Open Letter to Democrats From a Disillusioned Young Voter

[susanwy]

138. Youth is wasted on the Young

Look, I get what the youth is saying...I have one 20yr old son who sat out the election and another who only voted locally (at least that is a start). I talked to them till I was blue in the face, and this is what I told them:

NOT voting is a total cop out. Regardless of the candidate, you HAVE to look at the system as it stands now. READ THE DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN PLATFORMS, and decide which platform best fits your values and vote for those party candidates. In races where it does not matter, if an Independent is on the ballot, vote for them because the more votes they get each cycle, the more likely in YOUR lifetime we will see a viable third party in this country. Do not be a one issue voter. Also, THINK local, I would bet that your local school board, city council, county commissioners, and state representative will be working on issues that will directly and indirectly affect your daily life. For example, are your parents government employees, think what would happen to your family if your Dad lost his pension (WISCONSIN)? Do you want your children to learn about evolution or creationism (KANSAS)? Do you care about your local environment? Does your city council promote recycling? What does your county do to protect open spaces? These decisions matter just as much as national issues IMHO. Look at state legislatures across the country - they are now MAJORITY Republican controlled. If you like their platform, then OK, but if not you are now screwed locally too.

Control of the HOUSE and SENATE are not figments of your imagination, they make a difference. Look, don't base your disillusionment on 30 second advertisements, twitter "buzzwords", corrupt media outlets and badly run campaigns trying to pick up INDEPENDENT votes (so, no they won't cater to your pony, they will cater to the sloppy middle). If someone who generally supports a particular PLATFORM chooses not to vote because they think their candidate ran to the middle or an "uninspired" campaign, they are fools and do not understand the realities of getting elected (vastly different from governing). I daresay the Republicans know this lesson. I agree, our side would have done better if they had taken a stand, but highly paid "experts" and big campaign donors told them to run to the middle, and in in politics, money talks. Take a minute and really LOOK at what each party has to offer, not the BS lies every candidate spews to raise the money they need to run. Then realize that the system ain't perfect. Crack open your 9th grade civics book (if your local school board provided a decent one) and be sure you REALLY understand how bills get passed. I am totally disgusted that 40% of those that did bother to vote didn't even know who controlled congress. You have the Internet, take a couple of hours away from your friends, social media, games, work and school and do a tiny bit of research. Get your friends to do the same. Talk to your friends about issues, be passionate and respectful, but try to make them GIVE A SHIT, it is your future. I'd say I don't care, I'll be dead, but I DO CARE, because I love my children. Realize, you won't get everything you want, no one does, life isn't fair and instant gratification, especially in politics is a pipe dream. I agree, the candidates ran suck ass campaigns, they ignored the issues (yours and mine) and they treated voters like dumb cattle. It doesn't matter, what matters are the values espoused in the PLATFORMS.

In between elections HOLD the representatives to those PLATFORMS. Pay attention when congress is in session, pay attention when your local legislature meets, your city council meets, read the fucking local paper or Internet sources or watch Stewart, Colbert, Oliver, I don't care, but PAY ATTENTION between elections, locally and nationally. Write, call, email, tweet, FB and tell your representatives how you want them to vote. Will it matter? Sometimes yes, others no, and sometimes their corporate masters will overrule you. When that happens, MARCH IN THE STREETS, BOYCOTT THOSE CORPORATIONS, be LOUD. Locally, seek out good people that will RUN for office and support them with your time. Eventually good people will rise to the top nationally. VOTE in the primaries, that is where you can really surprise the corporate whores. Hey, here is a better idea run for local offices yourself, be the change you want to make!!

By not voting you shot yourself in the foot to spite your face. You get the government you deserve, and I'm mad because I have to live with it. You say you like OBAMA CARE, it was a start. You are right, it was, and now the very first thing a Republican congress will do is repeal it. We know the POTUS will veto, but make no mistake, they will de-fund it, they will be successful in making it completely unworkable, and there will be no chance now to add a public option or fix problems in the legislation. They will also get KEYSTONE XL built and they won't touch CLIMATE CHANGE (Senator James Inhofe is now chair of Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, use your Google). Student Loans, well fuck it, you will have to pay more to PRIVATE schools (think Phoenix) at higher interest rates, public education will continue to be smothered at all levels. Republicans now more than likely will determine the makeup of the SCOTUS for the next 40-50 years. If Obama gets a chance, he will have to nominate a CONSERVATIVE, otherwise the SENATE will not confirm. And what do republicans have to do to govern, NOTHING, as they have done for the last six years. They will pass conservative PLATFORM bills and Obama (please, please) will veto most of them, but he will probably let a few disastrous things though, because if he does not, Republicans can lie and say it was all the Democrat's fault again (because they know most Americans don't know 9th grade level civics).

Take care youth voters, it will be a long couple of years, but the consequences could last your lifetimes.

(P.S. Long, long time since I posted, I'm shy, sometimes a bit wordy and don't like to be attacked for simply voicing my opinion, but this issue of the youth vote hit close to home. Many arguments in my house preceded the election. I'd make this a tread, but right now I'm between jobs, so every penny matters. Peace.)