As a Swarthmore College student, I am familiar with the Quaker values on which my school was built. The importance of equality is a prominent value that has been instilled in me through my athletics, academics, and community. Equality, no matter its shape or form, is a basis for strong society. It is easy to point out inequality when you see it, but fixing it is the hard part.
When I first started looking into FinePrint Data, I was drawn to the idea of using data to create confidence. Even without having a background in political science or finance, I have found FinePrint’s breakdown of financial and political news to be readable and engaging. With that being said, I, like many other college students, did not realize the complexity of political involvement with investing. In my mind, I thought the two were separate. Our political leaders are trustworthy! Examining the data has shaken my Quaker values and I’ve gotten angry as I’ve realized our political figures might have an unfair advantage. I too, want to participate in the market like they do. You may be asking, why should a 20 year old care? Well it’s quite simple. I want to have faith in my elected officials. As someone who can vote and is trying to make money to invest, why should people in office be able to take advantage of their positions?
The unequal opportunity is obvious, but placing blame on hypothetical possibilities seems too cynical for me. Solving the inequalities that occur in our system is a hard thing to do, and that is why FinePrint Data helps keep political figures accountable for their actions. Promoting transparency in the financial disclosures of Senators and House Members gives me a greater sense of confidence in my country. As constituents we can only do so much, but following these stocks and keeping our leaders honest give us all the power to invest like our Senators do.
Kim Kockenmeister is a rising junior at Swarthmore College from Old Greenwich, CT. She is majoring in Computer Science with a concentrated interest in Psychology and Economics.