Why 2024 Matters
2024 matters. We, as a nation, are faced with a variety of choices this election season, and each of those choices will spark positive and negative consequences. Pundits will tell you that the most important aspect of the 2024 campaign are the candidates. You may hear that “Trump is a threat to Democracy” from the left, or that “Harris will create a more dangerous America” from the right. This election is important, but it is important for an entirely different reason. We are faced with a choice that is not centered around the candidate we vote for but rather about what we want American politics to become. Do we want to increasingly tear down precedents of decorum and civility? Are we, as Americans, stripping away our civil responsibilities for the sake of our individual ego? Will we seek to tear down a political culture that was built over centuries of history? Are we already too tribal and fractured?
I have witnessed (in one election cycle) two assassination attempts, geriatric candidates, doom and gloom proclamations, and mud slinging from both the right and the left. It pains me to think that the questions I am asking are too late. Has the Republic, so dearly crafted by our Founders, already begun to crumble under the weight of vice and decadence? Is it the case that our American political reality has already slid too far into the profane, or is there still hope to wade our way out of the this political quagmire?
I believe that hope is possible in a country that seeks to shout the opposite, and it starts with this election cycle. In two weeks time, millions of Americans will go to the polls and cast their votes for two dramatically different political realities. Yet, my challenge is not to worry about the candidates on the ballot, but to instead worry about how you treat your fellow American. Below, I offer a few recommendations this election season to begin thinking about our political reality in a more hopeful way.
Take two days over the next few weeks to step away from all forms of political discourse. Maybe this involves silent reflection, a shared meal with friends, attending a church service, or dedicating your time to avoiding news media. I find that taking these moments opens up my heart to better understand my neighbor and community.
Choose to vote this election season despite voices of apathy. Voting shouldn’t be a chore. Instead, it is part of a civic duty built and fought for by millions of Americans across centuries of political history. Research and think about which candidate best aligns with where you want the country to go with this reality in mind.
Take time to thank two to three people for voting when you go to the polls. You may disagree with your fellow American, but we can all agree that it is better to have a choice than no choice at all. Vocalize that gratitude! This recommendation may sound trivial, but grassroots local hope can go a long way towards limiting hateful attitudes come election day.
Accept the result. American politics is an ever shifting beast. The constituency of today is not the constituency of tomorrow. America will exist after this election is over, and it is an equal part of our civic duty to accept the results of elections, no matter their result.
Think more about which local candidates you want in office. A good rule of thumb would be to research your local candidates twice as much as you research the presidential ones. Why? Because the President has way less impact on your political day to day life than the individuals that compose your school board, township committee, or state congress. Focus on issues that are going to impact your daily life, and have genuine conversations with people in your community to seek genuine comprise.
This election season does not have to be painful or full of vitriol. Instead, it can be a chance for us to create a culture of civility in the midst of a world spiraling towards chaos. Otherwise, we all may be witnessing the death knell of the American Republic.