‘My politics have become more liberal’ – The Herald Bulletin

MUNCIE Ball State University sophomore Josh Auker became interested in politics as a middle-schooler.

It was around the time of Obamas first campaign that I really started to think about politics, Auker said. My history teacher was great about asking questions about current events and the current political race.

The 2015 Anderson High School grad's political views have changed since he began college. Auker previously leaned conservative, but his perspective shifted after he decided to pursue a degree in mathematics education.

My political persuasions have become more liberal in college, and I think that goes along with being an education major, Auker says. Donald Trump is all about privatizing education, and (Clinton) was for public funding. Education is an important issue to me.

Similarly, Aukers experience in a multicultural-education class altered his opinions about government welfare services.

Yes, they can be abused sometimes, but my eyes definitely have been opened on the subject because of that class, he explained.

For Auker, determining which candidate to support in the November election hinged less on the medias portrayal of the candidates and more on the party platforms.

I dont care to listen to the debates, he said. During the elections, I would get online and compare each sides political platforms the bare bones of their campaigns. I do think hearing how the candidates speak was important, though, especially in this election. Donald Trumps words were often politically incorrect, and that shows that rhetoric does matter.

Although Auker is disappointed by the popularity contest nature of the Trump and Clinton race, he believes the country is headed in a different direction rather than a purely negative one.

I do see benefits on both (liberal and conservative) sides, but sometimes those benefits dont outweigh the negatives, says Auker. I hope that people are seeing how this political election turned out and things change for the better when the next election comes around.

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'My politics have become more liberal' - The Herald Bulletin