How many stereotypes this blog goes against.
Let me introduce myself. I'm a sophomore in high school, in a suburb near the capitol of California. My parents are both in politics. I was raised with an understanding of the political process that most people will never even have before the day they die. As I've gotten older I've learned to appreciate it, and I've realized that my passion in life is politics. Oh, and art, and talking. But that's beside the point.
I hate that nobody else my age cares about anything that their government does. You all do realize that it affects you, right?! The response I generally get is: "Well I can't vote anyways." Yeah but when you're 18, you aren't suddenly going to gain opinions or knowledge about the issues your country or state are currently facing.
My point in making this blog isn't to tell you all what you should believe about the war in Iraq, or the concept of universal health care, or where budget funding should go. My point, is for you all to even grasp what those things are. And choose your own side accordingly.
In California, we are currently facing a 25 billion dollar budget deficit. That basically means, in order to continue the way of life we live now... our state government is 25 billion dollars short. Most states don't even spend that much. Let alone, lack that much. The state spends five times more on its prison system than it does on education. Yes, I understand the necessity of housing prisoners. But as I'm even starting to consider going to college, tuition for state schools is going higher and higher and higher.
This is why I care. It's my future they go to work and vote on every single day. It's why you should care. Because it's yours too.
Ever heard of the "Rock the Vote" campaign? It's a bunch of celebrities who wear shirts encouraging young people to register to vote around election time. Well I'm most certainly not going to diss it. I hold the same beliefs. That young people should register to vote when they're 18, and participate in elections. But I do think it's sad. I think it's sad that Paris Hilton has to pose in a t-shirt with a catchy slogan just to get young people to think they should participate in their democracy. And I always hear "Well my one vote won't change anything." You know what, it won't. You don't need an Advanced Statistics class to figure that one out. But if you along with 200,000 people all think that they individually can't make a difference... then smarten up. And realize that if you all voted, then yes, you could make a difference.
Oh and by the way, the year Paris Hilton was a spokesperson for them... she forgot to register to vote. Whoops?
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