When it comes to voting, although harsh sounding, it does not matter what our youth think.
Let me first state that I do not want to believe this. I do not want to agree with the sentiment that I am about to express in the words, below – but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I think that it is time to we look at overhauling the voting process in America. I am not talking about changing from the electoral college system. Whether you are left or right, though it is not perfect, we have proven it works – some people just don’t like losing. Instead, I am talking about the age of our eligible voters.
With the surge of excitement and success surrounding Bernie Sanders’ campaign, though he failed in winning the Democratic primary, and the outrageous and violent riots that have become commonplace in the aftermath of Hillary Clinton’s loss, it is time we take a step back and evaluate. These violent protests, which ironically enough use love, peace and equality as their battle cry, have most frequently occurred on college campuses. The demographics – yes, the youth – on these campuses are a big source of our growing issues in this country. Just ask Chick-Fil-A, they cannot even get on Fordham University’s campus now because people are concerned about their Christian values and the university caved to their students demands. Yes, you heard that right. Fordham didn’t give in to a legal entity or to overwhelming public pressure off campus, but rather to young 18-21 year old kids who time and time again are dictating policies across the country.
Seemingly more so than before, America has seen a wave of young voters attempt to describe their shallow beliefs as to why certain candidates or policies are best for America. More than six months after the election, these same students remain vocal (and physical) about why President Trump is not fit to lead America – a country – if we are being honest – they hardly know.
Still, to the surprise of many, these beliefs, though unfounded and lacking experience, have been shockingly ardent and unrelenting. In having conversations with several young voting aged individuals and hearing their rants on the television, I have concluded one thing – they should not be allowed to vote.
With so much at stake in each election, it is simply unreasonable to expect an eighteen-year-old, or even a 21-year-old for that matter, to be able to understand the economics and social nuisances of life – particularly when they are only hearing one side of the coin on their college campuses. A recent study demonstrated that liberal college professors in the northeast outnumbered conservative professors 28 to 1.
We all see and have heard from the youth around us, whether family members, friends or just the random stranger in the coffee shop spelling out why they believed in a certain candidate based on their policies and how it will affect their often-sheltered world living at home. Although this sounds harsh, it does not matter what they think. They do not have the experience or wisdom to understand the policies and possible ramifications of said initiatives, at least not yet.
Until someone has paid rent for a few years, bought their own groceries and seen how much money leaves their hard-earned paycheck, they simply should not have the ability to enter national, high-stake discussions, period. And while the young voter is often swayed and scooped up by the Democrats, this is less about the GOP losing the battle over youth and more about the fact that they should be non-players on either side.
Our society’s youth votes based upon what their parents told them, or worse yet their college professors spew from the podium. Until they have been able to discover firsthand how each party’s approach directly affects their life, neither party should have to pander to America’s youth because their opinion is not fully formed, nor is it experienced. Sure, there is a large adult population that people will question when discussing their voting rights as well, but simply stated some people will just always be stupid or too lazy to take the time to know the facts.
Therefore, my suggestion is to raise the voting age to a minimum of twenty-five years old. There is no science or math behind that age, it is just a number. However, this allows individuals to graduate from college, get a job and have an opportunity to live in the real world, vice the idealist view that so many have at a young age. If their opinions remain the same at twenty-five, regardless of their political leanings, then so be it. For those who do not attend college and go straight into the labor force, their opinions and understanding of life will be that much more developed come the newly suggested age of voting.
However, on that note, here is my proposed exception, and I think that many will agree. Those young men and women who join the military at the ripe age of 18 should be placed in their own category and given a waiver to vote. These individuals are first and foremost selfless patriots, but they will also experience the world in a way that many civilians never will, regardless of age.
In closing I understand that nothing will ever be done in this arena, but it is important that people understand the elements of our system that are broken. Beyond the corruption and fraud that occurs in elections, the lack of education and experience of our voters is a real issue. If we could adjust this, and for once get the mainstream media to simply report the news – not spin it, we would have a fighting chance. But there I go again talking sensibly.
Written by the OpsLens Editorial Staff.
