The Non-Political

Hello readers!
My name is Peter McClelland, and I am one of the new bloggers for Carolina Review. I will be posting every Thursday, but before I get into the meat of my first post, I would like to explain why I think that you should read them.
First off, I am a Conservative Libertarian instead of just a Republican or Democrat, so I bring a slightly different perspective; it will be more ideological and less partisan, though I cannot say I will praise both major parties equally nor will I criticize both major parties equally. Republicans are closer to my views; there is no getting around that. But when Republicans stray I will be sure to point it out to my readers.
Second, despite being a freshman, this is not my first foray into political activism. I was a member of Representative Sue Myrick’s Youth Advisory Council in High School, and I volunteered for conservative Republican Tommy Tucker’s successful campaign for a seat in the NC Senate. I also spent last summer interning in New Jersey Governor Christie’s Lottery Department to learn about the use of social media in marketing and outreach.
Third, I know many people get turned off by big-wig academic types who write in a way that is difficult to understand for the average American, and even for the average Carolina student. I will try my best to keep the theoretical blather to a minimum and just say it as it is, in layman’s terms, but some jargon is inevitable.
Finally, I do my homework. I am constantly reading articles and news stories to stay up-to-date on any and all important issues. I read more stories and polls in a day than many students do in a month. Reading my blogs will give you my perspective on what I believe to be the most important aspects of these stories and events.
Now, on to today’s main issue: the “I don’t care about politics” crowd, or as I’ll refer to them, the non-political. If this describes anyone that you know, I would seriously like you to pose this question to them: “Why are you doing this to me?”
I ask you to do this because I am assuming that all of you want to be financially successful in life. If you are successful enough to be in the 50th percentile of income earners (top half), then you will pay taxes. Well, as of 1:30 on Monday, all taxpayers have an average of $130,855 in debt to America’s foreign and domestic creditors, in addition to any debt they took out privately (http://www.usdebtclock.org/). Oops… did the Progressives forget to tell you that? Well, if all the non-political citizens in America educated themselves in the same light as CR readers, I promise they could not remain non-political and maintain any personal code of morality, because to shackle citizens with such high amounts of debt is unconscionable and is only possible with an ignorant electorate. If the non-political woke up, then the Democrats and “Big Government Republicans” would be forced to choose between their addiction to spending and their job security.
To throw a few more facts and figures at you, the US Census estimated that the median annual household income (half make more, half make less) was $49,777. To do the math for you, it would take 2 years, 7 months, 16 days, and 9 hours to pay the average share of the national debt, which remember is $130,855, while making the median income even if 100% of income went to that payment. That is 2 years, 7 months, 16 days, and 9 hours that they do not work to feed their families, set up college funds for their children, increase consumer spending, or invest in the economy. All this is in addition to the considerable amount of time that they have to spend working to pay taxes, which further reduces their time to invest in these activities, which are essential to a modern, capitalist economy.
The amount of debt is still growing. Despite the seemingly epic debt and deficit battle, due to accounting tricks and the rejection of a Balanced Budget Amendment by the Senate, we still have a huge deficit and no clear way to eliminate it. So long as deficit spending continues, the debt will necessarily grow.
I leave you with this. Please vote! Please get your friends and family to vote, and only vote for people who are committed to ending deficit spending and reducing the debts that burden our generation and all generations after us. In primaries, do not vote for the person whom you think can win; vote for the responsible person. But most importantly, please, PLEASE, get involved. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that the man who condones evil is as guilty as the one who perpetrates it, and sitting on the sidelines while your future and your countries future are at stake is at best neutrality or ignorance and at worst tacit approval of the status quo.

“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
– Elie Wiesel (The Night Trilogy: Night, Dawn, The Accident)