Editorial: Is it Time for a Younger President? Yes.

With voting behind us and the ballots being counted, the results are out of our hands now. All we can do is wait and see what is to come for our nation. 

But we must begin to look forward to what comes after this election. Whether it is Biden or Trump in office, one thing is for certain: We should not allow another election like this to happen. 

How is it that both of the party’s nominees for the last two elections have been over 70 years old? How is it that the young people’s vote has become one of the most influential demographics, yet we are stuck in a cycle of old candidates?

We, as millennials and Gen Z, have not been accurately represented for quite some time now. That needs to change. 

It can be expected that, within the next few election cycles (maybe even in 2024), the balance of voting power will sway away from the “Baby Boomer” generation and into the hands of the millennial and Gen Z generations. 

This poses a huge opportunity for us. We no longer have to ride the coattails of the older generations. We can finally get some control of the system that governs us. 

The first (and maybe most important) thing for us to do is to elect people who adequately represent us. That starts with electing people closer to our age. 

The current average age of members of the U.S. Congress is 57 for Representatives, and 62 for Senators. That is nearly double the minimum age requirement given by the Constitution.

While there is an argument to be made for the “wisdom” that comes with age, that wisdom is becoming increasingly outdated, especially as technology evolves and differences between generations increase.

In the past, the differences between generations were much more subtle. But now, with the invention of the internet and social media, there is a clear and distinct gap between what it means to be in the older generation versus the younger generation.

There is simply no way for someone 40 years older than us to even come close to knowing what it is like for us to deal with issues that pertain to us. 

Growing up with social media, being pushed into massive student debt, and an-ever changing job market are just a few issues that could be much better addressed by people that are closer to us in age.

Whether they are a Republican, Democrat, or a third party, we need to push to elect candidates who don’t just support solutions to our issues, but candidates who understand them also.