Everything Is at Stake If Romney, Ryan Win

Courtesy of NewsOne

Less than three months left, less than three months until one of the most-important elections of our lifetimes.  For everyone who thinks they can just stay at home, or that they can't be bothered to vote this time around, let me remind you what's at stake: Medicare, unemployment insurance, health care, programs to help the most impoverished like food stamps and more — pretty much everything you take for granted as a citizen in this country. The reality is, if Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan win office, you can be guaranteed that one of their first moves will be to cut beneficial, necessary programs that are essential in a tough economy like today. 

How do I know? Ryan already told us — just take a look at his proposed budget plan. 

So to all the young voters out there who think they can sit this one out:  You'd better wake up and realize it's your future at stake.

How many of us wouldn't like to be self-sufficient?  There isn't a person in this country or on this planet for that matter that wouldn't enjoy being so self-sustained that they have no financial worries whatsoever for the rest of their lives.  For people like Ryan, Romney, and the 1 percent, it's easy to sit there and talk about less government and self-sufficiency, but they have never gone to bed hungry, slept on a park bench, worked four jobs to put food on the table, sacrificed a dream in order to send a child to school, or suffered from severe depression because there's no hope left.

It's easy for those who have never felt the pain and anguish that so many middle-class and poor families are experiencing to sit there and paint the majority as the problem.  And it's easy to stomp on us while awarding the rich because they think we will not speak up. 

Let's prove them wrong.

Often times, the youth are looked over because people either think we're disinterested or too caught up in other things to care about politics. But that's far from the truth. Every single day I work with all kinds of young folks – even teenagers – that are deeply concerned about their future and the future of the country.

The problem is, while many young people discuss issues of concern, not enough of us do something about it. 

I can't think of an easier way to voice your opinion than by voting. We're not asking you to march in the street or organize a rally, but just to make sure that you get off your behind and head to the voting booth on Election Day.

Ryan's "Path to Prosperity" is an avenue to wealth alright – but for those who are already well off.  With severe cuts to services like Medicare, Medicaid, and much, much more, his plan will hurt the ones already suffering in this tough economic climate.  And as we know far too well, people of color have been hurt the most, with the highest percentages of unemployment, underemployment, foreclosure rates, poverty, and more. But another group that is directly and gravely impacted in this recession that sometimes gets ignored are young people.

Even with a college degree, many are finding it beyond difficult to find a job and are instead forced to live with their family, receive unemployment, and put off their plans.  If the Romney/Ryan budget ideas were to go in to effect, the next generation is looking at diminished student loans, among other cuts.  So before you decide to skip out on this election because you think it 'doesn't matter', maybe you need to think again.

I'm a personal supporter of President Barack Obama, but no matter who you support, vote because our vote is our voice.