As a Political Science major, I always knew my love and knowledge of politics exceeded others, though it wasn’t until recently when I discovered the extent of this. While sitting in a general education class of various aged students of various majors, my professor briefly asked if anyone knew who the two senators of Ohio were. Unconsciously I thought, “Oh, everyone in the class will be able to answer this.” Unfortunately, that was not the case. As I looked around the room, I noticed no one could answer this. I was the only one in the room who could identify both federal representatives of Ohio. Until this moment, I was unaware of how uninformed many people are when it comes to politics.
Before you begin thinking, "I’m not a Political Science major, this doesn’t matter to me," know that it does. When you get a paycheck, part of the money taken in taxes goes to the government. The minimum wage is determined by the government. Financial aid, rising tuition costs, and education reform are relevant government issues. Healthcare and retirement benefits all come back to the government. The list goes on, and all of these things are determined by the people that we put into office.
I don’t expect anyone to go out of their way to gain extensive knowledge about politics, but rather for people to understand that politics constantly runs through their lives every day. When we vote a representative into office, we give them permission to make decisions for us and act as our voice. Especially as Millennials, we should not allow politicians to make decisions and force their ideas on us. The decisions that are made in the government affect us and will affect our children and grandchildren, so it’s about time for Millennials to start caring about what is going on in politics and voting for the issues. Politicians are the ones here to serve us, so it is our opportunity to take advantage of that by becoming politically active. It is our right as citizens to be represented the best way possible by the best people for us with the most suitable ideas to go along with that. To begin this, people need to become more informed about the issues. This can be as simple as doing research online or even just watching the news. You do not need to be a politician or Political Science major to be informed about politics.
Many people reading this are college students who are currently facing the struggle of high college tuition prices, student debt, and eventually, the job market, which is a perfect example of a reason young citizens should want to get more involved. The more young people begin voicing their concerns through political activity, the more likely the issue will be addressed. One of the great things about the United States is the freedom that citizens have to be open about their views and how they can express them, especially when it comes to voting for our representatives in office. Once younger generations understand the voice they have in politics, the easier it becomes for Millennials to begin participating in this movement.
As the year is almost over, I challenge everyone reading this to try and start becoming more informed with politics in 2016. As the presidential election is upcoming, there will be many ads and campaigns streaming through the media. I urge everyone to spend time doing research on the candidate that best aligns with their personal views. There are many websites, like isidewith.com that allow you to take a quiz that breaks down which candidates accurately represent your views. Becoming informed about politics and current events can be as easy as even following news outlets and candidates on social media. There are endless opportunities to expand your knowledge, so it is very easy to find the best method for you. And if you are not registered to vote, I highly recommend you do that, so you can play a role in voting in the next election and helping America strengthen its democracy!
