With the Republican National Convention underway in Milwaukee and the Democratic National Convention rapidly approaching, political communication and campaign narratives are under a microscope. Feeling bewildered? We have just the episode for you!
A few months back, the CommunicationTwentyFourSeven podcast had the honor of speaking with Matthew Krayton! A political strategist and founder of the political consulting firm Publitics, Matt breaks down the why and how of political messaging.
During the episode, we dove deep into Matt’s love of history, which sparked his love of politics, the science behind polling, political engagement among younger generations, and so much more…Check out the podcast here!
In the episode linked above, our host, Jennifer, and guest, Matt, discuss a multitude of reasons why millennials (myself included) seem so apathetic toward the political process. After listening to it, I, CommunicationTwentyFourSeven’s resident youngster, felt compelled to offer my own thoughts.
It turns out that I’m not unique in this desire. Over the last decade, countless publications have opined on the motivations of the younger voting block: The Havard Business Review cited growing political polarization, The Atlantic blamed a lack of institutional transparency, and the Berkeley News says, in so many words, that we’re all terrified of the sky falling, so what’s the point anyway?
The answer: They’re all kinda sorta correct.
This is just one person’s opinion, and I’m by no means the voice of my generation, so do with these musings what you will.
It is true that the voices of political extremism seem quite boisterous in the current political moment. The Trump-led populist and nationalist elements on the right seem to have a firm grip on the Republican party. Meanwhile, the Democrats seem utterly incapable of offering a suitable alternative. The two sides may be divided on the issues, but they share a few things in common. They are all too old, too comfortable in their seats, and too entrenched in the ways of Washington to do anything productive.
Allow me to offer a few solutions to these problems.
Firstly, representation matters. The Berkeley article mentions that millennials and Gen Z’ers aren’t happy with our choices, and they are most assuredly correct. The youngest presidential candidate? is 78. The average age in the Senate is 65. In the House, it’s 58. Some youthful energy might just energize the 18-34 crowd.
Age is one thing. We can rejuvenate the political class, but how do we keep them accountable to the American people?
Two words: Term Limits
Members of the House and Senate don’t have any. Given all the perks that come along with the job, including the six-figure salary, one can understand the desire to keep that position even if it means following the worst whims of your party or falling in line with tradition when circumstances clearly call for innovation.
The privilege of serving our country at the federal level shouldn’t equate to a lifetime appointment. Without periodical change, thinking becomes stale; methodologies become hardened. Ultimately, the populous moves on. History has proven that the election process isn’t enough to facilitate the change necessary to keep things fresh. The quote, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” comes to mind. I believe Lord Acton, a 19th-century British historian and politician, was correct in his observation about power. Perhaps politicians would listen more closely to the moderate majority if they knew they had to live amongst them after four years.
Thank you for reading! To stay connected and dive deeper into the world of effective communication, be sure to follow the Communication TwentyFourSeven podcast, where we explore the intricacies of communication in various aspects of life.
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