Here in the United States, we are lucky to live in a country where we play a direct role in shaping the policies of our country. Unfortunately, most people do not take advantage of this great system. Our age group gets an especially bad reputation for being out of touch and uninvolved in the world. It might even feel like there is no way to get involved. There are a few things you can do to increase your political participation.
First, understand that the political process is messy and often you are not going to agree with what is happening. That is not always bad thing. Congress moves slowly because there is more than one view on the way policies should function in our country and there are disagreements over legislation. That might seem frustrating, but the great Leslie Knope once said, “….what I hear when I’m being yelled at is people caring loudly at me.”
We have a beautiful political system where laws are not passed without expressing varying views on the issue. If you do not like something, the good news is that there is room for you to change it. Brush up on high school government and make sure you have an understanding of how everything works.
Next, realize that you do have a say in this system, and it is crucial that you engage in the political process. The most obvious statement is vote regularly. We live in a republic, not a democracy, which means that we elect people who represent us. Make sure the person you are electing is a good representation of yourself. Many people wonder why Donald Trump is the GOP frontrunner. During presidential election cycles, less than thirty percent of citizens vote in primary elections. Thus, one of the reasons Trump is winning is that only one third of registered Republicans are voting. Even fewer people vote in non-presidential election years. It is important to note that many more elections than the presidential election occur every year. Sometimes state and local elections get over looked in favor of larger races, but it is your local officials that shape your communities and in some ways have a greater impact on your daily life.
Moreover, you need to be an educated voter. Too many people do not know what they are voting for, or do not vote because they do not know what is going on. Download a (credible) news app and spend five minutes you would normally spend on social media reading up on the current issues. It will even send you updates when major stories break. It is important to realize that most news outlets are biased, so it is a good idea to look at a few and do not always believe everything you hear.
You can “like” several news outlets on Facebook (or other social media) so that whenever you scroll through your newsfeed you get a glimpse of actual news. Part of being an educated voter is not being a single-issue voter, so it is important to have a good grasp of all issues. It is natural to have certain issues that you are more passionate about than others, but it is problematic when you vote for a particular candidate based on their stance on one issue. There is usually no candidate whose views align perfectly with yours. Check out each candidate’s website, do not just rely on the media, and read up on their positions on every issue. Then, vote for the candidate who you think will do the best for the country, not necessarily for yourself.
Additionally, attend a local town hall and learn about the ways these broad issues directly affect your community. I challenge you to learn the names and faces of all your local representatives. These are the people that are willing to fight for issues you care about. Next time that you are bothered by something you see happening, call the appropriate representative and ask him or her what can be done about it. I have a rule when it comes to politics: you cannot complain unless you are involved and working to change the situation.
Lastly, discuss politics with others, both your peer groups and older generations. It is often considered taboo to bring up politics in many situations, but break that tradition. Politics is too important of a subject to ignore, and often times meaningful discussion can help shape our opinions. Attend discussion forums on campus to better understand issues. It is better to give up an hour or two of your time to stay informed than to give up your rights because you could not be bothered to get involved. Remember, a revolution occurred to give us this privilege and we should not take it for granted.
Brittany Gamlen is a sophomore BIC student majoring in international studies.