Teens this year are really focused on the politics & the elections this year, but do they really know what they’re talking about? We took the time to go around and ask students who attend Highland Park Senior High what they know about the politics of today.

Since this is the last year that President Obama is going to be in office, Republicans and Democrats are going to try to argue and persuade the American people, and are going to try to explain why the people of America should vote for them.

What is a Republican? According to Google, a Republican is:

1. a form of government, constitution, etc, belonging to, or characteristic of a republic.
2. A person advocating or supporting republican government,&  a member or supporter of the Republican Party.

It says here at http://2016.republican-candidates.org/ that the top Republicans left in this Presidential election include:  

• Donald Trump
• Ted Cruz
• John Kasich

There were 6 more Republicans running earliers such as:

• Marco Rubio
• Ben Carson
• Jeb Bush
• Mike Huckabee
• Rand Paul
• Carly Fiorina

Then there are Democrats: a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives (according to Google).

The top Democrats left running for President are:

• Hillary Clinton
• Bernie Sanders

We asked some fellow high school students about what they know about the politics of today, and these are some of their responses:

Dejra: I know that there are Democrats and Republicans but I know that Trump is all talk, and what he says doesn’t connect with the world’s problems.

Angel: Don’t vote for Donald Trump.

Serene: I know that Trump is a Democrat and that most of the President candidates are Republicans so Trump stands out and he thinks he is the stuff because he a Democratic.

In the end, we realized that most teenagers don’t really know about the politics of today. We found out that most of the kids that talk about the politics mostly focus on the negative remarks based on what they hear. They know the basics of what’s going on and they don’t really know the actual information disputed and what the main problem is. It’s social media that makes one situation look like the next, and then makes each and every candidate look like the bad guy when every candidate has the ability of convincing one another why they would be a good leader for our country.

Your elders are very important, they are people that have many experiences and wisdom, but are also very under appreciated. Often, we look past all the advice and love that not only our grandparents give us, but many elders like maybe your old neighbor, or someone that has helped you through a rough situation. Many times, it takes a death situation, or a near death situation to realize how much you need your elders, or how much you would miss them.

A recent picture that went viral online showed a picture of a grandfather known as “Papaw” that was photographed by his granddaughter eating a burger by himself. She captioned that photo “He made 12 burgers for all six grandkids and I’m the only one who showed. Love him.” This caused a lot of commotion online showing sympathy for Papaw. Many were upset that his grandchildren didn’t show up. Many were upset, but didn’t realize that they may not appreciate their elders either, just in a different manner.

There are many ways to appreciate your elders. One of them can be to express to them how much they mean to you at a unexpected time. By doing this you surprise them and show them you care and were thinking of them. Also, thanking your elders for the little things they do whether it’s the advice they give to you, words of wisdom, their cooking, or for simply being apart of your life. Make your elders feel like they’re needed is also appreciated. Often, older people are not able to do most things that the younger can, so do something with them that you both will enjoy and they can take part in.

Kenny “Papaw” Harmon, know as the sad grandpa, had a cookout in Oklahoma this weekend and it attracted thousands of people from all over the world. Brock (one of Papaw’s grandkids) said, “The most special moment of the day was seeing my grandpa cry.” He also added that he never saw his grandfather cry before, but there were “a couple of people telling their stories that made him tear up. He was really touched.” Brock said the event helped “make people realize that your grandparents aren’t going to be around forever and to call them up and tell them you love them. Whether it’s in whatever way or form your elders should be treated with respect and love they truly deserve.”

Following the death of death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, President Obama has nominated Merrick Garland to fill the seat. This has stirred much controversy between the Democratic and Republican parties, as numerous Republicans have refused to consider the President’s nomination. A majority of the Senate is Republican, so a large part of the Senate is fearful that court would drastically shift to a more liberal focal point. Some members of the Republican Party have gone so far as to say that President Obama does not have the authority to make a nomination. However, these claims are false  because there is a clear Constitutional right granted to the President of the United States for nominating a Supreme Court justice.

Many members of the Senate wanted to wait until the next president is elected for a nomination to be made, however President Obama thought Judge Garland would be a perfect fit for current American politics. “At a time when our politics are so polarized, at a time when norms and customs of political rhetoric and courtesy and comity are so often treated like they’re disposable, this is precisely the time when we should play it straight,” Mr. Obama told an audience that included Judge Garland’s family, Democratic Senators and liberal activists. Some Republicans are open to the idea of Garland as the new leader of the Supreme Court. Current Republican presidential candidate, and Ohio Governor, John Kasich said, “Frankly, they probably ought to all sit down and meet with the guy.”