Democracy Doing Its Job?

by Elise Meyer

A generation of web surfers, twenty five year old millionaires and young CEO's of dot com businesses has also produced scarcely anyone who will use their body, mind and passion to raise consciousness for a particular cause that needs help. Our country is experiencing a recession in the area of idealism.

What do people feel passionately about? What would send teens marching in front of the Capitol shouting catch phrases? Chances are teens are probably not so moved by anything. Surfing the web or talking on the phone takes a front seat to traipsing across Washington, D.C., challenging the status quo. If this is inaccurate, and doesn't pertain to you, then you probably represent a minority.

Election year 2000, many voting and non-voting teens expressed disinterest in the "unimpressive choice" of presidential candidates and the lack-luster campaigns these "bland" candidates ran. According to Governor Lowell Weicker, former Senator and House Representative for the State of Connecticut, this results from one thing: the undemocratic nature of our democracy. In other words, our two party political system hinders competition and provides a small market of ideas and passion for our country. "The greatness of our country has been built upon competition," says Weicker. "We disdain monopolies, if you will, because it restricts choices and produces bad products. However, what we have rejected economically, we accept politically. With a monopoly, or duopoly (two party system), the result is that we get bad ideas and bad candidates...The system can be totally fixed by competition."

Weicker contends that apathy and the lack of idealism discouraged young voters experienced in this election resulted from a stale two party system. He believes that the young generation of this country do not feel as passionately about issues as, say their fathers and mothers felt about the Vietnam War. "Younger voters identify with those that challenge the system and display an element of idealism. When that is lacking people become apathetic. It is also true that we don't have some of the great challenging issues that inspire young people... This inspiration you are looking for -- very seldom will you get it from the two major parties. You need someone to come in and challenge the status quo in any area."

Competition and a higher caliber of issues can, according to Weicker, be addressed if there was a standard set of requirements to get candidates onto the presidential ballot. Currently each state has a separate set of standards for candidates to get on the ballot.

Lowell Weicker with TeenSpeak reporters Jordan Mamorsky, Rachel Stockman, and Elise Meyer.