Youth voters are facing a bleak future if America continues its downward spiral into civic and financial bankruptcy. Crippling debt and disregard of people’s individual rights to expression weigh heavily not only on the future of the country, but on the shoulders of our youth. Gen Z voters will be stuck paying the bill long after the death of both presidential candidates. Here are some sobering facts: According to Business Insider, the United States spent $877 billion on the military alone in 2022, over ten times the $76.4 billion the federal government spent on education. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported that Medicare spending grew 5.9 percent to $944.3 billion in 2022. On top of that, Gen Z will pay the interest on the national debt for their lifetime. As twenty-year-old Aaron Winchell told our editors, “We don’t need to be sending billions and billions of dollars to other countries when there are veterans that are homeless and Americans who can’t afford basic health care.”
When it comes to funding, traditional Democrats tend to advocate for less military spending while Republicans advocate for more. Terrance Gallishaw, freshman and Marine Corps Veteran, believes that both parties are the same when it comes to military spending. According to Terrance, the government wastes no time in spending the money necessary to get equipment for a mission. “We need to cut back on military spending in the defense budget.” He remembers a time when there was a defective part and a replacement was needed. It cost three million to receive and send back the part, then another three million to receive the replacement. “And that can literally pay for a multitude of people’s tuition.” That six million could cover the first year of college for about 165 students nationally, as the average cost annually is $36,436, according to the Education Data Initiative.
“We need to cut back on military spending in the defense budget.”
The Israel-Palestine conflict has a seventy-five year history, starting with the displacement of Palestinians when Israel was established as a nation. “It’s something that the whole world should be looking at,” said Terrance. “Civilians are being disproportionately killed. Palestinians are still suffering.” The United Nations estimates that Israel’s defeat of the allied Arab armies in 1948 uprooted over 700,000 Palestinians. As a result of the horrific October 7 Hamas massacre, the Israel military has displaced 1.9 million Palestinians.
Aaron Winchell, CCSU senior and registered Republican, has a different view on the Israel-Palestine conflict. He believes that no politician should be taking a side in it. “I don’t care what your stances are. Both governments in the Israel-Palestine conflict are wrong. You can’t say any of the civilians on either side did anything to deserve being attacked or murdered.” Aaron goes on to explain that he is turned off from any candidate who takes a stance on the conflict. He expressed disappointment in RFK Jr., a candidate he wants to vote for, for his unconditional support of Israel.
Aaron believes that foreign policy shouldn’t be an issue. He prefers a candidate that focuses on domestic issues. Aaron went on to explain that it is his generation that will have to deal with the cost of war and the current national debt, so he has no interest in supporting wars that will increase the financial burden. He also gave his thoughts on the fear mongering around China by some politicians. “Anyone who’s stoking fear about China is ridiculous. It’s like, you can just ignore all these issues. Stop stoking fear in the American public.”
According to Aaron, democracy is another important issue coming into this presidential election. “Now we have to worry about protecting and preserving democracy.” Aaron’s fear about the state of democracy in the US is partially due to the past attempts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election and the attack on the US capitol on January 6, 2021 by a mob of Trump’s supporters. Many Americans share Aaron’s fear about democracy in the US. According to the Washington Post, four in five Americans believe there is a threat to democracy, with over half believing that the threat is major. When asked about threats posed by a Biden or Trump victory, most Democrats thought that a Trump victory posed a threat, while most Republicans thought a Biden victory posed a threat to democracy.
According to The Century Foundation, Americans along the political spectrum agree that the cost of college is too high. Moreover, tuition prices are growing at a quicker rate than inflation.
“Not everyone can afford to go to college or get a higher education.”
Chike Onyiuke of Farmington is one of those Americans. “Not everyone can afford to go to college or get a higher education,” Chike said. “Anyone that doesn’t have financial aid or anyone that is on that lower spectrum will definitely struggle with it.” Chike speaks for a large population of current and former students that are carrying the burden of burgeoning debt.
President Biden advocates for affordable higher education, however, his loan forgiveness plan hasn’t been so smooth, which could turn young voters off. Terrance believes that Biden should be using government money domestically rather than sending $17 billion to aid foreign allies.
“I don’t believe that we should be having someone who’s so old that they don’t understand the modern age running our country.”
The candidates are older than many of Gen Z’s grandparents. The issue won’t go away by November. The candidate age is influencing senior Stefania Calafiore’s views on this election. “I don’t believe that we should be having someone who’s so old that they don’t understand the modern age running our country. So that definitely has affected my view. I will still vote because I believe that every vote counts, but I do not like the fact that our main candidates are not amazing superstars.”
Immigration is often a hot issue in domestic policy. Recently, there has been a battle in Texas over a new law that would allow police officers to arrest and detain migrants suspected of illegally crossing the border from Mexico. On March 19th, 2024, the Supreme Court allowed the law to take effect despite the legal challenges to it. Hours later, the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit blocked enforcement of the law, pending oral arguments. Stefania offered a balanced view on immigration. “I feel like we need to make it welcome for people to come in. But we also need regulations to make sure that nothing bad happens.” Stefania went on to explain that the issue is muddy, and that she wishes it was safer for people who want to enter the country. She also mentioned that we shouldn’t be closed off, and instead should be open to the ambiguity of the issue.
“The Constitution was made to be a living, breathing document. We have kind of changed that into like, oh, we have to go off of the Constitution and they set it in stone,” Stefania said. This view is popular with progressives, while conservatives want to preserve the Constitution as it is and believe it to be a sacred document. Stefania acknowledged the divided view on the Constitution. She went on to explain that the Constitution was meant to change as time went on, to adapt to the needs of present Americans. “It was meant to change. This isn’t the same year, same circumstances that it was, and that’s one of my biggest issues.”
Interviews conducted and condensed by Samuel Belliveau, Alexis Lykowski, and Deanna Prescott.
Featured image credit to Karolina Grabowska
Great article! So important to discuss how every vote matters, and how our future president should better support students undergoing debt and healthcare issues!