Laura Merrell
It’s October in an election year. Obviously, it’s an intoxicating, exciting time, especially on a college campus. Many students are about to vote in a presidential election for the first time. The lead up to the debates and their aftermath, along with the constant stream of Romney and Obama ads on YouTube, have left my head spinning.
I will admit to being swept up in the fervor and frenzy of election season, concentrating on taxes and healthcare and many other important issues that are being discussed by candidates. But I realized that I was so concerned with the presidential election, that I ignored what was happening globally in the news. I was forgetting America’s involvement in other nations. I’d also forgotten what was going on in other countries such as the ongoing situation in Syria and the unemployment crisis in Europe.
Syria’s struggle represents an issue of global impact that still has yet to be dealt with effectively and needs our attention as a major international concern. Just this last week, the Syrian Foreign Minister accused the United States and France, among other countries, of terrorist activities by giving arms and cash to the rebels in Syria. While we all make crucial decisions about who should lead our country for the next four years, we cannot cast aside the current state of global affairs that the U.S. is a part of. International politics impact our country both now and in the future.
While we rightfully fret over America’s economic situation during this election, the European Union’s similar concerns are a potent reminder that economic issues are widespread and shared by many other countries. Unemployment in EU nations has been on the rise since last summer, with around 25 million people currently out of work. While Obama or Romney discuss lost or newly created jobs in Ohio in their flashy YouTube ads, do not forget the state of the global economy and its connection to our own. One country’s economic downfall can certainly lead to another, and Europe is in bad shape right now, not to mention the problems already facing our own economy.
As the election draws closer, voters will be considering issues of great significance, which should be coupled with a recognition of America’s dealings abroad and what is going on in the world around us more generally. America’s unfinished business in the Middle East and ongoing global concerns such as Syria or the economic issues in Europe cannot be ignored until the election is over. Because of the problems happening in this country, an awareness of what is occurring on a global level incredibly important as the election continues. While the election will come and go, global affairs will not.