It has become such a normality to see any given presidential administration use up or cut billions of federal dollars in a single legislative action, and you wouldn't even know it happened. Within the last century, the United States has become so repetitive in its “financial involvement” that subsidizing quantitatively large sums of money to enforce policies that do not even help the average American has become the norm.

For years and years, these large legislative actions haven’t had a massive effect on the people of the country, until now.

In 2025, the average American citizen can definitely tell the impact of the government's actions, and to that I say: take this as a warning. Expenditure on unnecessary government processes and large cuts to the areas that are actually important to the average American have slowly started to creep up on the future of this country, and the toxic effects are beginning to show. The economy, often the centerpiece of any political campaign, has created a divide so deep that the current administration’s response was to create a new government sector focused on spending “less money.” In their campaign, they introduced an economic policy of tariffs, aiming to “isolate” domestic manufacturing by pushing consumers to buy goods made within the country. Their ultimate goal was to bring manufacturing back home. But this move has not only harmed the domestic economy, it has also damaged something that no amount of money can fix: our international relationships.

To boil it down, as a new branch of young Americans grows up and adapts to this country, it is imperative that choosing the right political ideology becomes a conscious and thoughtful act, one that supports the most helpful legislation across every aspect of life. You may be asking: what factors should I consider when choosing a political direction? To that I say, focus on three core ideas: the economy, freedom, and the future.

The economy is a volatile reflection of the country and the very thing that can determine whether some American families are able to eat. Yes, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different economic indicators to judge how well a government is doing, whether it’s GDP, unemployment rates, or tax policies. But I say forget the complex metrics. Focus on the basics—food. This essential part of life has become increasingly expensive. Under the current administration, the price of food has continued to rise, and it shows no sign of slowing. Many economists point to tariffs, which attempt to isolate domestic production, as the culprit, an approach that is counterintuitive, especially considering that many food products, such as bananas, aren’t even able to be grown in the U.S.

You may say it’s entirely possible that the rise in food costs is beyond the administration’s control. To that, I say consider the second core principle: freedom. When this country was founded, the First Amendment guaranteed freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and more. Choosing an ideology that protects these freedoms is crucial. As administrations become more centralized in their power, so too should the power of the people rise. As of June 2025, the current administration has deployed the National Guard against peaceful protestors demonstrating against the deportation of immigrants without due process. And it goes further. Rights tied to bodily autonomy are also under threat. Abortion, a fundamental element of health care, has been stripped of federal protection and handed off to the states. This shift has left millions without access to critical medical care.

Health care is just one piece of the third and final core idea: the future. An American physicist once said, “Those who invest in science invest in the future. Those who cut science hope for the best.” America has always been built on scientific progress, from the innovations of the 1950s to the breakthroughs of the COVID-19 era in 2020. Science, which includes health care, is our only real guarantee of forward progress. Every disease, illness, or virus that has ever been cured has done so because of science. Any administration that actively cuts funding to health care and scientific research sends a message that it has little regard for the country’s future. In 2025, billions have been cut from national health institutions. Medicaid has also seen cuts in the billions. The justification? A pivot toward so-called “gold standard science,” a concept that contradicts what science truly stands for—innovation, inclusivity, and ongoing discovery.

When it comes to choosing a political ideology, no amount of persuasion can make the decision for you. But I ask you to consider the everyday person. Imagine someone managing the responsibilities of daily life: providing food for their family, attending doctor’s appointments, paying taxes, and exercising their right to free speech. Under one ideology, this person can eat every day, access guaranteed health care, and pay taxes at a reasonable rate. Under another, those basic rights are stripped away in the name of profit and control. The members at The Golden Progressive have identified the most beneficial direction, a politcal stance that not just helps us but the future generations to come. Now it’s time for you to do the same.