As the November election approaches rapidly, America waits with bated breath. Despite the uncertainty of who our next presidential candidate will be, I don’t think pessimism is a productive lens from which to view the leaders who govern us. I want to see more discussion about what legislators can do in the next presidential cycle instead of childish attacks ad hominem.
As a member of Generation Z, the youngest voting demographic, I will have more time to witness the impact of change-making policies than geriatric politicians, as does the average American, who is almost 39 years old. In general, people are more likely to vote as they get older, making Gen Z underrepresented in politics. However, if politics were more geared towards topics that Gen Z is interested in, perhaps more younger people would vote.
One example of this is climate policy. If former President Donald Trump were elected for another term, he would likely embrace the deregulatory agenda, prioritizing business over the environment. The older generation is more concerned with the economy, partially because they don’t have to deal with the consequences of climate change as heavily.
Also, as globalization continues to increase, intergovernmental relations become more salient. Trump’s heavy criticisms of NATO members who do not meet defense spending targets and his threats that he will not defend allied countries are significant causes for concern. I do not want to see America lose its place in the world order, especially with great power competition, and burning bridges with one of the most powerful intergovernmental entities is not the way forward.
The Democrats also have their fair share of concerns. With the future of the Liberal Party increasingly uncertain, University of California, Berkeley political scientist M. Steven Fish says it best: “Either get tough or get ready to lose.” The liberals must find a way to embrace patriotism; we want to be proud of our country, not ashamed.
Acknowledgment: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author.
Very well written, Greta. Indeed, our political landscape and policy preferences are geared towards the geriatric nature of American politics. I think things will change dramatically over the next decade or so as the baby-boomer generation is completely removed from politics. Unfortunately, many of them refuse to give up power or yeild to the youth and dynamism this country is desperate for, even at the ripe old age of 84 in Pelosi's case.
I don't know why young voters don't vote in numbers proportionate to their actual population. This was true back in 1968 and 1972, when the Vietnam War was raging. We Baby Boomers had a lot at stake in a very immediate sense. There was a draft then; young men could be sent off to a very unpopular war on very short notice. Climate change seems less "immediate," but possibly far more lethal in the long-run. Young people have always had a lot of power that goes unexercised. Voting is easy. It's fun. It's satisfying. If you are young and reading this, go out and register to vote. I don't care what party or politician you like best. Vote.
I like your end comment. I think right now it's vital that we become patriotic. It's hard for citizens to be proud of a country where there interests are not represented, and it's arguable that the youth is the most underrepresented demographic. But you've mentioned gearing politics to younger voters and we've seen more of that in the democratic campaign this year. I'm curious to see the statistics on youth voter turnout, not just registration, and see how that impacts future campaigns.