Dear Presidential Candidates,
First, congratulations on running for President of the United States. That is a huge and brave decision. You have decided to thrust not only yourself, but also your families, into the public spotlight, resulting in constant media attention and speculation. You have sacrificed your time, finances, careers and family, to potentially be the leader of the free world and that is remarkable.
Over the next several months you will attend town hall meetings, debates, interviews, and public affairs. You will be questioned and criticized. You may even appear on Saturday Night Live. You will be tested, really tested, and for that, we wish you the best of luck.
As young voters, we have the highest hopes for you during this election process. According to US News, “millennials see the world differently than previous generations”. We think that together we can make our country and our world a better place. While we understand American politics and the idea that in order to win, you have to play the game; we hope that you will play as fairly as possible. Although it seems “idealist”, we will continue to believe that maybe you will run a campaign relying on who you are as a politician, a leader, a person, and as an American.
We hope that you are honest. If you have made a mistake in the past, own it. We don’t want a perfect President. We want someone who makes mistakes and learns from them. We hope you don’t cover up your errors, but rather flaunt them. Tell us the truth, not just what we want to hear. Even if it is something that we don’t agree with, if it is your truth, that commands our respect. Be transparent, be forthcoming and most importantly, be honest.
We hope that you are brave. We hope that if you believe in something, you stand up for it, regardless of what your political party thinks. Don’t make a statement simply because it is what you are supposed to do. Make a statement because you believe it is the right thing to do. Say what you mean. Fight for the issues that you want to fight for, not that you are told to fight for. Take a stance. Make noise. Don’t be afraid to ruffle a few feathers. We want to know what you actually think, not what you are supposed to think.
We hope that you are a team player. As millennials, one of the most frustrating things to see is someone who cannot work with both sides of the political parties. We want you to be a moderator, a compromiser and a collaborator. We hope you hear both perspectives and are able to find a common ground. We hope you set an example and encourage teamwork among Congress. As Americans, we are known for coming together, rising together and becoming the greatest nation together. You can’t transform the country on your own. We are the United States of America. Unite us.
We hope you have a vision. Often, we see politicians run for President to boost their ego and for power purposes. We want you to be President because you want to change the world. We want you to have integrity. We want you to have plans, powerful and thorough plans that can shape our country into being the strongest and greatest that it has ever been. We want you to see you live that vision, breathe that vision and most importantly fight for that vision. Have the confidence to stand up and say, “this is where I can take our country” and make us believe it. Tell us why, how and when that vision should and would be enacted. Like us, be realistic and yet idealistic. Dare to dream of a better tomorrow, yet remind us that it will take time, effort, and hard work to get there.
We wish you the best of luck. Your campaign can and potentially will set the precedent for the next four years. As millennials, we want you to have big ideas. We want you to be empowered. While we may be young, we are the new generation and the future. We hope you will understand and respect that. Let’s collaborate. Let’s be honest, brave, visionary collaborators together. Let’s think big, dream big, and do big things. Together, let’s change the world.
Sincerely,
A Millennial
