During the Vietnam war era, the argument was made that if one could fight and die for our country, one should have the right to vote at the age of 18, which was the draft age for military combat duty in Vietnam. And so, the voting age was lowered to 18. If kids in school are expected to learn in a classroom that can turn into a bloody war zone at any moment, the same rules for voting must apply. Starting as young as possible, but at least from the age of 14, kids should be able to vote. Especially on the gun epidemic issue that impacts their very right to exist and grow to adulthood.
Since Covid-19 has rolled across our land causing death, sickness, and loss of every kind—voting by mail has become the common sense way to go, and should be set up as the primary method of voting in all 50 states before the November 2024 presidential election. In over 30 states, the way citizens vote has changed to a mail-in model. This has already helped and protected democracy.
Young people have already stepped up and shown they possess the courage and knowledge to lead the global conversation, by coming up with workable solutions to the climate crisis. Now, they deserve to choose the next leaders of our country. They should be the ones who are deciding their own future. The right to vote should be lowered before November 2024. The youth vote will change history, by being laser-focused on addressing the weapons of war epidemic. Enough children have seen friends and classmates brutally massacred, and enough parents have had their hearts ripped out.
By lowering the voting age to 14, a greater number of young people will have a voice in the national political conversation, and completely change our political system for generations to come. After decades of feeling powerless, the youth of America will finally get the power of the vote.
Naturally, the pure outrage of youth will help to end gun law loopholes, the legislative stalemate around passing meaningful gun control laws, voter suppression, gerrymandering, corporate billions buying politicians by the cartload, and failed politicians trying to place undeniably unqualified candidates in office.
Next year, in 2024, voting by mobile phone may be the only safe, logical solution for the next round of elections. Massive smartphone turnout for the 2024 presidential election, anyone?
You have a short window of opportunity to create, develop, and build a secure mobile app that can be street legal for the November 2024 election. Ready to roll, safe, un-hackable by subversive insurrectionist groups and rogue individuals in our country, including Russian hackers. There’s your creative brief. Have at it.
Political leaders, you too can step up and make a stand for democracy. Turn this into your issue—think about voting by mail and smartphone as a life-saving tool, to make society readier than we were last time—before the next pandemic, Climate Crisis disaster, or deadly superstorm rolls into town.
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, he was creating a financial and cultural safety net for that time and for future generations. We’ve all met someone who has benefitted from this plan. It’s time for visionary political leaders to step forward to protect—and yes—expand this vital national governmental benefit (not entitlement). If one party can install far-right extremists to sit on the Supreme Court, and as soon as they gained a foothold on power broadcast that they’d be willing to take away or cut back voters Social Security benefits—informed young citizens should be there to cast a vote on this issue, for their parents and grandparents.
As in the time of FDR we need more political leaders to step up and act, before corporate greed, and deep-seated corruption at the highest levels of government chips away more pieces from our democracy.
If this historical moment isn’t the time for another massive cultural, social, and political shift, then when is the time? This is America’s next New Deal Moment. Lives are at stake, the same way they were back in the 1930s and 1940s. The citizens of the United States have lived through decades of corruption, lies, and obstruction. Their eyes are open, and they’ve shown what smart, engaged voters who want to help create a better society look like.