Why Politics Matter

I have heard many ignorant people my age say they are unwilling to follow politics because it "has no meaning." Let me just say that being political affects many things in our daily lives. I personally feel it is more of a duty to be political. It is our duty to research all aspects of a political party, before associating with one. It is our duty to research the candidates running for office. The thing we all must realize is that we are voting for who we want to lead our lives, who we want to represent our nation. 

I am speaking from an American standpoint of course. Humor me, answer these questions honestly:

Are you a citizen? 
Do you attend college?
Do you work?
Do you pay taxes?

These are all general questions. There is a large list of them. If you answered yes to any of these, you are affected by the political system. This is why we must take the time to learn about the people who want to run this nation. 

Whatever you do, do not just believe the first thing you hear. The best example that I can think of is the disagreement over Obama's religion (once again, I feel this should not matter since this nation was founded on the idea of separation of church and state. Therefore, religion and politics do not mix ["Mr. Jefferson, build up that wall!"-Christopher Hitchens]). I have heard many people spread the lie that President Obama is a Muslim. He is not! He has said multiple times that he is a Christian, and that he bases his political ideology on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Even if he were a Muslim, why should it matter? Are we, as a nation, that afraid of diversity? It is pitiful!

I urge you to look carefully at what each candidate is saying. Only then should you vote. Whatever you do, do not simply vote for a person based on the fact you have heard his or her name a lot. That only does more harm than good. Politics matter! If you don't like the way the government treats you, the beauty of living in a democratic country is that you have the power to change it! Form your opinion based on fact. Break the delusion and get involved!