This will be the first election I am eligible to vote in and this is the first time I have sat down to think about the issues I have with the direction of the government and other associated items. While there are plenty of different issues, here are the ones that stuck out to me as a millennial voter. But now as a concerned American, is the government paying attention to my issues? To my vote?
Part II:
Social Equality
The United States of America freed the slaves with the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865. The Civil Rights act of 1965 desegregated the country. In 2008, the United States elected its first African American president. In 2008, the first woman ran for President of the United States. The same woman is the first First Lady to be elected into office. After years and years of struggle, the LGBTQ community was finally granted equal marriage rights, after the Supreme Court deemed state rulings against gay marriage unconstitutional and deemed the Defense of Marriage act unconstitutional.
It is 2016, African Americans, women and the LGBTQ community are three of many groups who are still not equality treated to the quintessential white Protestant man. To many millennials, there is nothing that separates different groups of people but the social stigmas and stereotypes are the only items keeping those groups seemingly socially oppressed.
State of the Economy
As of right now, there is not an imminent economic depression. There have been times in a millennial's lifetime where the DOW finishes lower than the average, like at the beginning of Obama's presidency. While the price of a barrel of oil is not beneficial to the index, the rest of the global economy is suffering from Greece in economic ruin to China seeing downward sliding trends which is affecting the American economy, too. It is about finding a balance between the large amount if imports and exports, as well as not expanding the deficit much more, in order to safeguard the slippery slope which the United States economy could find itself on.
Environment/Renewable Resources
The price of a barrel of oil decreases everyday. The price of a barrel of oil decreased in value almost every single day in 2015. As a native Texan, it is hard to see the Houston economy find a place of depression, but there companies cutting jobs left and right. One of the hottest commodities in the United States market is struggling, so now it is time to find something to take its place in energy. While the Republicans want to continue with another pipeline through rural Iowa, the Democrats are looking to bolster the EPA and finding renewable resources to sustain this country.
Whether oil is used less or not, another important goal is to remain ardent supporters of altering the negative affects of climate change. The Republican party wants to dissolve the EPA and does not find importance in saving the environment. It remains an important part of the Democratic platform at this time.
Social Issues: Becoming a Less Judgmental Generation
When did everyone become so sensitive? Truthfully, it could come from the millennial generation itself. It was not said any better than the dean from Oklahoma Wesleyan University who said 'this is not a daycare! It's a university!', after a student felt "victimized" after a homily during a church service. Dean Dr. Everett Piper sent a clear message that a university was not meant to be a daycare, but a place to challenge students. And if you aren't okay with that, well Piper said as a student, you aren't in the right place.
Even more important, is for presidential candidates to take the campaigning process seriously. As Florida Senator Marco Rubio pointed out earlier this week, "this isn't joke, this is serious", and quite frankly there are moments in debates, media coverage, etc. where candidates are not treating this as a campaign for the people, but a showcase. Now is the time to get involved and to take this process seriously.
While these are not all the issues, or even near the issues millennials are talking about, these are some of the ones which are discussed the most. These were chosen on my own, and the opinions are my own. What issues are you looking for answers from a presidential candidate?