Opinion: Young voters, will the real Slim Shadies please stand up?

The opinions represented in this article do not necessarily represent those of the staff of CUIndependent.com nor any of its sponsors.

This article was originally created as a part of a nationwide feature representing CU-Boulder among dozens of other universities around the nation for a different collegiate journalism website, but because of the controversial topics discussed, it was deemed unpublishable.

The topics discussed are my interest, my involvement, my issues, my campus and my vote and with Election Day 2012 tomorrow, the time has come for America’s next generation to stand up for what they believe in and get to the polls.

My Interest

My interest in the 2012 election is somewhat of a weird obsession. These past few months have been the first time I’ve ever covered politics and I never knew just how much fun it could be to follow a presidential campaign. The 2012 election will go down in history and whether it’s Obama or Romney that wins this thing, in 2020 we will be able to look back to now and know that the decision America makes today had an impact.

I don’t know why I obsess over the polls and the press releases. In fact, I dislike how politics works, and I especially dislike how superficial both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama sometimes seem, not as presidential candidates, but instead simply as two men.

But there’s something about what’s at stake, whether it’s the voice of the country, the power given to the victor or the very small difference in electoral points between the candidates that has made following this year’s election addicting.

I know that many readers aren’t as involved in politics as I am, but the thing about politics is that it’s all about the people voicing their views through voting. If you haven’t voted yet, Tuesday is your last chance.

I’m obviously interested, but it seems that a lot of young Americans aren’t this year. I want to see the passion of America’s next generation come out on Election Day, and I want young voters to help re-elect Barack Obama.

So will the real Slim Shadies of America’s next generation please stand up?

My Involvement

I have been able to see President Obama multiple times and write articles while also meeting a lot of great people along the way. From Harold & Kumar (Kal Penn & John Cho), Will.i.am, to all of the very kind, extremely hardworking ladies and gentlemen working for Obama’s campaign, the people I have met on the campaign trail have given me the experience of a lifetime. I’ve also gotten to know Barack Obama much better, and the more I see him and hear him talk to Coloradans, the more inspired I am.

From the very beginning of this craziness, I’ve been completely biased towards the president; but I do it for a reason.

We are all witnessing history watching Barack Obama go up for re-election in 2012. Obama is the Real Slim Shady of politics in that so many other politicians are just imitating what Obama stands and fights for everyday, including Governor Romney. Obama is the real thing and he genuinely believes that he can make a difference to solve the nation’s and the world’s biggest challenges as Earth goes into the digital age.

I’m involved because Obama has inspired me to get involved, and if you listen closely to the president and watch this video, then you too may be inspired to stand up for the true political Slim Shady even if you didn’t before November. He really is that compelling of a speaker and leader.

My Issues

One of the biggest issues I have with this year’s election is the expected voter turnout of young Americans.

I repeat: will the real slim shadies please stand up?

Everyone seems to be concerned with the current state of the economy, but I believe there is so much more to choosing the president than anything that has to do with money.

Foreign policy: I don’t see the rest of the world’s leaders liking Mitt Romney too much, and I think Romney would shine a bad light on America to the rest of the world if he’s elected.

From the Romney website: “It is only American power—conceived in the broadest terms—that can provide the foundation for an international system that ensures the security and prosperity of the United States and our friends and allies.”

What about the rest of the world leaders? Isn’t it a collective effort from everyone to provide a secure and prosperous foundation for an international system? Romney’s “America first attitude” wouldn’t go over well in United Nations meetings.

On the other hand, I see Obama as a great leader for the world, especially as the Arab world has begun its revolution towards democracy. It just seems right to have Obama as president during this time period in human history.

Women and LGBT rights: Mitt Romney wants to take away a lot of rights that American women deserve. From limiting access to birth control, reversing Roe vs. Wade and taking away gay marriage, Mitt Romney’s views are not good for the self-interests of women and gay people.

I really don’t understand how some women want to vote for Romney, it’s pretty much saying, in the most simplistic way possible, that you’re simply not for reproductive justice. Obama understands that all people deserve certain personal rights including abortion, health care and marriage.

The Role of Government: I believe that one of the major roles of government in the United States is to take a Christian ethic. It’s important for the government to regulate industries and institutions and to protect its people from foreign threats, but to me, one of the most important domestic roles of the American government is to help take care of those who really need it. The way that happens in Obama’s plan is by making those who have money help support those that don’t through tax reform.

From the Obama website: “President Obama cut taxes for every American worker and provided 18 tax cuts for small businesses to help them weather the recession. Now, he’s calling on millionaires and billionaires to pay a little bit more so that we can pay down our debt in a balanced way.”

You may think: Why should we help those that didn’t work to make their money and the nation’s debt with money from those who earned it through hard work?

What you should think: By giving more of my money to help others in need I am doing what Jesus Christ wants from me, and that’s all the reward I’ll ever need. When you’re a millionaire or a billionaire I believe you should put your money to good use because when it comes down to it, the amount of money you accrue in life won’t mean anything.

Mat 6:19-21 (TEB) “Do not save riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, save riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart will always be where your riches are.”

My Campus

Last April when Obama came to the University of Colorado he was the first president to visit the university since Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Now Obama comes to Colorado every week because it’s a state that could potentially be the deciding state in the electoral college come Election Day. Because he’s here so much, the CU student body doesn’t really get as pumped up about him coming anymore.

It’s almost like: We get it, Obama. You want our vote, fine, but stop causing all of these traffic jams it’s getting annoying..

Here’s the thing with CU: we’re a very liberal campus so it’s not a matter of Obama having to have to fight for votes here, it’s about how many people he can get to the polls by Nov. 6. Being over 40 percent out-of-state at CU, a lot of students aren’t even registered to vote in Colorado.

Those that are registered have a lot more to vote for than the presidential election, like revolutionizing the state by voting on Amendment 64 (the regulation and legalization of marijuana for citizens over the age of 21). What can I say, it’s Boulder. This is probably not going to pass throughout the whole state, but this amendment has had a lot of CU students just as excited about rushing to the polls as the presidential election.

My Vote

It’s clear who the right choice for this country is in this election, and if you don’t think Barack Obama is the right choice than that’s perfectly fine. But the problem I see with a lot of Romney supporters is that they have forgotten what this country is all about at its constitutional core.

Establishing justice through repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, insuring domestic tranquility by killing Osama Bin Laden, providing for the common defense by taking us out of Iraq and into the place of our real enemies, promoting the general welfare through Obamacare, and by securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity by winning the 2012 election, Barack Obama is setting his name in stone in American history, and who knows, maybe one day his face will be set in stone as well.

Contact CU Independent Copy Editor Joesph Wirth at Joseph.Wirth@Colorado.edu.