It’s easy to understand why so many young people are apathetic about politics. It can be loud and obnoxious, and often, the only people who truly get their voice across are those who yell the loudest.

This is why Fox News political commentator Glenn Beck should run for president in 2012. Now that President Barack Obama has blackened his once-shining public image, Beck is the moving, inspirational figure that we all need. And because of their inactivity, young people need him the most.

Republicans could use him as their leader. There has been a lot of confusion about the party’s direction. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was dubbed irrelevant after his most recent gaffe — suggesting at a fundraiser that Obama started the war in Afghanistan.

Alternatives like Sarah Palin or Newt Gingrich may be perceived as too self-serving or incompetent to be effective candidates. As the tea party movement becomes closely tied with the Republican Party, it seems fitting that Beck, who has attracted a significant following from the movement, takes the helm.

Beck is not an entitled egotist and has mentioned that he does not want to run for political office.  But according to a group of concerned patriots called Main Street Bites Back, that is what qualifies him for the job.

“Glenn Beck is our generation’s George Washington,” group founder Robin Marie Potwora said in a statement on the group’s website. “When someone tells me that Glenn Beck does not want to be president of the United State of America, I reply, neither did George Washington and look how that turned out!”

Naysayers will claim that Beck has absolutely no experience in government and that pundits know how to talk about problems but never have the nerve to actually try to solve them. But Beck puts his money where his mouth is — he raked in $23 million last year from his work, according to Forbes magazine.

Because of his inexperience, he could be a refreshing outsider in a stale Washington.  Obama appeared this way as well in 2008, but he is just too shady for many Americans.

Beck is truly inspiring and motivating. If he ran in 2012, I would be inspired to vote against him.  Many young people would be mobilized to do whatever they could to make sure he does not lead the U.S. into the ground by taking political office.

His candidacy is the ideal solution to raising young voter participation.

Neil Manimala is a senior majoring in biomedical sciences.