An appeal to every young person who says they won't vote in this election

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.