Though many teenagers feel overwhelmed when looking at the news or are not that interested, overall being an informed member of society is of the utmost importance, particularly in a time of so much confusion. Many Woodbridge High students are nearing voting age, it’s important that members of the Warrior community are able to make informed decisions about who they are voting for and what issues they support. This requires careful scrutiny of both sides of the political spectrum and an honest evaluation of politics today.

While individual action cannot necessarily be considered an indication of a larger issue, the allegations of corruption against both President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden paint a grim picture of American democracy today.

While Biden likes to present himself as a middle class man who represents every American, his true audience is apparent when looking at his major donations. Although Biden claims that he will be harsh on Wall Street, many people on Wall Street have donated to his campaign, even though Wall Street typically leans right since Republicans typically have more lenient policies for the extremely wealthy. This is the first time in the last decade that Wall Street has donated more to Democratic candidates than Republican candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Potentially allowing donations from the financial sector to influence public policy is not new for Biden. In fact, prior to the financial crash, Biden spearheaded a bankruptcy bill that made it harder for Americans to pay off their debts. Many people believe he proposed this bill to appease donors in the credit card industry.

Corruption is a systemic problem rather than an individual issue.

On the other side of the political spectrum is Trump, arguably one of the most corrupt presidents in American history. The House of Representatives even impeached Trump due to his involvement in the Ukraine Scandal. Trump believed that Biden had engaged in corrupt acts during the Obama administration and attempted to bribe Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky in an effort to find these secrets.

Throughout the Obama administration, Biden oversaw American policy and relations towards the Ukraine. In 2014, his son, Hunter Biden, joined the board of the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma, despite having no experience concerning natural gas or the Ukraine, according to the Washington Post.

Trump’s illegal bribery call to the Ukrainian President was not only illegal, but unfair as Trump was failing to fulfill his duty to the American people so he could bring down an adversary. This is not what people need from a politician. People want well thought out policies rather than a political catfight. Furthermore, Trump cannot be considered a true American patriot or a true representative of American values because, as a recent New York Times expose revealed and alleged, Trump paid less taxes than the average citizen by exploiting loopholes in the tax system, only $750 in 2016 and 2017.

If a politician is not willing to sacrifice a little bit of their personal welfare for the greater good, particularly when they are extremely wealthy, our personal safety and public policies are at risk. This means that we are in need of a new generation of leaders who don’t attribute to such abhorrent behavior and actions.

Current students, play a vital role in ushering in our future. If students can come together and affect change, whether through volunteering, campaigning or eventually running for office, then our country will be more unified and functional.