Midterm elections are only days away, political ads are running rampant and students at John Brown University remain in their bubble. Many students at JBU are apathetic toward politics. Some just don’t care, others don’t vote because mailing in their ballot is tedious and many don’t even know who or what to vote for on their ballot.
No, a new president will not be elected this year. However, that is the very reason that you should be informed about what is going on this election season. Midterm elections — when senators, representatives and governors are elected — can change the political climate more than the executive office.
We The Threefold Advocate urge students to stop ignoring politics due to apathy or inconvenience. The ability to vote is precious, and the fact that many students ignore it is unfortunate. We urge all students to at least read up on the issues being discussed this season, and not just the ones in the headlines.
Did you know that these elections could result in Republicans gaining control of the Senate for the first time since 2006? This would mean that the GOP would control both houses of Congress, allowing them to push their agenda with ease. The New York Times predicted that the Republicans have a 65 percent chance of gaining a majority. Needless to say, this is a big deal.
In addition, the home states of a significant number of JBU students are major players in the elections. Arkansas has a contentious battle going for one of its seats in the Senate between Mark Pryor and Tom Cotton. Texas will get a new governor, wishing Rick Perry a farewell and welcoming either Greg Abbott or Wendy Davis. Kansas may get a new governor and senator. Colorado is a key state in determining whether the Senate will get a Republican majority, or stay with the Democrats.
You may not want to vote — or may be unable to by now — but this should not keep you from being informed. We The Threefold Advocate encourage you to read up on the candidates and the issues through an unbiased website such as politifact.com, which rates political information on a scale from true to “pants on fire.”
It is your responsibility to be educated and informed about these issues. Not voting and not being informed ultimately penalizes you, whether