Tuesday, March 27, 2012

How to Get David Cook's Vote: A Young Voter Manifesto


I Am Not A Pawn

Treat me not as a pawn in some larger game, but as a human being, capable of knowing what is best for me. I do not want, expect, or desire you to tell me what is best for my life, and I under no circumstances, want you to pretend like you know what life is like for me, or anybody else besides yourself.

You see, I get it. Politicians cannot really relate to the majority of the American public, and that’s okay with me, because I do not want an average run of the mill American who thinks that Survivor is really an unscripted television event determining what country we need to enter into military conflict with. So, please, just demonstrate that you are an above average citizen by being honest about whom you really are. I know, this is an unusual concept, but being human and being self-aware is important.

Economic Issues

Talk honestly and openly about the economic problems in this country, and worry more about resolving them than being reelected. Short term change is not going to get this country  moving forward, we need long term plans, which undoubtedly, are not going to be very popular. But, we need them. Somewhere, you know this to be true, so come out and say it, and then stick to it.  Also, I get it, the economy is in terrible shape, but; for the love of God and Country, do not take the easy rhetorical strategy and blame the other side. Both parties brought us into this—and so did the entire American public, as we ran up credit card debt for the last 20 years. So, take a real stance on the economy and have a plan that really tries to accomplish something. The thing is, I don’t even care if I disagree fundamentally with your politics, as long as you can demonstrate a real long term plan that will move this country forward, with the promise of ‘trying’ and not guaranteed success.

Take notice of that, too. Do not talk to me like you know your plans will work, or that you have some sense of omnipotence, which proves only your economic recovery plan is of any merit or is the only one with guaranteed success. The economy has never worked that way, and neither can an economic recovery plan, so, just be honest about it.

Work Together

Reach across the Aisle and work on legislation which helps the country, not the party. Democracy dies when we refuse to listen, think, and solve problems together. So, come out and speak against the people in your party who alienate, who denigrate, who postulate that the country is in trouble because of the ‘respectable senator’ from the other party.  More than ever, this country needs unity—do something about it.

David Cook
Communication Studies
Wilkes 2012

3 comments:

  1. Politicians are not the "average Joe", but they don't need to be terminators either. We need to stop wasting time pointing fingers and do something.

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  2. I agree with Brittany. If politicians would put the amount of concern they place on making themselves look better/more electable than the other guy into fixing problems like- just off the top of my head- the economy, we definitely wouldn't be where we are today.

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  3. Working together is the only way our country is going to be able to move ahead. If both parties keep on being stubborn, nothing is going to get better. I wish there was no such thing as political parties. It just seems like it is a huge competition whether who is better. I don't care if you are Democrat or Republican- I vote based on the individual.

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