are still low: 51 percent in 2008 became 45 percent in 2012. Not only are young voters not voting, but fewer voters are coming out at all. That is a gargantuan problem, because when young voters do not come out, it heavily influences the election.
According to CIRCLE, if you took out the youth vote in these four key states in 2012, they would have gone Republican, handing Mitt Romney 80 electoral votes and the election.
Yet because young voters did turn out -- and supported President Obama 60 percent to Mitt Romney's 37 -- the Democrats held the White House.
Millennial voters will also play a key role in the 2016 elections: not only in November, but also in the primaries. The Democratic nominee may very well be decided by who votes. According to a recent Field Poll of California registered voters, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has an 11 point lead over Senator Bernie Sanders. However, Secretary Clinton does not lead all age-groups: respondents 18-39 said that they preferred Senator Sanders 57 to 32 percent, with only 11 percent answering no preference/others. Likely voters 40-64 and over 65 favored Secretary Clinton, but while Senator Sanders had far less support, over 20 percent of these older voters had no preference/others as their answer. With numbers like these, if youth voter turnout is strong in California, there is a chance that Senator Sanders could win the Golden State.
The push to "Outsider Candidates" can be seen as stemming from millennial support, not just in the Democratic race, but in the Republican race as well. A USA Today/Rock the Vote poll shows that Sanders and Trump are the preferred candidates of those under 35. However, that does not mean millennial support is evenly divided: half of millennials are Democrats or Democrat-leaning, while only 34 percent are Republican. Regardless of party, millennial voters are progressive.
Yet, as Andy Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, said in this Washington Post article, "Traditionally, younger people aren’t a great group to bank on... They tend to be the flakiest of voters." Whether because of disillusionment with the system, a lack of understanding as to how to register and the requirements, or they are simply busy, millennials do not turn out to vote. The candidates that do get elected, therefore, are not interested in the same things as millennials and their actions once in office only serve to increase young voters' disenchantment with the system.
If we are to complain about the decisions politicians make, then we should at least make our voices heard in their election so that even if our candidates are not elected, we can prove it was not because we are disengaged.
Whether you are Democrat, Republican, Independent, or even Green, you should vote in this election. Vote in the primaries, then vote in the general. Vote for president, but do not forget to vote in your local races as well! There are House, Senate, and Gubernatorial races happening across the country, not to mention races for mayor or city council. Take a break from studying and use one of your 20 open tabs to Google the issues where you live. Encourage your friends to do the same. We, as a generation, have a chance to shape the future of this country, our states, and our neighborhoods.
We can only lose if we do not make our voices heard.
For more information on how to register to vote please visit this page.
See you at the polls!
