A young person’s perspective

Sen. Pat Toomey cast his vote against hearing witness testimony and is poised to vote for a speedy acquittal in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Mr. Toomey has proved his seriousness at upholding his oath of office and representing the majority will of Pennsylvanians by practicing his fidget-spinner skills and distributing candy to his Senate colleagues.

It is not a shock that Mr. Toomey and his party have abandoned their constitutional duties; rather it is the stunning lackadaisical attitude in which they do so. They have flagrantly treated the Senate chamber like high-schoolers in homeroom.

My reason for writing this is meant to warn Mr. Toomey and all other senators that young people are watching this moment — not with earnestness but apathy. I was raised, and continue to practice, the values of an Eagle Scout — trustworthiness, loyalty and friendliness, to name a few.

I am a young Western Pennsylvanian, raised and born in Erie, and am now a Pittsburgh resident. People my age remember the whispers of impeachment in our grade school studies — “the controversial Nixon and Clinton.” Most of us don’t watch Fox News or have an iota of trust in Mr. Trump and his party.

Currently, millennials are numb to the current drama in Washington, mostly because we have become used to the immoral complacency of leaders such as Mr. Toomey. It is time we had people in Washington who stand for the same values that I, and the vast majority of young Pennsylvanians stand for. The future belongs to us. We may not vote in large numbers now, but we are certainly a judgmental generation. I encourage our leaders to remember this as they contemplate their political futures.

NEIL EMMETT Oakland