Me

Me

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Young American

    On the verge of turning 29, I have not had a real full-time job for three years. I quit my job by choice, mostly because I wanted out before my paychecks started to bounce and because I was not happy. I went back to school, got my masters and now I join the ranks of the chronically under-employed young adults in America. However, I am one of the lucky ones, for now. I am substitute teaching, married, and have the ability to coach volleyball, which I do not really enjoy but at least I can make a few extra bucks. But, what about all the others similar to me? The single (because they cannot afford to get married), chronically under-employed or unemployed.

    I just read an article, not two seconds ago, discussing the exact situation of us young adults, and let me key you in on the gist of it...our future my friends does not look particularly rosy. People from the age of 16-34 have the highest unemployment rate since WWII. Couple that with article I read last week informing me that if young American's are ever to retire, they need to save an average of $2 million, since we most likely will have little to no safety net. The same safety net that our baby boomer parents will suck dry. With all of this negative information coming at us, it is not time to wallow in our pitiful situations, it is time we demand that our politicians and government start listening to us, not some cantankerous old fart who is bitter, for some reason, beyond our wildest dreams.

   Leaving government debt out of the equation...because honestly cutting taxes continuously, while fighting two wars and trying to dig out of a recession will do that to you. So what bothers me most about the whole situation...cue silver haired men and women, "I do not want my children and grandchildren paying our governments debt." This concern rings hollow, for me anyways, when young Americans are already paying for your mistakes with our meager or nonexistent job prospects.

   As long as I can remember, young peoples opinions just have not had that much weight in most situations. I say we change that in 2012. Politicians should start catering to us...the young, the vital, the future. Thankfully, most of my family and friends in that age group are painfully politically aware. They know for what and who they stand for. I honestly am not sure I can say that for a majority of Americans my age. So please, I beg of you, ages 16-34, put down your game controller or can of Budweiser, turn off NASCAR or the NFL, and get out there. Experience the world, gain perspective (you obviously have the time) and start demanding someone listen to you, because quite frankly, we are the ones getting jacked by the politicians. Not grandma and grandpa. Whether you are Republican or a Democrat, if you want a job, want to know that you are actually working towards something ( a day when you do not have to get up and go to work) that you are also an important American demographic, and more importantly that you have just as much to offer, then you have to get off Mom and Dad's couch in the basement and get it together. We are at an age where we can speak for ourselves, so get out there and do it!

ps, Please, for everyone's sake, do not just vote for someone because they were on The Real World or WWE this is the kind of political action that invalidates our opinion. It is not that easy, nor should it be. You WILL have to research a little, but I promise it does not as much as you did in college.





   

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