At 20 years old, the upcoming presidential election is the first major election that I will be able to vote in, to "voice my choice," as so many reporters like to say. And with the months remaining before the big vote quickly ticking down, I have no idea who I'm going to vote for.
For the most part, I'm politically inexperienced and inactive. Other than an introduction to politics class, I'm fairly politically uninformed. Prior to my freshman year of college, I could not have told you what the difference between a liberal and conservative is -- I'm not admitting this because I am proud of it or because I think it's acceptable. In fact, I believe it's completely unacceptable because I know that I am not the only one of my generation that is so politically uneducated. I'm merely admitting this ignorance to give you an idea of where I am coming from. Because, quite honestly, with so little knowledge of politics and the candidates, I'm feeling utterly overwhelmed as the election approaches.
Yes, I know "the issues," and I know what I personally believe regarding many of them. Yet that doesn't help to make my decision any easier because I share both liberal and conservative views. And I know where many of the candidates stand regarding the issues, but I don't agree more with one candidate over the other.
I personally believe that Hillary Clinton is inconsistent in her views, and I'm not sure that I could trust her to stand by what she puts forth in her 2016 campaign.
With Donald Trump, on the other hand, I believe that he is particularly extreme in his views, and I am not sure that I could stand by a president with such radical proposals.
And these are just the very beginnings of my concerns regarding the current presidential candidates.
But I firmly believe that the right to vote is more than that--it is a civic duty. And therefore, I will, and I am obligated to, vote for a candidate come November. But right now, as May draws to a close, I lean towards neither of the two likely nominees and away from both.
There will be debates in the coming months, and I plan to watch them closely so that I may make an informed decision. And if, in November, I still find myself not pleased with the candidates, I will pick the lesser of two evils, as the saying goes. Because men and women in the military fight for the right for me to vote, I must honor their sacrifice by taking advantage of this right, this duty.
Taking a step back, though, I can't help but wonder, had I been more politically knowledgable, informed and experienced, would this decision be any easier?
