What First-Time Voters Want to Hear at the Presidential Debate

Gen-Z's hopes going in to the big night

[Kevin Dietsch / Bloomberg / Getty]

The youth vote is more coveted than ever, especially as the race for the White House in 2024 is tighter than ever, both across the country and in key battleground states such as Arizona and Michigan.

As many in Generation Z have just registered to vote, we understand our solemn duty and to some extent, our potential power of casting the deciding votes for the next man who will become president.

One of the first big hurdles in the process to win our hearts and minds is this Thursday’s first presidential debate of the general election. It’s a critical moment where both candidates will have an opportunity to speak directly to us.

Here is what Generation Z would like to ask President Joe Biden:

“Why the endless wars with American taxpayer dollars?” — Generation Z prefers a “hands off” approach toward wars and foreign policy. Polling demonstrates that we don’t want to be the world’s police force. To that end, Biden’s approach as commander in chief has been deeply disappointing. On one hand, he left Americans behind in war-torn Afghanistan which made America look weak on the national stage. On the other hand, he has engaged us in the Ukraine-Russia war in an attempt to make us look strong. It all has come at a hefty price tag. In addition, the new worry of a looming mandatory military draft for young men is also concerning to Generation Z who seek to attend college, start our first jobs, and enjoy the peacetime era in which our parents lived.

“What are you doing to cut inflation?” — For Generation Z, Bidenomics has made it harder to start a life post-college or to start a family in Biden’s America. A recent KFF poll shows that young female voters surveyed are three times as likely to say that the economy was better under President Donald J. Trump, underscoring just how important the economy is to young voters. According to the same poll, 60 percent of Black and Hispanics female voters say that “Inflation” is now their #1 issue in the election. Trump presided over a strong economy. Under his leadership, every sector of the economy experienced record economic success including the lowest unemployment rates in 50 years. Everyone who wanted a job was able to have a job. Young voters who have worked hard in college and are ready to succeed in “the real world” deserve at least the prospect of a stronger job market and unlimited opportunities as they enter the American workforce for the first time.

“What is your plan to make America safe again?” — Law and order is an increasingly important issue to Generation Z as we leave the safety of our parents homes for the first time and enter college campuses which are now overrun by homelessness and in some cases, illegal immigrants who are committing crimes to our fellow classmates such as University of Georgia’s Laken Riley. While Biden officials in the department of in-justice are prosecuting and persecuting conservatives, our American cities and campuses are suffering. For youth voters concerned about crime, we need to hear President Biden’s plan (if he has one) on how to bring safety, security, law and order back to America.

“If it’s ‘the economy, stupid,’ what are you doing to restart America’s economic engine?” — President Trump recently set the internet on fire with his “No tax on tips” proposal to protect restaurant workers’ tips from being taxed. The idea has gone viral, with Americans sharing photos of their receipts. It is this kind of ingenuity that will bring us out of our economy slump. The fact is, many Generation Z work in service industries across America, and this idea impacts us directly and positively. Yet, in nearly four years, we’ve seen nothing innovative from President Biden in regard to the economy. Our question to him is Mr. President, how do you plan to get the economic engine of America going again?

Until President Biden answers these top questions weighing on Generation Z’s mind, he won’t have a shot at winning our youth vote.

Mr. President, let us know that you’ve heard us and are working on solutions.

Our future depends upon it.