POLITICS SUCKS. So do politicians. But even though your vote next Tuesday won't
improve politics, it will actually mean something this year, because ...
POLICIES MATTER. Policies transform our lives, for better or
for worse. And these 3 particular policies,
which will impact the rest of your life, are going to be decided in next
Tuesday's election:
MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE:
The Democrats want to raise the Federal minimum wage to somewhere
between $12 and $15 an hour. Right now
it is at $7.25 an hour. For a full time
job, that means anywhere from an extra $190.00 to $310.00 per week. Even in those few states which now have a
minimum wage of $9 or $10 an hour, workers will take home an extra $80.00 to $240.00
a week. That's serious money, and because
virtually all of it gets spent, it boosts the economy even further, requiring
more hiring to keep up with increased sales of goods and services.
By comparison, Republicans oppose the minimum wage and believe that
employers should be allowed to set wages at whatever rate the market will bear.
AFFORDABLE COLLEGE EDUCATION:
It takes a college education to land the highest-paying and most
satisfying jobs. But a college education
costs almost as much as a house these days, which is why Democrats are
proposing to do 2 things:
1) Make college debt-free by providing every student with the ability
to get, at a minimum, free tuition at Community Colleges; and also to provide a
tuition-free State College option for families who earn less than $125,000
annually.
2) allow the 25 million graduates who already have outstanding college
loans to refinance them at lower rates, the same way homeowners can refinance
their homes in order to save money
GLOBAL WARMING:
If you are under the age of 40, (which may explain why Republicans deny
it even exists), this will be the issue of your lifetime. What good is a higher wage and a better
education if in the near future, the planet is inhospitable to human habitation?
It's not selfish to want breathable air
and drinkable water. And besides
lowering our costs and reducing our impact upon the planet, renewable energy is
really cool! And it's an industry that
will continue to innovate and create high-paying jobs well into the future.
While there are many other issues which will be affected by the outcome
of this election, there are none that will affect your lives more than the 3
above. If for no other reason, that's
why you should vote next Tuesday. Not
because I asked, but because your future depends upon whose policies our
country follows.
POLICIES MATTER. So does your future.
Note: Presidents can't make
policy on their own. They need the cooperation
of the House of Representatives and the Senate in order make changes. Your vote matters there, too.
