COLUMN RIGHT

In a few weeks, we will begin a national debate about the future and promise of our nation. Politicians of all stripes will descend on the states of Iowa and New Hampshire to peddle their visions of tomorrow and to convince the American people that they are the most worthy of the Presidency and the Oval Office.

For younger voters--future taxpayers and citizens--this election could not be more crucial, for at the heart of it will be a clash of visions for the 21st century. At the twilight of the 20th century, we must debate and decide issues which will heavily influence the tax burden we will bear and the standard of living we will enjoy. And the questions being discussed are too critical for younger voters not to have a say in them. After all, it is we--the youth of America--who will have to live with the consequences of the decisions we make today.

Unfortunately, however, younger voters are in a poor position to make the impact that is needed to affect our politics and to engineer a positive change for the future. Youth apathy runs at unprecedented highs. The essence of youth activism that was present in the campaigns of candidates such as John Kennedy and Barry Goldwater has given way to the Generation X indifference of today. Younger voters have become unduly cynical and jaded as the idealistic spirit of past campaigns has crumbled. The youth of America believes that there is nothing that they can do to positively change the future.

Many young people across the nation have already written off partcipating and even voting in the 1996 elections, arguing that their voices will not be heard. But by refusing to participate, they themselves are ensuring that they will be ignored.

Indeed, no politician will break his or her back for a constituency that does not volunteer on campaigns, that does not care deeply about the issues involved in campaigns and that does not even bother to vote. The voice of America's youth can and must be heard --but it is going to take a shot in the arm to awaken younger voters from their apathetic coma. This year's election just may be that shot in the arm.

Because this year, young America cannot afford to throw its hands up in disgust; this year, young America cannot afford to give up on our political system; this year, young America cannot afford to abandon the political debate that is about to take place--because if it does, it will find itself severely punished with suffocating taxes, a much lower standard of living and exacerbated social problems in the 21st century.

This year, we as a nation will have to decide the future of Medicare--a program that has forced our debt to rocket into the trillions. We as a nation will have to rein in the costs of this program that has taken from the struggling young to give to the well-off aged.

This year, we as a nation will have to decide the future of Social Security which, if kept unchecked, will force the tax burden of the average American taxpayer to increase 100 percent--that's right, 100 percent--by 2015, according to the Congressional Budget Office. We will determine the fate of this program that has promoted a policy of "Robin Hood in reverse"--taking from the poor and the young to give to the wealthy and retired.

This year, we will have to find a way to balance the federal budget to protect the economic and financial security of this nation and her citizens. If we fail to balance the budget, we will continue to condemn ourselves and our children to paying higher and higher taxes not to move forward but just to stay in the same place. In fact, each and every one of us will already have to pay $187,000 in taxes over our lifetimes just to pay off the interest on our national debt, according to Republican estimates. And if we refuse to make the hard choices and the tough cuts in programs today, all Americans--rich and poor, young and old--will suffer incredibly for it tomorrow.

This year, we need to find a voice that will speak for us. We need to find a voice that will make the tough sacrifices today to insure our solvency and stability tomorrow. We need to find a voice that will not needlessly scare seniors and political action committees. We need to find a voice that will not lend itself to demagoguery and the protection of a rapidly deteriorating status quo. We need to find a voice that will make the courageous and potentially unpopular decisions now to preserve the future of this nation.

And we must not forget who will pay the bills and suffer the consequences for the decisions made today. Next time you get a paycheck, pay careful attention to how much of your money you never even get to see, due to payroll taxes that are used to pay for dinosaur programs such as Medicare and Social Security. Next time the tax man comes around, pay attention to how much money you are signing over to him--and know that that figure will be much higher if we allow our country to continue to drift into economic oblivion.

I am not going to partisanly point to a candidate or give any quick and easy answers. But I will try to encourage all Harvard students to begin to take an interest in the politics that will determine their futures.

First, we can start by being informed--by reading newspapers, watching news programs and debating current issues--so that no politicians will pull the wool over our eyes or hoodwink us into voting for a program that is contrary to our interests.

Second, we can begin to make our strength felt where the politicians care most about it--at the grass-roots level. If we each agree to donate only an hour of our time volunteering for candidates of our choice, we will send the message to the power-brokers and deal-makers that they ignore us at their peril. The Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government has phone numbers for all campaigns and candidates, and the Youth Vote '96 conference on Feb. 16-18 sponsored by the IOP will help students join the push to get out the vote.

Lastly, we must go out and vote in massive numbers. (I would also personally urge you to vote Republican, but that is only a secondary concern. The key is that you vote.) Only when we convince ourselves that we have no voice do we become ineffectual. But only when we participate and exercise the power of the vote will we force Washington to listen to us. Only then will we be able to shape our futures to our liking.

William D. Zerhouni '98 is president of the Harvard-Radcliffe Republican Alliance.