Published October 19, 2007
It's been said repeatedly that people, specifically young people, need to get out and vote. No one really bothers to explain why voting is important to the 18-30 age group and many don't expect us to be active in the political process.
It doesn't matter if you're old or young, white or black, poor or rich; everyone's vote has the same amount of value.
A number of politicians bet on the fact that younger people do not vote, therefore they're able to get away with things that aren't especially in our best interest.
The issues I've noticed as most important to the under-30 crowd are abortion, legalizing gay marriages, the cost of higher education, if the country will reinstate the military draft, the potential for economic growth and job availability.
The most consistent concerns and complaints I hear are in regards to how this country is being run.
We all should take the time to make sure we're supporting the candidate who not only says he supports what's important to you, but also has a consistent history of doing what he says he's going to do. Saying you support an issue just isn't the same as actually supporting it.
Just because he looks like you or you share the same political party doesn't mean he's necessarily the best person for the job. Collectively, we've all paid the price for party politics. Having Democrat, Independent or Republican behind someone's name doesn't make him or her innately better or worse. It also doesn't make them more or less ethical or honest.
It's easy to vote for the person who has the funniest commercials, the more famous endorsements or who seems less likely to embarrass us on a larger scale, but don't let that distract you from the issues that really matter.
Sadly, some people feel that the best person for the job is one who isn't running. There are probably more people who feel that way than we realize. Last year, I met a man who told me he wasn't going to vote for the New Orleans mayoral run-off because he doesn't "vote for the lesser of two evils."
What are you supposed to do when there isn't someone you can support in an election? Become more active in the primaries.
Work with people and show your support before the qualifying period ends or you can just hope that John Breaux moves back to Louisiana in time for the 2011 race.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the political process but it's imperative that we all educate ourselves on the issues that are important to us and finding the candidate who has the most promise of working in our best interest.
Don't vote for someone just because your parents, pastor, local politicians, favorite celebrity or whoever else told you to do so. Vote for the person who supports what's important to you.
We all must do our part in ensuring a better future for the city, parish, state and nation; and educated voting is the first step.
Katrina L. Rogers is one of several twentysomethings columnists who appear on Fridays. Send comments to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.
