The demographic that seems to elude both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is Millennials. For whatever reason, this is the one demographic the neither candidate has managed to secure. Despite his endorsement of Clinton Bernie Sanders has failed to mobilize the young voters who supported him so fervently in the primary. Why is this? One reason might be the rhetoric used to talk to and about millennial voters. For the most part we’re referred to as a entitled and ill-informed generation. While praised for things like our optimism and innovation, millennials are not often given credit for the wide range of knowledge they bring to the table and are mostly taken for granted when it comes to elections.
In recent conversations with the slightly older demographic, I’m often told that millennials “need to vote” for one person or another and that not doing so, or considering another option, is foolish. It is then considered astounding when the few millennials someone manages to poll aren’t excited about either candidate. Why should we be? One is a chauvinistic showman, the other barely scrapes the surface on the issues that matter to millennials, particularly those of color. The more our predecessors seem to want to emphasize how much better one is over the other, the less likely we are to want to vote.
What many fail to realize is that trying to force millennials to choose a candidate is a lot like trying to force a child to eat their vegetables; the more you force it down their throat, the less likely they are to comply. With election day only a few weeks away, it’s clear that in order for either candidate to secure the millennial vote, they should actually talk to millennials about what they care about. Making college more affordable, or at least making so seeking higher education doesn’t sentence someone to a lifetime of debt.
As far as foreign policy goes, it would be nice if we managed to not declare war on every country, or sect of a population, the government isn’t agreeing with at the time. It’s tiring to keep up with and an unnecessary drain on the country as a whole. There is only so much good that can be done by exerting dominance over every county in the world. The far more pleasant nations of the world thrive because they refuse to do so.
In the case of the African American population that both candidates claim to be so in touch with, that means addressing the gross inequalities affecting communities of color. Skirting around race relations before pivoting to gun control, and scapegoating cities like Chicago, is certainly not the way to do it. Race relations have been bubbling over in this country since its founding. Refusing to acknowledge it or blaming it on one population, or person, is the least effective way to deal with it; we’ve certainly tried for the past 200 years.
The defining trend is that millennials tend to be more concerned about where the country is going for the long-term. Neither candidate seems able to fully grasp that, or capable of communicating it effectively. While there are a number of other reasons why Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton haven’t been able to fully convince millennials to give them our vital votes, they’re going to have to start soon.
