Something extraordinary is happening in America right now.
And I think we’re just beginning to understand it.
Young people are changing their minds about politics.
And you know what? That’s a good thing!
Because changing your mind means you’re thinking.
It means you’re questioning.
It means you’re looking at the world around you and asking a very simple question:
What the hell is going on?
The New York Times just published a fascinating article about young voters.
Remember 2024?
Donald Trump made enormous gains with young voters, particularly young men.
Fifty-five percent of young men supported him.
That was a big deal.
But now, two years later, the numbers are changing.
According to the polling discussed in the article, Democrats have a narrow advantage among young men.
And among young women, Republican support has fallen dramatically.
But here’s what I find fascinating.
This isn’t necessarily a love affair with the Democratic Party.
Not even close.
A third of young voters say neither political party is focused on the right things.
Think about that.
One out of every three young Americans looks at our two major political parties and essentially says:
“Neither one of you understands what’s happening in my life.”
And frankly, I think that’s a conversation worth having.
Because I’ve been having that conversation myself.
I’m 69 years old.
I’m running for mayor of Greensboro, North Carolina.
And I’ve embarked on a mission to interview a thousand people in my community.
Not to tell them what I think.
Not to convince them I’m right.
But to find out what THEY think.
And more importantly, WHY they think it.
And let me tell you something.
I’m learning more from these conversations than I ever learned watching politicians argue on television.
Because people have stories.
Extraordinary stories.
And when you give somebody an opportunity to tell you their story without interrupting them, without judging them, without trying to change their mind…
Something magical happens.
They open up.
And you begin to understand what’s really going on.
Now, back to these young voters.
One young man in the article works 40 hours a week in a factory.
And he can’t afford a crappy studio apartment.
Think about that.
He’s working full-time.
He’s doing what generations of Americans were told to do.
Get a job.
Work hard.
Be responsible.
Build a life.
Except there’s one little problem.
The math doesn’t work anymore!
Another young man is working two jobs.
Seven of his friends are working second jobs.
And they’re looking around wondering:
“What happened to the American dream?”
That’s not a Republican question.
That’s not a Democratic question.
That’s an American question.
And it deserves an answer.
I’ve come to believe that most people want five pretty basic things.
They want a place to live.
They want safe streets.
They want an education.
They want healthcare.
And they want the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families.
That’s it!
We’re not talking about putting everybody on a spaceship to Mars.
We’re talking about being able to pay the rent!
And somehow, we’ve managed to turn these basic human needs into an endless political argument.
Republicans blame Democrats.
Democrats blame Republicans.
And the average American is standing in the grocery store wondering why a bag of groceries costs so damn much.
Meanwhile, Washington keeps talking.
And talking.
And talking.
Good God, if talking were an Olympic sport, Congress would win every gold medal!
But here’s something else this article reveals.
Young Americans aren’t necessarily committed to one political ideology.
Some are interested in Bernie Sanders.
Some are interested in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Some are interested in conservative politicians who challenge their own party.
They’re looking at individuals.
They’re asking questions.
They’re trying to figure out who actually understands their lives.
And that’s healthy.
Because democracy shouldn’t be about blindly following a political party.
It should be about evaluating ideas, examining results, and holding people accountable.
Now here’s where things get really interesting.
In the last midterm election, only about 30 percent of voters under 30 showed up.
Thirty percent!
Compare that with nearly 70 percent of voters over 65.
Now I’m 69.
So apparently, I’m part of the demographic that actually shows up!
And believe me, I love my generation.
But shouldn’t younger Americans have just as much influence over the decisions that will shape their futures?
Of course they should.
And here’s the beautiful thing.
They can.
They don’t need permission.
They don’t need to wait until they’re 40.
They don’t need a political science degree.
They don’t need a million followers on TikTok.
They need information.
They need to ask questions.
They need to understand the issues.
And they need to participate.
That’s what democracy is supposed to be.
Citizens participating in their own government.
Not spectators sitting on the sidelines watching two political parties beat the hell out of each other.
And I want to make one thing very clear.
I don’t care whether somebody is a Republican, a Democrat, an independent, or somebody who hasn’t figured out what they believe yet.
I want them involved.
I want them asking questions.
I want them challenging assumptions.
I want them examining what their government is doing with their money.
And I want them to understand that their voice matters.
Because here’s something I’ve discovered during my interviews.
People don’t necessarily expect you to agree with them.
But they sure as hell appreciate being heard.
And I think we’ve lost some of that in American politics.
We’ve become so obsessed with winning arguments that we’ve forgotten how to have conversations.
We judge people before we understand them.
We assign labels before we hear their stories.
And then we wonder why everybody is so divided.
Well, maybe it’s time to try something different.
Maybe instead of asking somebody who they voted for, we should ask them what they’re worried about.
Maybe instead of telling somebody why they’re wrong, we should ask them why they believe what they believe.
And maybe, just maybe, we’ll discover that we have a hell of a lot more in common than we thought.
Because that young factory worker who can’t afford an apartment?
He doesn’t need another political slogan.
He needs a future.
And the young woman worried about her rights?
She deserves to be heard.
And the young conservative who feels abandoned by his party?
His concerns deserve to be understood, too.
That’s what democracy looks like.
Now, I don’t know exactly where this political awakening is going.
Nobody does.
Poll numbers change.
Political loyalties change.
People change their minds.
But I do know this.
A democracy is stronger when its citizens are informed, engaged, and willing to participate.
And that’s something every generation can work toward.
So here’s my challenge.
Talk to somebody you disagree with.
Ask them a question.
And then do something radical.
Listen to the answer.
You might learn something.
You might change your mind.
Hell, you might even make a friend.
And while you’re at it, make sure you’re registered to vote.
Study the candidates.
Understand the issues.
And make your own decision.
Because this country doesn’t belong to Donald Trump.
It doesn’t belong to the Republican Party.
It doesn’t belong to the Democratic Party.
It belongs to the American people.
All of us.
Young and old.
Republican and Democrat.
Rich and poor.
Every single one of us.
And the moment we begin treating each other like fellow citizens instead of political enemies…
Well, that’s when things can really start to change.
I’m John Eagleton.
I’m 69 years old.
And I’m still learning something new every single day.
And you know what I’ve discovered?
The more people I talk to, the more hopeful I become about America.
Now get out there.
Ask questions.
Listen.
Get involved.
And remember…
DON’T JUST BE A SPECTATOR.
BE A CITIZEN!
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