During high school, many friends told me that they believed I could one day become a successful public leader. However, at the time, I swore to everyone that I would never pursue politics. I associated political issues with extreme boredom and mass confusion. How could anyone be excited or enlightened about government after a high school semester spent memorizing the preamble to the Constitution, or listing the differences between the three branches of government?
Now, less than two years later, politics puts me on the edge of my seat. I watch a political debate as if it were the Super Bowl. I rush home each day to catch "Inside Politics" on CNN. Politics has become a passion, but why the diametric switch?
I credit our location. New Hampshire offers its residents a rare treat -- the chance to meet candidates, attend debates, and organize rallies. It provides them with the opportunity to become involved.
Time and time again, I have been dismayed by the ambivalent attitudes of young people and adults alike, who seem so hesitant to attend political events or even to discuss the subject. But equally as often, I have been thoroughly uplifted by these same unwilling people who undergo spirited transformations once they shake hands with a presidential candidate, pledging a lifelong devotion to politics.
If young people can become more involved -- witnessing the process in person rather than via television advertisements -- I am convinced they will develop political roots that will flourish throughout their lifetimes. So how can America involve more students and young people in grassroots activism?
Step one: Eliminate massive amounts of money from politics. Once a political party becomes dependent on cash, it would rather see a person write a check than volunteer their time. But if a party lacks the means of receiving millions of dollars, then it will need to recruit young volunteers to produce networks of activism all over the country, much as respective campaigns do every four years within Iowa and New Hampshire. As Joe Andrew, the Deputy Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, recently said in response to reports that his party is low on cash: "The RNC is a bank; we're a phone bank." Phone banks require people, and just ask any mom or dad: a middle school student isn't going to write a check, but she sure knows how to use the phone.
Step two: Eliminate the partisan hostility that repels so many people, or at least keep it on the floor of Congress. Last Spring, Republican National Committee Chairperson Jim Nicholson visited Dartmouth and opened his speech with these wry, shocking words: "So I've heard that there is a Young Democrats organization on campus. I also heard they are hopelessly struggling in their efforts. Go figure. They may as well just give up."
I had never felt such a rush of animosity. Who was this man to condemn the efforts of young people trying to make a positive difference on their campus and in the country? Our public leaders need to emulate the efforts of men like John McCain, who leads off every speech by thanking young people who are politically involved, even if their agendas differ from his.
Step three: Incorporate politics into the high school curriculum. Law requires that every student take a "civics" course before graduating. The aim is to familiarize Americans with the government, and to create more publicly active citizens. While the lessons currently taught are important, I doubt anybody has gone to vote because they know the definition of "filibuster."
The aim of such classes should be to educate students about issues that our towns, states, and nation face. The classes could include mock debates, guest lectures by local and state politicians, and participation in grassroots efforts to elect certain politicians, letting students decide whom to support. Such experiences deepen and reinforce political passion -- I've seen it happen.
Chatting with Dartmouth students last week, Senator Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) recounted the roots of his political ambition: "When I was 20 years old, I had no particular desire to be in government. But after travelling to New Hampshire and talking to different types of people, seeds were planted "
After February 1, the phone lines and envelopes that filled rusty campaign offices will be turned off and sealed shut, but the dreams born there will last well beyond November.
If we really are concerned about voter turnout, let's not kid ourselves with programs like Motor Voter. Let's work to motivate younger people. To do this, let's eliminate "soft" money, stop condemning students' grassroots efforts, and actively expose young people to the excitement that brushes New Hampshire every four years.
