[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7993]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO SHANNON WU

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 2013

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share these with my House colleagues.
  Shannon Wu is a senior at Dawson High School in Brazoria County, 
Texas. Her essay topic is: In your opinion, why is it important to be 
involved in the political process?

       As the age of 18 creeps up on me slowly around the corner, 
     the thought that I will be a legal adult and will be able to 
     become a registered voter looms overhead. As a senior in high 
     school, some of my peers are already 18, and were 18 at the 
     time of the 2012 presidential election, and yet, I constantly 
     hear them griping and complaining about who's president and 
     which legislations are passed and which aren't. Yet, these 
     are the same exact people who don't seize their rights and 
     actually vote.
       What ground does the government have to say that all their 
     decisions are based off the voice of their constituents when 
     less than 60% of the people are actually voting? As our 
     country enters a more progressive era, both socially and 
     economically, it's the most detrimental time for citizens to 
     become involved in the political process. The new issues and 
     concerns that have emerged within the past few decades are 
     some of the most controversial topics to have ever been 
     brought to the table. Thus, without political participation, 
     how will the government act accordingly to the views of the 
     citizens?
       Because bills are created and passed in the three branches 
     of the government, and our congressmen, senators, and 
     president are the ones who vote to pass or veto a bill, 
     people believe that voting on the matter won't make a 
     difference. However, it is more important than it ever was to 
     have input from the constituents in order to smooth out the 
     bumps and bubbles in the laws governing out country. 
     Furthermore, by getting involved in the political process, 
     citizens will be able to select a candidate that encompasses 
     the ideals and values of the greater majority of the people 
     and create their own ``check'' upon the government by 
     electing those they deem qualified and supportive of their 
     opinions. This then protects democracy and reducing the 
     possibilities of tyranny, oligarchy, and anarchy. Most 
     importantly, the government will pass laws that will be 
     enforced, and, if people become involved in the political 
     system, these rules will reflect the desires of the majority 
     of the constituents, rather than the thoughts of politicians.

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