Although I am only 18 years old and have limited political experience or exposure, I like to think that I have a fairly solid understanding of the current presidential election. While I would like to refrain from including any of my personal political beliefs, it may be impossible to do so. Why? The easy answer is that like most of America, I have some strong feelings about this election. Unfortunately, they are not necessarily positive feelings.
Even though I cannot drink alcohol or rent a car, I somehow have the power to help pick the next president of the United States. This has been something that I have looked forward to for a while. Last summer, as candidates began to enter the race, I watched attentively as Jeb Bush became an early favorite and Donald Trump shocked everyone by finally making good on his promise to eventually run. I was ecstatic when I received my voter registration card in the mail, and I could not wait to wear my “Georgia Voter” sticker around one day soon. This was going to be the president when I graduated college, when I tried to get my first “real” job and possibly when I even had my own children. This was going to be a very important and influential man or woman during some very critical years of my life.
Unfortunately, my optimism began to dwindle as more and more candidates dropped out of the race. It had once seemed impossible that we would be faced with the decision of either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, but this began to appear as the reality with each passing day. At first, I was convinced that I would vote for Hillary. It seemed like a fairly easy decision -- she had political experience, and at least she wasn’t constantly demeaning people on Twitter. But then I gained a deeper understanding into the scandals that plague the Clinton family and the ways in which Hillary allegedly betrayed America. Could I allow myself to ignore my morals and vote for either of these people?
Every time there is a presidential election, a new generation finds itself faced with the possibility of the winner making some very detrimental decisions. Are my tax dollars going to go toward entering another war? Will the president protect our homeland? Is the job market stable enough for a recent college graduate? Though I may be thinking too far into the future, I cannot help but ponder these questions as I look at the two presidential nominees. Which of these do I trust more to create the America of my future?
In addition, the moral aspect of this election is confusing and frustrating, especially for someone who does not want to “waste” their vote in their first presidential election. I am fully aware that positive and negative arguments could be made for both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump -- the same people who are demanding Hillary’s arrest are ignoring Trump’s sexist comments. But in the end I have to think about my future and the future of my generation. The next few months of the election are sure to reveal new truths about the candidates as they further proclaim their plans for the country, and I have to focus on which candidate can create an America that is safe and stable for me and my family. Can either of them? To be honest, I am not sure. Fortunately, I have about four months to figure it out, and I invite my fellow young adults to join me in this quest for answers.
