One vote makes difference

Sometimes, the democratic process seems like a complete and utter waste of time to young people. It seems as though our voices aren't being heard by those in power, so we decide not to be politically active. This, in turn, allows politicians to ignore our voices and dismiss our generation as a bunch of slack-jawed yokels. This self-fulfilling prophecy is hard to break, because it's just so much easier to go with the flow rather than stand up for oneself.\nThis might sound like yet another "go out and vote" message that I'm sure you've all heard since before you even aware of voting or politics. This Tuesday is another Election Day (as I hope you all know). There seems to be nothing glamorous or media-savvy this year. There is no presidential election to draw citizens into becoming voters. It's business as usual, but, because it is business as usual, this election is still important. \nThe hotly-contested Senate is almost dead-even, with neither Republicans nor Democrats having a significant majority. With 49 Republicans, 49 Democrats and one Independent, this year's elections are important. One vote can make a difference, and, as an example, we'll use the reason why the Senate consists of less than 100 congressmen.\nUntil his tragic death in a plane crash last week, Sen. Paul Wellstone of Minnesota was one of the most liberal members of the United States Senate. He was a "man of the people" during his first election in 1990, often using his lack of funds against Republican incumbent Rudy Boschwitz as his "shtick." Wellstone's straight-talking helped him get elected in an upset victory that launched his career as Minnesota senator. Although "liberal Democrats" were almost a dying breed, Wellstone stood by his convictions. Referring to his life on a National Public Radio broadcast on Oct. 25, NPR political editor Ken Rudin remembered Wellstone describing himself as, "Look, this is who I am. You can call me a liberal. You can call me a progressive. But this is who I am, and you take me or leave me."\nAfter becoming a part of the political institution, Wellstone and his one vote still made a difference. His one vote was one of only a few cast by a Democrat against giving Bush authority to go into Iraq with force. His re-election campaign was one of the linchpins of the Democratic Party in order to keep the Senate majority. This one man and his one vote were incredibly important in deciding the outcome of the Senate and its relationship with the President. Whether you agreed with his policies or not, you have to admit that Wellstone's one seat would have made a world of difference for either party in the current political climate. \nEven without relying on "Vote Hard" tactics, one person can still make a difference. This past weekend, anti-war protesters made their collective one voice heard and demonstrated against what they believe is wrong. That is just a national example; each day, one person exercises his one voice and tries to make a difference to those around them.\nEveryone always mentions how important one vote can be with some bizarre or fabricated statistics. These lists rattle off various times that important political decisions were determined by only one vote. Most of these lists aren't worth the paper they're printed on. But, right now, we have a concrete example of one man and one vote making a difference and how important that can be. Remember, on Tuesday, as I'm sure all of you go out to vote, that one vote can make a difference. Every person matters, and everyone should have the right to make themselves heard.