Politics. Even the sound of the word is off putting, but it cannot be ignored. As we come closer to yet another Presidential election the need for this younger generation to get involved in the democratic process is more important than many realize.

In the 2010 Midterm elections the Authors’ Tabulations from the CPS Nov. Voting and Registration Supplements reported that only 24.0 % of registered 18-29 year olds actually voted. This number is down 1.5% from the 2008 Presidential election. But why is this?
Scituate High School history teacher Ms. Heather True said that, “The younger generation thinks that the government doesn’t respond to them”. True, a Political Science major who teaches AP Government, said that a younger generation doesn’t connect to the government who aims to please their voters. But because young people don’t vote, the politicians don’t focus on their problems.
Christopher Robotham, a senior at Scituate High School said, “the more you vote, the more politicians care.” He went on to say that while the government may seem inaccessible to youth today, “Kids shouldn’t be interested because politics are interesting, but because it will be them in the future determining what’s best for the country”.
As Otto von Bismarck, a German statesman, once said “Laws are like sausage, it’s better to not see them being made”. But it is not only important to be involved in politics for one’s own self awareness, but for the good of the country.
True speculated that the younger generation stays away from politics because they do not fully understand the issues. As she teaches in her government class, politics have their own language and their own understandings of topics. Regarding the issues, teenagers and young adults are good at focusing on their immediate needs rather than what is coming for them in the long run.
The issues most concerning students today are student loan policies, health care, birth control, Medicare and Medicaid, and the state of the economy. At this moment students pay 3% interest on any loans they take out for school. Obama’s plan is to keep this 3% interest rate but make every loan government backed. What does this mean? Obama’s policy would mean that the government would pay every penny of a loan to a school The school would then not have to be worried about receiving a direct payment, but the recipient would pay back the loan and 3% interest to the government.  Romney’s policy on the other hand would have student receiving loans from private lenders which would not only help corporations who donated, but would also increase the interest rate to 6%.
As for the other policies, they may seem like they do not directly affect this age group. Healthcare means that depending on who is elected, you may not be able to stay on your parent’s plan but find your own. And while global economics may seem intimidating, think of finding a summer job. If a teenager was not able to find a job this past summer it was probably due to an unemployed adult being hired according to True. Economics are the future of this country and where it stands globally said Robotham. At this age even, girls are beginning to use birth control and whether or not they will have access to it will be an issue in the upcoming election.
No matter who is elected, their policies will not go immediately in to effect. As True said, “Politics are a long painful process,” making it hard for things to happen quickly. But this slow process should not mean you shouldn’t vote.
Whether voting Republican or Democrat it is important you vote if you are able. The country is a democracy for a reason, so that the people have a say in how it is run. If you do not vote, your opinions go unheard. If you are too young to vote you can campaign for a candidate, e-mail a local politician, or encourage those who are able to vote to do so. One day it will be your generation running the country, so be prepared now for the future as it is very pertinent not only to your daily lives, but your family’s and friends’.