A Time for Action

POL 213: In an article entitled, “Graduating to Public Service,” Stephen Barr attempts to alert Americans to a growing trend among young college graduates: they don’t have the sense of civic duty, undying patriotism, optimism in the character of men, or financial incentive to motivate them to apply for positions in the federal government. This is a concern for both government officials and for the average citizen because of the imminent shortage of employees to fill critical roles. The Baby Boomer generation is entering the retirement phase of their lives in droves. Who will step up to take control of our nation as they vacate official positions? This question also begs another, deeper uncertainty looming over the American psyche. Namely, why is there such a disconnection between the younger generations and the federal government? And how can we bridge this gap?

The writers of the Anti-Federalist Papers once advocated for individual states that would hold more power than a federal government. For the most part, their opinion reigned during the Constitutional convention. As a result, a national government was formed that required the input of the individual citizen to make it function well. Over the last two centuries, the size of our government has grown exponentially. No longer does an average citizen feel that his vote holds a sway in the direction of our country. In fact, he more often feels that it won’t matter if he votes or not, the decision is made by an electorate far removed from everyday realities. Or why should he petition his congressman, or call his legislator? They are too entrenched in the concerns of lobbyists and campaign contributors to listen to the voice of an individual constituent. Some of this may be due to the population growth of our country. It is true that legislators today represent a much larger number of citizens. Perhaps we do need to modify the required number of representatives. But at what cost? Would the legislature be able to function properly with more than 435 representatives, or would it bog down in committees, party politics, and hidden agendas? As the nation considers its future, there are several citizens finally sounding the alarm. I believe our past actions in allowing big government and its accompanying distance from the individual citizen has contributed to the attitude of apathy among our youth. If we continue to allow this trend, we deserve to suffer the consequences of our actions. I, for one, would hate to see the results of an overextended and understaffed bureaucracy. Or am I staring it in the face?