Stop Screwing Yourselves (Part IV): Get Engaged in Politics

The main point of my blog is to inform, and, hopefully, inspire young people in terms of caring about political events.  All too often I hear my fellow youths talking about how political happenings are irrelevant to their lives, and that they can't do anything to change the political sphere anyway.  The first claim is crap, and the second one is sort of legitimate, but mostly crap.

Political events going on today will impact everyone's future well-being (and present livelihood).  For instance, let us just look at the enormous public debt our country is facing.  Right now, some of our leaders are working on a deficit reduction plan.  I am guessing that this plan will include budget cuts and maybe some tax increases.  Clearly, people who are affected directly and indirectly by the soon-to-be cut government programs will be affected; additionally, the people who have to pay higher taxes will be affected as soon as the taxes are implemented.  Now, all of this will add up to a lower amount of spending in this country, and that means there will be fewer jobs for the unskilled and uneducated (young people and college students) soon.  Just check this out: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/02/teen-joblessness-may-hit-record-summer_n_856619.html. Contrary to your beliefs, young people, you are feeling economic pain now and you will be feeling the pain of the political (and economic) process in a few weeks.

Furthermore, because whatever deficit reduction plan our government creates probably will not do anything to dent the total public debt (accumulation of all the deficit years), we are going to be screwed in the future.  We will be screwed over down the line because we will have to pay higher taxes, deal with massive government reductions, or default on debt (or some combination of the three).  This curtailing of our economic futures will be the result of failures today, just like the fiscal issues of today are a result of the political failures of the past.

In short, current political events affect many lives now, and will affect everyone in the future; oftentimes political mistakes will add up over the years and punish citizens in the future economically because it costs more money (due to inflation and interest) to clean those errors up.  That is why I want you all to pay attention and get involved now.

As for the claim that we young people have no influence on political events, do you people not remember the 2008 presidential election?  About 24 million people under the age of the 30 voted, with 18 million of those going for Obama.  Those 18 million votes put Obama in the White House.

In addition to voting, young people can get involved in politics in terms of corresponding with political organizations.  We can get in contact with lobbying groups and other organizations (such as the College Democrats and Republicans).

Additionally, we can write to our representatives and voice our concerns.  For instance, I know right now that a Facebook group ("Forgive Student Loan Debt to Simulate the Economy") is planning a massive e-mail campaign that will send all our Congresspersons messages discussing the state of higher education financing.

So, fellow young people, you can get involved in politics if you want to.  And, in my opinion, you all need to.  Our futures are on the line and I think we all should be adamant about getting a fair deal.