“Is Voting for Young People?” by Martin P. Wattenberg

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Introduction

In writing this book, the author has a set of fixed limits that control the way the issue of voting should be done. The hypothesis developed in the book is one that calls for mandatory and compulsory voting for young people in American to ensure their involvement in the development of American politics.

Through compulsory voting, young people will become more responsible and will be exercising their civil rights as American voters. The author has relied on empirical data to support the main thesis in the book. Based on the analysis of the hypothesis, it is clear that the American youths are increasingly being disengaged from politics and issues relating to politics. The development of the analysis of the hypothesis begins from the 1964 elections to date.

This paper seeks to develop a critic of the book based on the personal reaction to the text. The assertion developed in the book seems to be true as more young people become less interested in political activities. However, the best way to capture the interest of youths in political activities is through civil education and not through coercion. The young people can be engaged in politics in different ways. It does not have to be via casting a vote.

Chapter 1

This chapter presents a common traditional phenomenon where everyone, both young and old, appreciated newspapers as the only source of news. However, with the introduction of television sets, newspapers as sources of news information became supplanted by televisions. Currently, there is a whole replacement for generations. Just like the way newspaper consumption has been on the decline in this time and age, young people become less engaged in their civil duties as voters.

The author in this chapter has pointed out clearly that the newspapers have long been the viable source of political information. The voting trend would not have changed if the medium to replace newspapers was a viable source of political information. Since the age group that still appreciates newspapers is the old generation, the most focus of politicians is on elderly people. Engagement of old people in politics is basically through the casting of votes and following political events through the newspapers.

Chapter 2

In this chapter, the author presents a view of how new media has not added any substantial effect to voters in terms of civic education. Television, which is mostly referred to as the new media replacing newspapers, is regarded by the author as superficial in its news coverage. This assertion by the author is proved with empirical evidence. He provides an empirical study that has been conducted to investigate the effect that the media has on what American think.

Television could offer the perfect medium in which civic education can be conducted. It may also not be appropriate to use a single research study and make a firm conclusion about the issue. However, the underlying point is that the claims seem to be true as more young people become disengaged to political issues. Televisions, which is highly relied on by the new generation alters the priorities American people give to specific matters of concern to the public.

The notion that the audience for TV news is increasingly becoming skewed is also true. Many young people hardly have any interest when the news is about politics. Their interest shifts to something else. However, when their favorite programs are aired, they become the number one consumers of televisions. Television and newspapers should also focus on the new dimension in which young people seem to be interested in politics.

Chapter 3

In this chapter, the author brings up the notion that young people have little idea about political events happening around them. The author asserts that people below the age of 30 in America are the least involved in political issues. Because of the lack of interest in political issues, the author points out that there is no way young people can challenge what is going on in the world of politics.

The author summarizes in terms of percentage, the age group that follows major political events during the electioneering period. From the statistics, it is pretty clear that during the early 1940s, more young people were aware of political events happening around them.

However, in the current age and time, young people are openly acting oblivious to political events taking place within their country. The most common events and news items identical to the youths are sports, entertainment, culture and arts, science, and technology. The way young people follow news on entertainment is the same way old people follow news information on politics.

Chapter 4

This chapter seeks to explain and rationalize the drastic disengagement of young people from political activities such as voting. The author explains that the reason why the young voters lack interest in voting is because of caring who wins the vote. It is only the people who care about who governs and what the government does that participate in voting. The young voters disappear because they do not follow political news.

They are more glued to forms of media that do not present political news properly. As a result young people would not know candidates are vying for various public offices, they would be less informed about the ideologies of the candidates, and they would completely lack interest in the issues that are being debated on the political scene. Turnout rates for young voters will hence be low. It is quite obvious that once a person loses touch with an issue, then interest for that particular issue will drop.

Chapter five

Voting is regarded in many democracies as a civil duty in which all citizens qualified to vote encouraged to vote. The author, in trying to explain the whole idea of civil duty gives a story of his father, whom at one point had just survived surgery and insisted that he had to vote in his critical condition. He reasoned that he was alive and so he had to vote. Many political scientists have also agreed with the notion of voting being a civil duty.

However, not many young people would attest to this assertion. To young people voting is a choice. They feel that they do not have to be coerced to vote. They would only vote when they want and out of their own choice. It is true that the majority of young people do not value voting and the meaning of voting.

Chapter 6

This chapter presents the potential consequences of leaving out the young people from the voting exercise despite their lack of interest. The author says that the ideal of democracy is seriously compromised by the young people’s low participation in voting exercises. Democracy is basically “government of the people, by the people and for the people” (Wattenberg).

Since within a democracy, the government is expected to fully represent the views of its people, leaving out the young people in such an important democratic exercise undermines the ideals of democracy. There is a need for politicians to begin caring for the votes of young people. It is true that young people are affected in several other ways because politicians do not want to win their backing and attention.

If politicians are faced with an option of either making legislations that affect the youth or those that are of interest to the elderly, they definitely will opt for the latter. Therefore by engaging the youths in voting exercises and political activities, it can easily help policy makers have the interest of everyone within the constituents fully represented.

Chapter 7

In this chapter, the author proposes a solution that ensures young people are involved in voting, just like the elderly (Wattenberg). The solution is compulsory voting. I would like te, nd to agree with these solutions since as a far as I am concerned, it is by far the most effective way in ensuring the engagement of young people in voting exercises.

However, this solution seems a little harsh for young people who have developed the idea that voting is a choice. Quite a good number of young people do not believe in being responsible by voting or making use of their rights by voting. Coercing this cohort of young people to vote may create conflict that was not anticipated. The other option that would seem effective is civil education. I strongly believe that if a series of civil education programs are conducted continuously, this would have a permanent effect and cause voter turnout to be increased.

Chapter 8

It is true that political involvement does not only include casting votes at the ballots but also taking part in community affairs and politics. This assertion seems to be the trend in many world democracies but never seems to be the trend in others as young people are engaged in political activities in different ways. In some democracies, the youths are bribed to the ballot box and involved in violent political related activities.

Nonetheless, there is generally a decline in political interest among young people. However, young people have become more involved in community problem-solving. They form group campaigns that call on politicians to take action whenever there is a communal problem. Even though this may be regarded as an unconventional form of political participation, the young people are beginning to make their voice heard in world politics. The place for the young people in the political forest currently lies within the community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is a need for young people to be more engaged in political activities of their country. Based on the argument presented by the author, the disengagement of young people in political activities has consequences with long term effect. This issue, therefore, needs to be addressed.

The author has presented a series of evidence to support his hypothesis. However, the idea of compulsory voting may not be entirely necessary as the youths do not need to be coerced to do something they feel they have a choice. Civil education, therefore, is the best way to engage the youth and cause them to be more proactive in political matters of their country.

Works cited

Wattenberg, Martin P. Is Voting for Young People? With a Postscript on Citizen Engagement. Boston: Longman, 2008

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