Out of the Running

Descriere

MillennialsareoftenpublicallycriticizedforbeingapatheticabouttheAmericanpoliticalprocessandtheirlackofinterestinpoliticalcareers.Butwhatdomillennialsthemselveshavetosayabouttheprospectofholdingpoliticaloffice?AretheyasdisinterestedinpoliticalissuesandthefutureoftheAmericanpoliticalsystemasthemediasuggests?

OutoftheRunninggoesdirectlytothesourceanddrawsfromextensiveresearch,includingover50interviews,withgraduatestudentsineliteinstitutionsthathavehistoricallybeenadirectlinkfortheirgraduatesintostateorfederalelectedoffice:HarvardLaw,HarvardsKennedySchoolofGovernment,andBostonsSuffolkUniversityLawSchool.ShaunaShames,herselfayounggraduateofHarvardUniversity,suggeststhatmillennialsarenotdisinterested;rather,theydontbelievethatacareerinpoliticsisthebestwaytocreatechange.Millennialsviewthesystemascorruptorinefficientandareparticularlyskepticalaboutthefundraising,frenziedmediaattention,andlossofprivacythathavebecomestaplesoftheAmericanelectoralprocess.Theyareclearabouttheirdesiretomakeadifferenceintheworldbutfeelthatthebrokenpoliticalsystemisnotthebestwaytodosoabeliefheldparticularlybymillennialwomenandwomenofcolor.

TheimplicationsofShamesargumentarecrucialforthefutureoftheAmericanpoliticalsystemhowcanasystemadaptandgrowifqualified,intelligentleadersarenotinvolved?AnengagingandaccessibleresourceforanyonewhofollowsAmericanpolitics,OutoftheRunninghighlightstheurgentneedtofixtheAmericanpoliticalsystem,asanabsenceofdiversemillennialcandidatesleavesitsfutureinatrulyprecariousposition."