For Jordan Larsen, Senior Energy Management/Landman Major and Vice President of Turning Point USA at Colorado Mesa University, personal liberty stands at the core of her conservative beliefs.
“You yourself have the right to make your own happiness and that the freedoms that we’re given by the Bill of Rights and the Constitution – all that is given to you to make the life that you want and no one can hold you back [such as] the government,” Larsen said.
Larsen is no stranger to politics. Hailing from Jackson County, the small Northern Colorado county with a population just shy of 1500, her grandparents, aunt and mother have worked in the local government since she was a child.
“Politics have been in my life forever. My family basically runs the entire Jackson County government,” Larsen said.
While Larsen finds sympathy and goodwill in traditionally liberal viewpoints, she nonetheless feels they involve too much government control.
“I do like ideas such as providing healthcare for all and just trying to provide for people and give them access, but sometimes I think it’s taken too far and it’s too much government control. And that’s why I don’t feel as comfortable aligning with it, but I think the ideals behind them are genuine and honest and motivated. But with that much government control, you’re giving up a lot of your freedoms,” Larsen said.
To Larsen, Trump stands for the everyday American. Although generally criticized in mainstream media, she believes that Trump deserves a different look.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Larsen
“I would tell [liberals] to go ahead and look at all the great things that Trump has done and to actually do some research into it. Trump’s actions against child sex trafficking have been great. I think that is a really big deal especially right now. Also, our economy before COVID-19 was booming. We had plenty of jobs starting to come around. I think he’s demonized a lot when he’s done a lot of good things,” Larsen said.
But that doesn’t mean that she is uncritical of Trump.
“Sometimes he can be very crude. He’s not always the most well-spoken man,” Larsen said.
What Larsen sees is wrong with politics is the people in them. She believes that career politicians have lost sight of the working class.
“There’s a lot of people only in it for money and career politicians. Government should not be a career. It should be more of a service to your country,” Larsen said.
Another problem she sees with modern politics is its polarization.
“I think everyone should be able to have differing opinions but we need to find out how to get along again and be willing to compromise. But everything’s so polarized nowadays. And no one can get along and I think that’s really sad,” Larsen said.
