Many of today’s youth choose not to follow the world of politics, thinking that the decisions made by politicians have no effect on them. What college students and young adults sometimes fail to recognize is that all decisions made by the politicians in office either directly or indirectly affect them now or will affect them in the near future.
The most recent prominent issues to politicians are job creation, healthcare, and overall government spending and interference.
At first glance, these issues may not seem like concerns that the average 18-24 year old should worry themselves about, but these issues do affect this age group. The job market has been a very tough place for Americans over the past few years. Teenagers who had a hard time finding a summer job, or are currently encountering difficulties in finding a job, know what the market has been like, however small the scale.
By having exposure to the tough job market, most would expect these young adults to show some interest in the policies politicians try to set forth in regards to job creation because today’s youth will soon feel the brunt of the uncertainty surrounding job security. However, not only do young adults not show interest in the policies enacted to create jobs, but many aren’t aware of the consistently increasing unemployment rate.
Decisions made by today’s political leaders about job creation have a direct impact on the youth.
The ability to secure internships, and most importantly, a job after graduation, is affected by the approach politicians take to create jobs now.
Healthcare reform is a phrase many young adults became familiar with at the beginning of Barack Obama’s presidency, but to this day too many young adults still don’t understand the concepts behind the reform and how it affects them. Healthcare is a major issue in the United States because too many people are living without it, but young adults have yet to realize how this is a major issue. College students will be searching for jobs with great health benefits after graduating.
The healthcare issue is dire to their future careers. Because most young adults have not yet realized how the different aspects of the political world are related, they have yet to discover that if the jobs aren’t there be-cause of current ineffective policies, there won’t be quality benefits packages offered by the jobs of tomorrow.
Some of the popular topics of discussion have also been taxes, government spending, and the appropriate amount of government interference. It is understandable that an 18-year-old would hear about these topics and deem it pointless to stop and listen to what politicians are saying, but it is important for everyone to stay informed about the financial aspects of politics. Students with jobs know what it feels like to have taxes taken out of their paychecks, but do they know where the money goes? They are directly affected by politicians’ decisions, so why are they still choosing to not step up and take the initiative to get involved in politics?
“Not enough [students] care about politics,” said Kimberly Price, freshman. “Most are just starting to [form] their views and grow as people.”
The ignorance on the part of the average young adult isn’t due to a lack of exposure to knowledge, but it is caused by a lack of interest. Something as simple as putting down the video games and putting Facebook aside to listen to 30 minutes per day of networks such as CNN, FOX, or C-SPAN. These networks can provide young adults with some of the information they need to become more educated about what is going on outside of their dorms, as well as the decisions that are being made that impact their futures.
Rock the Vote is an organization that increases student awareness on our campus each year and works to encourage students to register to vote and become interested in issues that will directly affect their lives.
“I only follow topics that interest me,” Price said. “[But] I wouldn’t go and research [issues] on my own.”
Only following topics that they either feel affect them or that they find interesting isn’t enough.
College is a time for growth and maturity, beginning with broadening views and the way students interpret the world.
Students need to become aware of the importance of staying informed on the different issues at the forefront of the political world.
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