Even as just an 18-year-old, I have always considered myself a very political person. I follow the news, read local and federal policies, and am active in my community. Now this November I’m supposed to fulfill my civic duty and vote for president, but why should I want to? How is any young person supposed to be hopeful, excited, or anything other than disillusioned by the 2024 election?
When both candidates are the oldest yet and are showing signs of cognitive decline, both have threatened to sanction the ICJ, and both don’t care about climate change or the shrinking middle class, how is my voice supposed to matter when neither candidate reflects my morals and values in the slightest? Am I supposed to believe that this system is broken, or is it working exactly as intended? Forcing me to vote for a monstrous two-party candidate or throw away my vote to a third-party who is destined to lose.
People panic about declining voter turnout but don’t do anything to make the youth want to vote. You give us a dying world and systemic problems, and all you offer are candidates who stand to benefit from keeping the status quo. Neither Biden nor Trump has done anything to make me want to vote for them. They didn’t try to earn my vote, and now they won’t get it.
And when your preferred candidate loses in November and you go to blame the youth, don’t. You adults put us here. Don’t get mad at us for being cynical.
Rox Aclin
Goshen