Post Classifieds
The importance of being politically informed
By The Record Staff
On October 24, 2012
It's just about that time of year.
Actually, it's just about that time of every fourth year.
In less than two weeks, Americans will take to schools, churches, town halls and
numerous other cultural centers to vote in the 2012 Presidential Election.
Millions of college students, along with people in other walks of life, will pour out of
dorm rooms and apartments everywhere to join in the process.
The college years are key to the growth from young people to full-fledged adults.
While people aged 18 or older are legally considered adults and are eligible to
partake in the voting process, there are members of The Record's staff that would
admit to not being mature enough to make an informed decision at some point
during their college careers.
That's not to say that students shouldn't vote, or that the voting age should
necessarily be higher. It's meant as a call to those with the ability to vote to look at
voting as a responsibility that is to be taken seriously.
It's imperative that voters of all ages take the time to do enough research to ensure
their vote, no matter where it's aimed, is well informed. If you can't come up with a
well-crafted defense as to why you voted for a particular candidate, maybe you'd be
better served abstaining from voting.
Politicians rely upon the uninformed vote. It's the reason billions of dollars are
being spent on campaigns and advertising. In our culture, it sometimes seems that
the media persona of a candidate matters more than their platform.
In an admittedly abbreviated effort at polling for a story, The Record found that 10
of 10 randomly questioned students prefer Barack Obama to Mitt Romney.
Is that because Obama is hands down a better candidate? Maybe, but that's doubtful.
What's more likely is that Buffalo State students, typically ages 18-24 and coming
from culturally-diverse, middle-to-low income lifestyles, feel they have more in
common with Obama than Romney.
Add in that Obama spends more money on social media campaigns than any
president in history, and it's easy to see why the majority of our direct peers might
support him.
This isn't written as an endorsement of Romney or an indictment of Obama and is
not meant to sway votes in either direction.
It's simply an example of candidates selling their brand over their platform aimed
at strengthening this editorial's point: If you plan on voting, make sure you do so for
the right reasons.
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent The Record News Articles
Kids give new outlook on college
I think I speak for many college students, male or female, when I say that being a college student is hard, but balancing school with ...
Kerry's comments carry credibility issues
It appears as though John Kerry needs a vocal filter. In his first address to a foreign nation since assuming his current role as S...
Bathroom messages inspire hope in hard times
I have always struggled to understand the "bathroom stall graffiti" phase. Like most things that seem to be exciting for everyone ...
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE RECORD NEWS
- We've Moved to www.buffstaterecord.com!
- Obama divulges new higher education initiative during visit to UB
- Ailing Podolefsky steps down as president
- SUNY appoints Cohen interim president
- President Podolefsky announces leave to fight cancer
- Rappers put Pepsi in a bind
- Congrats to grads: take next step with gratitude
RECENT THE RECORD CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- A Story To Sing About
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
- A Dog Trainer’s Top Tips to Support Pets Through Life S...
- Clear the Air of Indoor Pollutants This Spring
- Stroke & Dementia in Black Men: Tips for Staying Healthy...
- Hispanics and African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye...
- African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye Disease
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- No Child is Forgotten By Marine Toys for Tots
- Sweeten Your Springtime Salads With Healthy Chilean Grapes
- Young Author Translates 4,000-Year-Old Text to Reveal...
- Keeping Cool and Energy-efficient Amid America’s “...
- Addressing Sarcopenia with a Healthy Diet
- Subway’s New Wraps Elevate Eating on the Go
- Family Teacher Conference Topics Beyond Academics
- Youth Take Down Tobacco
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Reads to Kickoff Spring
- Curbing Colorectal Cancer in Minority Populations
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- Semiconductor Research Corp unveils 2024 Research Call, $13.8M Funding
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
- BLUMHOUSE AND AMC THEATRES LAUNCH FIRST-EVER HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN FILM FESTIVAL
- THE GEN Z IMPERATIVE: LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND GIVE GEN Z A VOICE
