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Kelsey Franklin

Debnam

AP Lang

26 April 2017

A Humble Suggestion

There are many devastating problems that plague our society war, famine, poverty.

But the most egregious one is politics, or, more specifically, the lack of interest in our political

landscape. Instead of working to make change in our country by exercising our rights and our

freedoms as Americans, we sit idly by while corruption and ignorance reign. When

researching candidates, we resort not only to articles with dubious, if not completely false

information. Citizens are quicker to watch videos of funny cat videos than C-SPAN. We are

testing the limits of the definition of democracy in a country where barely half of the country

cares enough to vote.

This is not an imaginary problem. According to an article from CNN, the 2016 election

represents the lowest voter turnout in 20 years just 55% of the population showed up to the

polls. Congressional elections see even fewer voters, a meager 41%, as released by a 2014 report

from the census bureau.

It is not difficult to ascertain the reason for lack of political interest in America. A

majority of politicians are old and outdated, talking about such trivial issues as health care,

reproductive rights, and nuclear war. We are in the midst of the Internet age, and there are many

more interesting and relevant activities to partake in reblogging Beyonce memes and scrolling

through Tumblr, for instance.

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There is a clear and simple solution to the matter of disinterest in politics, as well as

many other related dilemmas. Instead of boring, middle-aged men from Whoknows,

Somewhereinthemidwestville running for office, we should turn to our heroes. People who we

look up to. People who we already turn to in times of need. People who, unlike our current

politicians, unite us under common causes. Our celebrities.

Many dismiss powerful individuals as vapid, self-centered, elitists who do not care about

the people. But enough complaining about our current politicians. Celebrities, on the other hand,

are the pinnacle of American culture and society. Adapting our political system to reflect modern

American interests would close the divide that exists within the country between political parties.

Not to mention, celebrities would add a level of diversity to Congress, making the government

truly representative of our current culture. People care about celebrities, so if they appeared on

the ballot, people would care enough to vote. Millennials in particular have become jaded with

the out-of-touch politicians who do not care what the younger generation wants. Celebrities

would also be constantly in contact with with people through social media. Through Twitter,

celebrities have the potential to truly listen to their constituents problems. While some

politicians have made Twitter accounts (or had their grandchildren set it up), they just cannot

compete with people like Katy Perry, who have nearly a billion followers.

Celebrity politicians would also change the way we think about elected officials in

general. Politicians are known for being liars who make empty promises just to get elected. They

maintain an absurd level of privacy that can be used to hide important information, including

secret ties to Russia and corruption. Because of paparazzi, we know much more about the lives

of famous people than we do about the people who write our laws. I know Beyonces favorite
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color, but not the Presidents tax information. Such transparency between constituents and

Congressmen would keep the government accountable for its actions.

In addition to celebrities being our political leaders, the election process would have to

change as well. No one likes leaving their home to vote, and no one likes watching dull,

two-hour debates. What Americans love are television game shows. The contestants vying for

office would have to participate in a series of iconic game shows Jeopardy, Family Feud, and

The Price is Right, to name a few in order to impress voters. Then, the populous would call in

or text their vote Dancing With the Stars style. Simple, engaging, and entertaining. In

addition, disputes on the congressional floor could be solved with dance offs or rap battles. To

garner attention on the laws being passed in the country, C-SPAN would be filmed like a reality

television show. Keeping Up With the Congressmen, anyone?

There are people who might oppose my plan. Dissenters may claim that celebrities dont

meet the qualifications for elected positions to which I say, it is already happening! People

like Arnold Schwarzenegger and even President Donald Trump have already run and secured

public offices, despite many doubting their abilities. They might claim that our current system of

government is based on the Founding Fathers ideals for a perfect nation, as well as many years

of trial and error. Well, our current political system is also one that allows for a majority of

people to vote for a presidential candidate without that candidate winning the election.
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Works Cited

"Census Bureau Reports Congressional Voting Turnout is at Lowest Mark since 1978."

Newsroom, United

States Census Bureau, 16 July 2015,

www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-122.html.

Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.

Wallace, Gregory. "Voter Turnout at 20-year Low in 2016." CNN Politics, CNN, 30 Nov. 2016,

www.cnn.com/2016/11/11/politics/popular-vote-turnout-2016/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.