Gotta Pay to Play

As someone who has $50k in school debt and a passion for justice, I frequently wish that progressive activist jobs paid considerably more. In fact, because of the lack of scratch attached to these jobs, I went back to get my Masters. At the time, I lived in Austin, Texas, where everyone in progressive politics is over-educated and over-qualified. So you know what that means. Exploitation of the young and politically aware. The land where internships are unpaid and entry-level positions barely hit the $25,000 mark. Ah…doesn’t it feel good to give back to your country?

So you can imagine how I related to the article, After College Ends, So Does Activism. It talks of the canvassing that young progressives are forced to do to break onto the political scene, the lack of health insurance, the shitty hours and the even shittier pay.

What does it mean for our country’s future when we don’t mentor the younger generation and give them an opportunity to learn about politics? The author notes, and I wholeheartedly concur, “The importance of engaging and gainfully employing young progressives is hard to overstate, both for its immediate practicality and the long-term sustainability of the left. By ignoring progressive grads' economic constraints, the progressive movement -- activists and funders -- are squandering an immense opportunity to utilize the ideology, size and energy of the post-graduate generation.”

So, those of you with decision-making abilities start paying better and provide a little health insurance. It’s the least we can do for our future.