One thing that I have loved about this election so far, is the amount of discussion that it has inspired across all party lines, and ages.
I am both a devoted Democrat, as well as Barack Obama supporter. I have suffered through the past eight years of the Bush administration to the point of having chomped through the proverbial "bit" for my chance to voice my choice for our next president. My peer group commiserates with me about the state of our economy, international conflicts and safety crises as well as the deteriorated state that our country is in overall. Yet, when it comes down to igniting their desire to stand up for change, I find many of my friends, relatives and co-workers. well, let's face it... lacking the gusto to vote, let alone inform themselves of the candidates platforms ( and not their designer eye wear).

Having grown up in a liberal household, where politics is both a way of life , I find myself scratching my head at those who are disinterested in politics in general. The number of generation Y'ers who are both unenthusiastic and disengaged in politics, and how it will relates and affects them, is staggering.

Instead of letting my frustrations lead to a burgeoning ulcer, I decided to put some deep thought into the causes of their passive nature towards the very hallowed gift that our forefathers left for us.
I am willing to say that I blame George W. Bush, his campaign, election and administration for their indifference.

Having spent twenty eight years on this earth, I salivated at the opportunity to vote in a presidential election. For those who share my age, plus or minus a few years, I can imagine the experience was the same for them. We grew up in the Reagan administration, as well as that of George Bush Sr. We watched how the ups and down of the economy affected our parents, and our livelihood. We relished in the excitement that the Clinton campaign brought to the hopeful Democrats, who had been waiting twelve years in the wings.

I can recall being twelve years old and staying up late, a special treat for me then, to watch the election results come in. I rejoiced with my family over Bill Clinton's election and spent the next eight years going from a pre-teen to a young co-ed, on relative easy-street.

Just when our generation was ready for our hopes and dreams to come to fruition, we were stuck with the nightmare that was the 2000 election. I will not pull any punches here, a disqualified, inexperienced, unintelligent daddy's boy was able to walk into an office that he was not elected to.
Why shouldn't the members of generation Y feel let down by their government? Those with half a brain knew what was going on , but it happened anyway. I cannot describe to you how my heart broke for my country then. I wish that I could say that my wounds have healed, for they have not.

If the election wasn't bad enough, we spent our final years in, or a the first few years out of college, the time when you have the world at your fingertips, watching the world as we know it fall apart after the attacks on September 11, 2001. To add insult to injury, many were tricked into believing that weapons of mass destruction were aimed and ready to obliterate the meager existence that we were trying to eek out, only to discover that it was all a lie in the name of special interests.

These circumstances are surely the reason that many didn't care enough to place their ballot in 2004. What other possible explanation is there for the fact that, that man was re-elected? Why bother right? It's not going to do any good in the long run. No, it didn't do any good, but look at all of the "bad" that it has done.

I will not take this election lying down, nor will I stop in my attempts to encourage anyone who will listen, to do the same. Now is the time. These are the moments to take part in your government. Over 200 years ago, countless men gave their lives in a bloody revolution to secure our democracy, to proclaim that a country's citizens should have a voice in how their government is run. Are we that self-centered that we take these privileges for granted?

As I stated earlier, this election has sparked a surge of discussion and interest in our nations politics.I am devoting every free moment that I have to inform anyone who will lend me their ear that THIS IS THE TIME. There are many out there, like me, desperately trying to reach potential voters, for we know the impact that every vote in this nation has.

Register to vote, inform yourselves of the candidates and cast your ballot. No matter which political party you may subscribe to, reclaim your place in democracy, make a difference. Every vote does count. If you disagree, I hope that you get used to another four, possibly eight years, of the same mockery of democracy that the present administration has done such a magnanimous job of maintaining.

Are you going to let this election go down in history as just another one that you didn't care enough about to vote for? I sincerely hope not, without even knowing you, I want more for you than that.