Why It Is Important to Suck It Up and Vote
Politics. If I haven’t lost you yet, you might be the exception, not the rule. It’s the topic many people avoid like the plague, responsible for more arguments, broken friendships and cold, awkward Thanksgiving dinners than one can count. Whether national or local, presidential or mayoral, political discussions have the potential to drive one insane.
Nevertheless, there arguably is not a topic of discussion that has more of an impact on our lives than politics. In today’s hyper-partisan culture, however, it is easy to forget that there is more to political discourse than the letters “D” and “R”. Politics drive decisions that have an effect on us all: immigration, gun control, education, municipal services, zoning, taxes — any one of these subjects can have an enormous impact on a person’s life, and these are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Despite the large impact, a large portion of eligible Americans did not vote in the 2016 presidential election, according to an article by NPR; midterm elections in 2010 in 2014 fared even worse, with a majority — six in ten — of those eligible choosing not to go to the ballot box. Even more alarming, according to the Pew Research Center, a whopping 10 percent of Americans said they had no interest whatsoever in politics.
So why does a subject which has a large impact on so many lives go largely ignored by so many people? The short answer: it’s simply exhausting.
Political discussion can get messy, quickly. From taking the time to research an issue, holding debate with those who oppose your position, finding a candidate who truly represents your values, and avoiding the constant conversational “landmines” that reflect the sensitive state of politics today, one can find themselves rapidly approaching apathetically-low interest.
In a culture that moves near the speed of light, there are numerous other facets to life that inevitably get in the way of someone voting. We all have a thousand other things happening that can get can — and in all honesty, likely should — take precedence over researching candidates, investigating issues and navigating what are sometimes needlessly-complicated ballots.
At the same time, politics in the United States — particularly at the national level — is at an all-time high for negativity and vitriol. Many political experts and observers say that the political landscape in the U.S. hasn’t been this negatively charged since the Civil War. Politicians are constantly bickering with each other, there is seemingly a new scandal flashing across TV screens everyday, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for people with differing opinions to find any common ground to stand upon.
With all of this happening, it is no wonder so many people want to tune politics out. So much negativity can be detrimental to one’s health, to say nothing of how downright disheartening it can be. Even if one removes national politics from the mix, and strictly focuses on the local level, often people do not have any energy left to make such important decisions.
At this point, you might be thinking, ‘why does this matter?’ Even if there is a large portion of the population not participating, over 120 million people still voted in the 2016 election; voices from all across the political spectrum are still being heard. If there are that many people that are paying attention and getting out to vote, it shouldn’t matter if some people choose to sit it out, right?
Wrong.
According to that same survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly four in ten of those in the “bystanders” category — or those who choose not to participate in political discourse — are under the age of 30, making up a significant chunk of the younger population as a whole. There is a lot of data available that shows that older populations are much more likely to vote, meaning elections can tend to be skewed to the will of older voters, as opposed to younger voters.
This, generally speaking, means that older generations are doing the driving toward our future; they control the narrative and are making decisions that could, in effect, have a much greater impact on younger generations than themselves.
For a place like Fort Collins, allowing older generations to be the only voices at the table can leave the city at a major disadvantage moving forward, keeping the city years behind others as the rest of the world moves on. From energy efficient infrastructure, smarter solutions for traffic, water use and waste generation, or innovative planning for future development and sustainable growth, there are a whole host of issues right here in Northern Colorado that are at stake.
These types of problems — along with many others — will require long-term solutions that are creative and perhaps even unorthodox. For better or for worse, older generations tend to be rather set in their ways, doing things the way they’ve always been done because it gets the job done. If you happen to be content with the status quo, then so be it. But if you see an area where the community can be improved, getting involved in local politics may be the best way make the change you want to see.
It is more important than ever that younger generations start to take the wheel and start steering in a different direction. With so many critical issues facing society today, be it on the national level, or right here in Fort Collins, it is crucial that younger people — and all people, in general — start making their opinions heard.
The political landscape can only be representative of the people if the people are participating. It might be messy, it might be boring, or even depressing, but it is a necessary burden for all of us if we truly want to have a better future for ourselves moving forward.
