Well, given the twists and turns the presidential race is taking right now, investigating anyone's stands on the issues is kind of moot. Sure I'm investigating Huckabee right now, but what difference does it make if he's gone tomorrow? So I think I'll just hold off on them for now. Instead I have another issue to think about.
The 18-34 age-bracket for voting is oftentimes looked down upon for being spectacularly apathetic. We're the group that would voluntarily give up our individual rights just so we can learn what the hell happened to Heath Ledger. Yeah, that's us. I asked every one of my friends if any of them had heard about the calls to rewrite the Constitution, and not a single one of them could tell me what it was about, only that ‘they didn't dig it.'
I guess this is to be expected. This is the time of our lives when the most important politics for us are the interpersonal ones, the games we play in the name of getting drunk or getting laid. The bigger things out there are somebody else's problem, not ours. There's no reason for us to deal with it if we don't have to. The return of Lost to television is of infinitely greater importance.
Nonetheless, you run into the idealistic college students every now and again. These are the people who find out about the issues and take stands on it. These students are the frontlines of the Ron Paul grassroots movement that everyone on this site is calling on to do the work and make Ron Paul the president.
Pffft. Good luck with that.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not specifically against Dr. Paul anymore than I'm specifically for anyone else. As a matter of fact, I find he impresses me. Anybody who wants to get us out of Iraq has my vote, but he even more so because he wants our service men and women off of bases-on-foreign-soil and back here and doing their job. I'll probably pick up more about him when I return to my investigations of the platforms, if he survives Super Tuesday and the National Convention.
That's a topic for another time.
Right now, though, as it is, these idealists – regardless of who they support – are working to get college students to do something. Anything. The college rag today ran two huge articles on the elections in an attempt to get us to act. Good idea, right? Clear, frank information on what these candidates think and what their intentions are for us and our country.
Sounds like they beat me at my own game, doesn't it?
Not quite. The articles themselves are actually not bad. They're a step in the right direction. The problem is that there isn't enough. Each candidate warrants a fullblown piece and instead they get a short little paragraph that describes their views on a few issues.
Now, this wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for one overriding concern. I can personally guarantee to you out there that at least half of our student body is going to vote based on these pieces. Think about it. Why the hell would these people waste their time trying to grasp what the issues are, if they can just get a short little blurb that makes the stances clean and simple? Why should they take that responsibility if they don't have to?
This is the quick and easy solution, and that's reason enough for these people to do it. That way they can go back to playing Halo and drowning themselves in their own selfish pursuits.
Sucks, doesn't it? And this isn't happening just here. Students everywhere are relying on student-media to make what is ultimately a huge decision.
Ha! No wonder we're such an apathetic bunch. Given the information we choose to access, and the presentation thereof, what other choice do we have?
Honestly, there's got to be a way to shock this portion of the population into action.
Just no MTV specials, please.
©2008 Kishi, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Last modified: Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of Kishi only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Kishi is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Report violation by Kishi of Nolan Chart LLC's terms of use policy.
| More Articles By Kishi |
Reader Comments:
Posted By: R Demo
Date: 2008-01-30 16:59:28
The only wasted vote is the vote you make against your own conscience. What glory is there in saying you voted for the winner if the winner is only the winner because people gave up on the right man?
As a Christian conservative, this year is the year I've decided that the Republican party will no longer have my support nor my vote if they court Christians assuming we'll go along with them (like it or lump it) just to keep the other guys out. I'm not voting for the least of two evils... oh no... I'm voting for the man I believe God would have me vote for... here is my reasoning:
God is not worried about our economy. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the wealth in every mine... he can bless a nation or bring financial disaster to a nation and no man can stay His hand.
God is not worried about our national security. He is very well capable of keeping us secure or allowing our enemies to destroy us. Just read the Old Testament and see how His chosen people were either protected or taken captive because of their decisions. God is in control.
What God is interested in is our morality. Righteousness exalteth a nation! God can heal our land... but it is going to require that we bring morality back to America! No man can guarantee our economy or our security... but I promise you... a vote against the man who is most likely to raise the morality of our nation to where it needs to head is a vote to invite both economic woe and injury to our nations security.
You will give an account for your vote... use it wisely. Vote for Mike Huckabee.