Several weeks ago I was
asked to write an article on the
midterm elections by interviewing
Bucks students and
asking them what they thought
about voting. Few people that I
interviewed showed enthusiasm.
Most didn’t want to
answer my questions, simply
stating that they hated politics.
Other students admitted to
simply not knowing enough
about the subject to answer my
questions.
Maybe some students feel
they do not need to worry
about the elections because
they are not yet directly affected.
It is very comfortable when
you are staying with your parents
who are helping pay your
tuition and who cover your
health care. The reason I say
that is because that is the position
I am in. For a long time I
thought I did not have to worry
about politics. I was wrong.
In a few years I will be out in
the real world, worrying about
the state of the economy and
health care. The decisions
made on Nov. 2 will affect you
in the future, but they will also
affect you now.
Do you receive scholarships
and loans to aid you with your
tuition? How much do you
receive, and would you benefit
from more? The decisions
made during the elections will
affect your loans and scholarships.
On all of the politicians’
websites are their plans for
higher education. Some want
to increase the scholarship
opportunities, and a few of
them want to make sure the
training in the colleges will
prepare students for the real
world.
The economy has become an
almost redundant issue when
discussing politics. People roll
their eyes and for a moment
look at you anxiously when
you mention the financial state
of the United States. And then,
when trying to find a job, you
realize how bad it is. How
often have you gone job hunting
and not even had one
prospect?
Well, imagine how that will
feel when you are no longer a
student and are trying to start
your career. No one can guarantee
you a job after college
but wouldn’t it be nice if the
odds were increased?
It would appear that politicians
are attempting to kill two
birds with one stone by creating
green jobs as a part of the
green movement. So, they are
trying to save the environment
and produce jobs. What do the
phrases climate change and
global warming mean to you?
‘I don’t care,’ can no longer be
a response when facts and
opinions on the issue are being
thrown out left, right and center.
You do care, maybe more
than you realize. Who does
what you believe should be
done for your planet?
Although it may be hard to
see directly how the changes in
the environment affect you
right at this moment, it is not
difficult to know how health
care affects you. After all, have
you ever been to the doctor?
Have you ever been ill or
injured and needed medical
treatment? Could you imagine
not being able to walk into
your doctor’s office and make
an appointment and getting
whatever injury or ailment you
had treated?
Currently 46 million
Americans are without health
care; 20 million of these are
working Americans. With such
massive figures, it is obvious
why there is a push for reform.
What do you need and want
out of your health care coverage?
This does affect you
directly, and is another issue
that even if you are unwilling
to admit it aloud, you do have
an opinion on. You have to,
because you are human, you
are going to get sick and
maybe you are going to break a
bone or crack your head open.
Yes, it is gross and you never
plan on these things happening,
but that is exactly it; these
things do happen.
This was just a run-through
of some of the issues that are
closest to us. The decisions
made will impact us no matter
how hard we try to pretend we
do not care. So does it not
make it worth your while to do
some research and vote for the
person whose beliefs closest
match yours? Yes, you can pull
out the argument that you are
only one vote and have no
impact, but that one vote could
take us from a Republican governor
of Pennsylvania to a
Democrat.
Maybe now would be the
best time to reveal the biggest
irony of all. I have sat here for
hours puzzling over how to
best make my peers feel
inspired and enthusiastic about
getting up and voting on Nov.
2, and I cannot vote. I am a
permanent resident of the
United States, and no matter
how invested and passionate in
the elections I may be, I will
have to wait until I have my
citizenship to cast my vote.
Some of you will forget you
ever read this article and move
on with your lives, and that is
fine, you will still be affected
by the election whether you
like it or not. And then there
will be those of you who will
genuinely wonder what you
want out of your country, and
hopefully the realization will
overcome you that you have
the power in your hands to
stand up and tell your government
what you want from them
in your vote.
You have a voice, use it.