As young adults who might have jobs, our income is taxed without us even having a say in what those taxes are used for, bringing us back to the very thing that motivated those before us to fight for the right to be heard: taxation without representation. While Florida has no state income tax, money is still deducted from our paychecks as a result of Social Security and Medicare taxes. These deductions range from seven to 10 percent of each paycheck. This goes against our constitutional rights and degrades us to simply a personnel number instead of being seen as a tax-paying citizen. It demonstrates how we can provide our labor, but not even be given the same constitutional rights as our older peers.

Legislative decisions, which we are not allowed to voice our opinions toward, involve us as much as it involves those who vote. We are left affected, yet unable to participate in changes, similar to how women were treated before woman’s suffrage movement. Some of the “reasons” that caused women to be ineligible to vote apply to young adults today. One reason being that we are “not suitable” or not qualified to vote. As tax paying citizens who are in fact affected by the decisions made within elections, we should be considered qualified to vote. We go to schools that they decide the funding of, and pay the debt to colleges they over-inflate the prices of. Another excuse which prevented women from voting was that they were already being “represented by their husbands”. Some may disagree with young adults voting because they recognize parents as representatives of their children. This causes an inaccurate representation. A number of young adults disagree with the political or social viewpoints of their parents. Not being able to vote limits our voice within our society. 16-year-olds should be able to have a voice.