Young Democrats and Young Republicans Club: What Are Their Thoughts?

By Kiana Raoufiniai

With everything else going on during our senior year, elections might not be your top priority. Taking the time to vote might seem like a hassle, and the policies of each candidate may be boring. However, you must keep in mind that democracy and freedom do not exist in every corner of the world, and you are among the lucky few who experience the positive attributes of America. In order to take full advantage of democracy, we must be educated in all political parties. Growing up in a politically charged atmosphere destroys any chance of young voters approaching elections unbiased. Given the parental or societal biases at play, teenagers should seek out their own opinions by educating themselves on political candidates and parties. This article is a very general overview of each political party, seeking to educate new voters on the general beliefs, goals, and policies of both the Republican party and the Democratic party. The students interviewed obviously do not represent the party as a whole, as this serves as more of a way for people new to the political atmosphere to listen to the personal opinions of their peers. 

When asked about the biggest issues that are important to the Republican party, Harry Brown, who serves as president of the Young Republicans club at BGA, started out with the security of the southern border. As Harry points out, this is largely already a publicized issue, but the problem in his eyes is that many people simply are not educated on the sheer number of immigrants coming through illegally. Harry then moves on to say that although the United States has “diverted so many efforts to it, no effort has been made on the process of immigration,” pointing out that the system needs to be improved because of how important immigration is to the core principles of America. I then moved to ask about the biggest strengths of the Republican party, to which Harry answered with the words “tenacious and committed.” Harry also points out that one might not always agree with everything in their aligned political party, as his main concern about the Republican party is their polarizing nature, but he argues that the unifying principle behind the Republican party is one based on adherence to inherently American values. 

I then moved on to interview Erin Jones, who serves as president of the Young Democrats club at BGA. When asked about the issues that she is most concerned with, Erin states that we as a nation are “on a backslide in terms of democratic stability.” Erin’s main concern was the increasing lack of trust in democracy, specifically in our institutions and laws. As Erin points out, “Without a stable democracy, we can’t have politics or freedom of expression,” so reestablishing that trust should be top of the list for politicians. Erin also mentioned that the biggest strength of the Democratic party included its ability to “represent all types of people, across a span of identities”. However, as with any healthy relationship with a political party, there are also things that Erin believes could be improved. Erin mentions that the Democratic party may be “too focused on what is right and what is wrong,” and that their “politically correct” stance may alienate those who identify as independent. 

Both interviewees were very well-spoken and I enjoyed interviewing them. Again, this article is supposed to show a general view of the Democratic and Republican parties, as told by your peers and educate those who are new to elections. Take the time to further your political education and happy voting!