Ava Wahl
Welcome to Ava Asks! Every other month, I’ll tackle an interesting issue and interview members of the school community on their thoughts. I want to make sure that the opinions, voices, and experiences of students and staff are heard, and that everyone has access to intriguing discussions about what’s going on in our school, state, country, and beyond.
Here’s the first piece. Enjoy!
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With the election only a few days away, the future of our nation was on everyone’s mind. As citizens of the United States, civic participation and political awareness are central aspects of American life; but, especially as of late, following elections and government antics can feel like a chore, or even something to fear.
As a self-professed political enthusiast, I took it upon myself to investigate the perspectives of students and staff alike. Throughout October, I interviewed two students and two teachers about their understanding of the election process, key issues at hand, and the possible results.
Interviewees
Molly H- Grade 11
Morgan H- Grade 11
Interviewee 3- Faculty Member
Interviewee 4- Faculty Member
Here’s what I found:
Have you voted before? Are you eligible?
Both students were not yet eligible, but expressed interest in doing so once they turned 18. Both teachers told me that they always voted in presidential elections.
How much do you know about the upcoming Presidential Election on November 5th, 2024? Have you been following current political events? Why or why not?
One student, Morgan, explained they follow the news frequently and try to inform themselves about the various policies discussed, while Molly said she was “moderately informed”, and was especially invested in this election “due to its ramifications”.
Interviewee 3 stressed that they kept up with the news, while another teacher called themself a “policy wonk”.
Some of the major issues affecting the upcoming election are immigration, abortion and health care, the national economy, and foreign policy, namely our government’s role in funding Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In this election, and regarding the future of the country, what issues are most important to you as an individual? Why?
How do you think the results of the election could impact our community or other communities that are important to you?
Both Morgan and Molly viewed womens’ healthcare and abortion as top issues in the upcoming election; they fear the impact of Project 2025, a handbook that may influence the policies of a second Trump presidency. Specifically, Morgan worried that the results could “greatly affect the very existence of [their] identity as a non-binary person”, due to the rhetoric and proposals outlined in the document and conservative media. Molly also said that the conflict in Gaza needed to be “drastically reconsidered”, and that building up infrastructure in poor neighborhoods and environmental sustainability were also top concerns for her.
Interviewee 3 stressed that climate change was the most important issue, and was a key motivator for them.
Interviewee 4 named protecting abortion as a top concern, and believed they were lucky to “live in a progressive state that tries to treat women as equals, that opposes acts of violence, including gun violence, [and] that seeks to tax the very rich to curb and ameliorate the lack of housing”. They also expressed dissatisfaction at the way immigrants “are denigrated, abused and scapegoated” in our country. Interviewee 4 strongly disapproved of the current administration’s support of Israel in its attempt to occupy land using “extreme acts of violence”, but admitted that defending Israel seemed like a necessity for any candidate in the current political climate.
What are your views on various aspects of the American political system, such as the electoral college and the two-party system?
Morgan learned in GovPol that “the bicameral system of two houses was one of the best decisions of our legislature”. However, they believe the “electoral college is flawed” and that having a popular democracy, although challenging, would “be more fair to the people and more accurate to the votes”. They also expressed concern with the flaws in the two-party system, and favored multi-party systems like those in Europe.
Molly also agreed that the two-party system is flawed, because it “encourages conflict and limits actual progress and growth by making it a lesser-of-the-two-evils question as opposed to who is actually the best for the job”.
Interviewee 3 understood the criticism of the electoral college and the two-party system, but approved of their stability. They thought that “a purely popular vote would result in an election where only a handful of cities matter”, and explained that “everyone once and a while, a party dies off and a new one is born (e.g., Federalist, Whig, Progressive), so third parties emerge all the time”. The second faculty member said we “need a parliamentary system to actually get more representation in government. The electoral college at the very least, needs to go. When a losing candidate can get the majority of votes in this country, by millions, and still not win, something is wrong”.
Would you mind telling me who you’re voting for (or who you would vote for), and your reasoning for this decision? Do you think your preferred candidate is going to win?
Three of my interviewees answered this question.
Morgan would vote for Kamala Harris if they could, although they don’t agree with “her and the Biden Administration’s stance on the Gaza Israel conflict”. However, Morgan says, “I stand with most of her policies and who she is as a person. I feel as though a nation under the Trump Admin is a nation that will no longer be for me. In my opinion, his policies will only bring harm to my community and the things that I stand for”. Molly would also vote for Harris, and believes she will win, but clarifies that her “sampling is in a liberal area from the perspective of a woman which skews the data quite a bit”.
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One faculty member said they're voting for Harris based on their concerns for the country: “I would love to see a Black woman lead this country. I am hoping she can, following Biden, appoint many liberal judges to the bench across this country as an antidote to Trump's appointments”. When asked if they thought Harris would win, Interviewee 4 replied “Yes!”.
Whether or not we can vote, this is a time for all of us to reflect on our views and our place in this country’s democracy. Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that our thoughts and perspectives matter, when there’s so much information to take in and so many things going on. But the most important thing is to keep talking, keep trying, and never stop asking questions!
That’s all for now!