I was minding my own business, walking to class today at UVM, when I was stopped by a girl offering me a Peter Shumlin sticker.  I had a small roll in my bag, so I said no, I didn’t need one, and kept walking on my way.  Then, thirty steps later, I was again offered a sticker by a man.  No, I said, and kept walking.  Then, I was offered a sticker a third time.  Finally, I stopped to talk with the woman, to figure out why all these folks were offering me these Shumlin stickers.  

“There is a big rally at noon,” she said, featuring Shumlin himself.  

I’m a fairly involved student on campus, but yet this “rally” of Shumlin’s almost escaped my notice (I had class at the time, so I don’t know how many folks showed up… My guess is not many).

I enjoy being involved politically, with Democrats and Progressives alike, but I got involved because of my own volition, not because someone encouraged me too.  If someone had encouraged me to, I would have become more involved, and sooner.  

It is odd to me that walking around campus there are more posters for Dubie (recruiting paid “co-pilots”) than for Shumlin.  To me, the campaigns seem to be saying: “College students are more interested in money than politics, and they will sell out their ideals for even just a small sum.”

This seems to have some truth to it: Rich Tarrant got so many young folks involved with his campaign because he offered them laptops in exchange for a summer of service… But I know that there are way more students who would rather act on their principles than their material desires (esp. at UVM), but you just don’t see them getting roped in by the more liberal campaigns.  Why not?  

Well, their lazy, yes.  And also pretty intimidated sometimes.  I remember before I got involved, I thought I might show up and be useless to campaigns who had better, more experienced hands available to them (I quickly learned that you earn accolades just by showing up, and doing a good four hours work well makes you a hot commodity).

But talking about how uninvolved and disengaged younger voters are won’t compel them to change.  Honestly, many of my friends are just waiting for that push out the door (and sometimes I think they get a little tired of me trying to give it to them), and a good ad campaign on college campuses, not asking for votes, but for involvement, might actually generate some interest and results.  

It might go something like this:

“Hey! College kid!!

Sick of politicians who do nothing about climate change?!  Sick of being a criminal for smoking a plant?!  Sick of paying thousands of dollars to go to school, only to enter a jobless job market?!

WELL, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Politics in Vermont isn’t like politics in Cali or Jersey: Here, you might bump into your Senator in the coffee shop, and you might see your Governor at City Market.  Here, your voice gets heard.  Here, you can change things for the better.  

So, what are you waiting for?!  Get involved!”

College students care.  And most of the time, all they can do to show it is walk around campus holding signs and beating drums.  They love it!  But here is something grander, not just in scope, but in effectiveness.  

The key is: Most college students feel like politics is something stuffy and distant.  Here, it is not.  Show them that they can make a difference, lead them to the door, and compel them, with a direct ask, to get involved.  

Then, Peter Shumlin won’t have to be so lonely when he shows up on campus.