When it comes down to it, very few of us, if any, are involved with politics. Think about it: no matter your major, politics will affect you. Science majors need government grants to fund research, Economics majors advise the Fed and influence budgetary decisions, English majors study how literature changed people’s behavior and thus their political concerns. And Government majors? Simply learning current events pales in comparison to the political work we could be doing. Why does involvement so often manifest itself as purely a summer internship?

The author (left) with Alyssa Roberts (CMC '13) and Danielle Butterfield (Chapman '11) at a Campus Progress Convention in Summer 2011

As college students, we will be directly affected by Pell grants, the age extension for health insurance coverage, and changes in voter registration laws. Later in life, tax rates, block grants, social security, and more will greatly influence both our work and personal lives.

So what is stopping us from getting involved? Politics is messy and confusing, not to mention it often feels like we can’t make a difference. It also focused around gamesmanship. Connor Barclay (CMC ’13) explains, “I definitely care about politics, I just don’t like them or ‘follow’ them.” But whether we like politics or not, politics changes how we live. Sam Stone (CMC ’14) chooses to be involved through his work at the Rose Institute. He sums up, “[Politics is] so irritating…but it matters.” Even though politics can be frustrating and exasperating, if we fail to get involved, we are giving up on ourselves and on what we care about. Barclay elaborates, “Sadly, I think many individuals in the business world, who would make excellent politicians, are turned off by the current state of political affairs.”

I challenge those who see politics as a hopeless game to try to change the system, not give up on it. And, for those enthralled with the political system, put yourself inside of it! This, of course, begs the question: can we actually make a difference?

The American government is massive. Politics involves so many players that even the smallest efforts can reach the right ears and make a difference. Stone believes, “if you put even a little time into [politics], you can have an impact.” Last week, in the special election for former Representative Weiner’s seat, a Republican won in a Democratic majority district, in part due to low voter turnout. If you are a Democrat, you could have made a difference by making calls to encourage stronger turnout within your party, simply by visiting a website. In addition to voting, representatives and senators care about what we have to say. This summer, my friend interned for a Congresswoman. She recounted to me how a constituent wrote in about a little-known law, so my friend researched the law and other staffers took a serious look at co-sponsoring the bill. Had the constituent not written in, the staffers wouldn’t have taken the time to research a potentially important bill.

Of course, not all petition-signing, phone-banking, and letter writing makes a difference. If we make an effort now, while we are in college, people will listen and we will get into the practice of staying engaged in politics and having a say. Young people are always applauded for any type of political action, no matter how small. If we grow accustomed to contacting our senators, lobbying when we visit Washington, DC (or our District office), or writing to our state congressperson, we will know what to do when we are in positions in or outside of the government where legislation directly affects us. By staying informed and getting involved, we set ourselves up to be more successful in the future.

Granted, there are many people on campus who are extremely involved. Andy Willis (CMC ’14) comments on the general political atmosphere on campus: “When we play Whittier in soccer, the cheers reference Nixon.” However, there is always more to be done. As Willis puts it, “political activism on campus isn’t as strong as one would assume it could be.” We have so many resources, so much potential to get involved, and great opportunities to lay the groundwork for life-long political involvement. Join the College Democrats or the College Republicans, both of which will be significantly stepping up their political involvement this year. Or if that’s not your thing, track legislation related to an issue discussed in your community service club or visit congressional district offices to see what’s happening. I challenge you to take your political involvement to the next level, whether it’s spearheading a piece of local legislation or simply reading a daily newspaper. Politics will play a significant role in our lives regardless of our careers. We cannot afford to wait to get involved until after college and let politics play out without us. We are the future – if we don’t improve the political situation in Washington, who will?

The Claremont Political Union was created as a confluence of the Claremont Democrats and Claremont Republicans clubs, and CMC’s two partisan newspapers, the Claremont Port Side, and the Claremont Independent. According to President of the Claremont Democrats, Elaine Maloney (SC ’08), “People might be involved in politics, but might not be allegiant to a party. But this is a good place to start for the same goal.” Mike Whatley (CMC ’11), Vice-President of Operations for the Claremont Republicans, echoed this goal: “It is a good thing to come together, and hold events together in a friendly environment.”

Yet, the debate over the choice of TV channel almost turned the event hostile. A half-dozen Republicans charged the party’s organizers with partisanship because they chose CNN over Fox News. To appease both sides, the CPU decided to switch between channels every 30 minutes. Yet, Mr. Whatley told me that “CNN was better anyway.”

By 6 PM, The Hub was full of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike, and voting in California was still open for another two hours. Sometime after 6 p.m., CNN made a projection—Barack Obama had won Delaware. The crowd of Obama supporters was glowing and cheering. On the other side, the response was more hushed during Republican projections—when John McCain won New York, the crowd remained mostly unmoved with a few scattered claps and boos.

None of the organizations in the CPU endorsed a candidate as a club, and are now focused on future events and funding. They are planning an “unconventional partisan debate” during Alumni Weekend, and are seeking funding as an organization (a consortium within a consortium?), instead of using funds from each member club. This time, club funds bought sets of red, white, and blue balloons and a handy delegate chart that was much easier to follow than that of the Situation Room at CNN.

Breaking from the usual CMC party scene, the clubs did not buy alcohol with their funds. “No one here is looking to get smashed on a Tuesday night,” said Ms. Maloney. Still, a few students improvised with Chardonnay (Obama supporters).

In CMC’s community of political involvement and partisanship, many students loved the bipartisan atmosphere. Molly Doyle (CMC ’09) said, “I’m just so excited to be here. This event would only happen at CMC.”