Students of MSMS engaged themselves in large political events on March 7. During the school day, students and faculty cast their votes in a mock primaries election, and later that evening, Dr. Brian Shoup from Mississippi State University came to campus to answer inquiries about modern politics.

Shoup came to the school last year and spoke on the spectrum of liberal and conservative beliefs; he returned this year at the request of the Young Independents Club.

Shoup spoke on modern political parties, mainly in the United States, and he ran through their origins and evolutions. He also discussed the current and future states of the liberalism and conservatism in both Republican and Democratic parties.

He predicted the decline of the Republican party, pointing out that most people in the United States live in metropolitan cities, which vote overwhelmingly democratic with the exception of Tulsa. Shoup criticized the failing system and urged that the United States would become unbalanced without the bipartisanship.

Touching on the school election that had taken place earlier on the same day, Shoup explained his perspective on the national election while saying that Hillary Clinton will probably win the presidential race. However, he also emphasized local government and the importance of public scrutiny and voter turnout.

Shoup said, “Do you want to know why you want to vote for your county coroner? They determine if the cops killed you or if ‘he was running away.’ Pay attention to that post. Especially in modern America.”