As the new year begins, it is a great time to reflect on 2017 and make a resolution for 2018. One excellent resolution idea is to become more informed about politics and current events. The following are five political resolution ideas.

 

Get the Facts Straight

In today’s reporting world, politicians and journalists tend to give facts that are not always true or one hundred percent correct. Sometimes incorrect statements are said with the intention of getting more votes, likes on social media or higher approval, and other times it is just a mistake. However, it can be difficult to determine what is a truthful or fake headline. FactCheck.org is a great resource to see where political facts are coming from and whether politicians can back up their statements.

 

Download a New App

If keeping up with politics is something new to you, downloading smartphone applications might be a huge help. Most major news sources have their own apps, and there are also other great unbiased political apps. Downloading at least one allows you to have access the latest news stories and you can often sign up for push notifications that update you as the newest story happens. One great app to download is iCitizen because it is short, sweet and to the point and offers users a list of the top new stories.

 

Read a Political Book

There are hundreds to thousands of political books out there. A great new years resolution is to read at least one. If you want more information and education on political systems, many books break down the basics. Additionally, reading a book with a point of view opposing your own is a great way to learn about other viewpoints.

 

Talk with Others

Political discussions can be daunting and are often avoided. However, 2018 is a great year to look past the discomfort and talk with others. Some helpful strategies for having a political conversation include showing respect and having no intention to change someone’s opinion.

 

Register to Vote

If you are not already, be sure to get registered to vote. While 2018 is not a presidential election year, elections for the United States Senate, House of Representatives and gubernatorial are all taking place in November. Every vote does count.

 

Understanding politics and keeping up with current events will always be an ongoing process. The more our society knows and understands, the better our democracy will run.