To be young and voting

There was a good commentary in Christian Science Monitor on May 5th that discusses the surge in young voters (ages 18-29) during the primary election season and it claimed that this will likely have an impact on this year's presidential election. One could also argue that the effect of the youth involvement will take this country in a direction that is drastically different from its present state - hopefully for the better. And it's a good thing to consider because change is the key word of this season. Tradition is not the bandwagon people want to jump on. And the candidates are noting this desire for change, for a fresh new approach to leadership and politics.

This article reminds me of a conversation my dad and I had about the differences between generations when it comes to political involvement and how that involvement impacts the direction of the country. He thought it was great that so many young people are excited and involved in the political scene but he also made an interesting point about the expectations of Generation X and the Millenials. Barack Obama has been very successful in tapping into the younger generation through the internet and inspirational speeches and empowering them by involving them in the process - Yes we can do this for America, instead of Yes I can do this for America. However, he said, because this generation was raised with so much technology and with the expectations of instant gratification, there is the chance that we will give up to quickly and not put in the hard work necessary to see real change come about. If the expectation is to have a political revolution and alter bureaucratic habits in just one election, then we are going to be very disappointed. We have the excitement but can we sustain it? This nation is 232 years old and we're just now having the opportunity to have a female or black president? My dad's point is that change takes a very long time and patience, something that is very rare these days, is going to be the key trait the young generation will need to develop and really see change come about.