What I Would Do If I Could Be President At 20 Years Old
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What I Would Do If I Could Be President At 20 Years Old

Ever wondered what you would do if you were president? Here are my ideas on what I would do if I was a 2020 presidential candidate and won the race.

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What I Would Do If I Could Be President At 20 Years Old

I would run independent but campaign just as well, if not better, than Republicans or Democrats. And no matter what the situation, I hope that I would pick the most fair and right compromise with the country in heart and mind.

1. Legalize marijuana for economic and social benefit

The benefits of legalizing recreational marijuana are far more beneficial for America than to keep it partially legal but, still criminalized in some places. It is a mess, for a united country, marijuana laws are anything but united across the country. Why would this be on my presidential "to do" list? Decriminalizing marijuana would free space in prisons for more serious offenders. Then, open up dispensaries and offer to hire the people released from prison. This offers them jobs and a fresh start that they deserve. They also know how to sell marijuana but now it will be government run, this would provide government benefits to people who were once considered criminals, providing them with better living conditions than they had before.

By legalizing marijuana as president and decriminalizing it, I would free space in prisons, help stimulate the economy, and reform what were once considered "low poverty" or "drug filled" neighborhoods by providing more government job opportunities that include health benefits.

2. Get rid of detention centers 

Yes, I understand homeland security and illegal immigration. However, I do not understand the point of detention centers... if a person is in America illegally then they should not be thrown in a detention center where they can't do anything. They also should not be immediately sent home, seeing as each case of immigration is different. As a land that is proud of its countries "dream" and opportunity, freedom for all, the way immigration is handled today is not one to be proud of. If a person is here illegally or without documentation, then they should be provided with help to obtain the right documentation. From a Republican perspective, I understand homeland security and job availability issues and to that I respond with this: if each immigrant was offered help obtaining documentation in a more organized and easier manner security would not be an issue, and if while going through a screening process or something they seem suspicious, then they can be monitored while going about their daily lives and building their lives here as new Americans. From a Democratic point of view, I can see the issues with the idea of screening and monitoring immigrants and while I understand that sounds drastic, this is still America. And if I were President it would be my duty to keep America safe. And to immigrants in America, I am so sorry for how this nation has treated you all, from all around the world. You sought us out for a new start, a better start, and more often than not you have witnessed racism, cruelty, unfairness, and missed opportunities. America is not a place for racism and close mindedness, it is a melting pot for all to seek equal opportunity when it comes to basic human rights and needs.

3. Reform justice system 

Ever since I was old enough to watch the news, or understand the bleak meaning of "breaking news", I have witnessed far too many stories about injustices. Far too many stories about unnecessary lives lost. Far too many stories of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, communities, cities, the entire country, crying for their fallen loved one taken too soon. I am twenty years old, I am too young to have all these cases to remember, to carry the heartbreak of it all, to sit by and let it continue because I am tired of it. We need proper justice when it comes to rapists, gun violence, and police brutality. It has been far too long that we have let rapists walk free while their victims live in fear. We need to enforce stricter gun laws by not limiting guns you can get but reforming how easy it is for deranged murderers to get their hands on these outrages guns to shoot children or club goers with. And we need to be able to trust our police force to apprehend suspected criminals for them to serve trial and let justice of the court system ring. We don't need to keep living in fear of sending children to school, of letting our darker skin friends walk home in broad daylight, or of being a woman walking alone listening to music too loudly.

4. Listen to science more

I personally feel as if as Americans we could do better listening to science. For months now we have been troubled with corona virus, it has shut down life as we know, put restrictions on our socializing, and most importantly, killed far too many Americans. As a nation, we failed to contain it, we did not put up restricting on a national level or listen to what scientists suggested because some of us thought they did not need to. It's not about needing it for yourself only, it is about those around you too. I would listen to what scientists have to say regarding new approaches to the pandemic, Americas increasing issue with mental health, carbon emissions, and the overall health of our countries environment. There are a lot of fields in science that I think should be listened to more.

5. Clean up America

I would also like to clean up America. I want to clean the streets, the oceans, the abandoned buildings that are falling apart. We need to be able to provide clean water to all of our citizens, we need to stop polluting our land, and we need to show pride in the places we live. Trees would be planted, old buildings would be restored and brought to light, there would be more trash cans around to reduce littering, and as a country we would reform the way we handle trash to decrease waste.

6. Create more jobs 

America needs more jobs for its growing population. To create jobs and lower unemployment, I suggest hiring people to clean up the litter, to plant trees in government parks and spaces. This creates more jobs for a few years and also cleans the country to make it a better environment to live in. I would also need more jobs when reforming waste management in America and to help reform the justice system. While some of these jobs might only last for a few years, they offer experience, benefits, a few years of work, and could lead to more jobs afterwards. For example, if you work cleaning up trash off the highway, soon the highway is clean and it starts to stay clean, now if you worked hard, did good, and wanted to, you could move into working in a waste management facility or in a recycling center. Not only does this provide jobs, but it provides experience. I would do the same idea with dispensaries, just like in sales you have a cashier, crew, managers, it would work in a similar fashion. This allows people to do entry level jobs, find something they like or don't mind doing, and then they could work their way up in that industry whether its in a dispensary, helping scientists improve our environment, or helping restore older buildings all while working for the government and recieving benefits.

7. Understand foreign affairs

I understand what foreign affairs are but I think it would be beneficial to sit down and talk to the leaders of countries we have ties with and just touch base on what they think. Do our allies need anything? Do they have any suggestions or advice for us? Are we continuing war or have soldiers stationed in countries they weren't welcome in? Could we reach a compromise with our enemies? Do we think we are providing anyone with aid when we really aren't helping them how they need it? These are all important for maintaining healthy relationships and boundaries on a more personal level but I believe could easily be applied to foreign relationships between countries, everyone's voices need to be heard but everyone needs to learn to compromise.

8. Openly disagree or agree with what I believe is right

Often, I find myself unsatisfied with the answers provided by politicians. They just are not direct, and I feel like politics these days are so much more about what party you are affiliated with and what that party's beliefs are. You can agree with Republicans that we need a better economy and also agree with Democrats that gay people should be allowed to get married. They are two separate issues that should not be defined by party, people should not be defined as "conservative" or "liberal" because you can agree with both. So, as president I would be honest about what I think is fair. Gay people should have rights, national security is important, racism is an issue, yes we have the right to bare arms, immigrants also have the right to chase the American dream, the flag should not be burned or destroyed, Americans should not be murdered in the streets. You can see both sides and find a way to meet them in the middle or tell one side when they are right or wrong. And as president that would be my goal, to be equal, fair, and do what is right for the American people.

Obviously, I am not running for president. I am only 20 years old, but with the presidential debate and campaigns, I started thinking about what I wanted from a president. I realized, I do not want either candidate 100% because I do not want to pick a lesser of two evils (even though I feel like that is my only choice right now for November 3rd). Then I got to thinking about what would I do if America somehow picked me, a college student that studies biology.

Also, I understand that I do not know everything about everything and there might be some flaws in my plans, but again I am twenty years old, I study biology, and I like to hope that one day America will be the great nation it was envisioned to be.














































































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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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