You don't matter

Last Wednesday while I was waiting for the Red Sox to end the 86-year heartbreak of New Englanders, I decided to watch my good ol' pal, Mr. O'Reilly. I can't explain why I like the man so much considering that I usually disagree with everything he says. But last Wednesday I found myself strongly agreeing with his points. Without quoting him word for word, he was saying that if you are eligible to vote and still decide not to vote, you aren't a true American. \nSome might consider this a strong Republican or conservative view, but I consider it a view of a true democracy.\nFor four years I along with many other Americans have had to deal with the disgusting outcome of the 2000 presidential election. True, I was not old enough at the time to vote, but I have been affected in many ways by an election that was decided, not by the citizens of America, but by the Supreme Court. I could sit here and argue about how every vote counts in a close election like the one in 2000. I could stress how one vote can mean the difference between a victory and a loss. \nBut that's not the main reason you should vote. You should vote, mainly because if you were upset about the 2000 election, this is your chance to tell the country that you didn't agree with the decision, nor do you agree with the way the country is going.\nIf you do not vote on Nov. 2, all the complaining that you did about the election of 2000 doesn't matter. In fact, if you don't vote, YOU don't matter.\nI realize that some people might read this and say to themselves, "who is he to tell someone that they don't matter just because they don't vote." Well, I am not telling you. The candidates, themselves, are telling you that you don't matter. \nThe goal of a politician during the campaign season is to win an election. Period. It's not to simply present a platform or to work with fellow party members to come up with the best solution for the country. \nNo, people: in the words of the New York Jets head coach Herman Edwards "We play to win the game!" One of the things politicians do to win this game is to look at the percentage of people voting in the different age groups. By doing this, politicians determine which number of people they feel are more likely to go out to the polls and vote for them. Based on this information, politicians shape their platforms to appeal to those likely voters, thus having platforms shaped solely on fixing the middle class and fixing Medicare and social security, for example. \nThe issues are traditionally issues that concern the elderly. And while these issues are being put forth as some of the key issues, concerns about college tuition prices rising, and the job market for graduating college students aren't being mentioned as much as one might think. \nImportant issues such as the possibility of a draft because of thinning troops, and the difficulty of finding jobs right out of college makes this a young people's election. This is being overlooked because of the dismal turnout of 18-24 year olds in past elections. According to the population resource center, only 25 percent of eligible 18-24 voters showed up in 2000, compared to 66 percent of those aged 65-74. Numbers like these justify the candidates' reluctance to focus on the issues that matter to young people most.\nUnless these numbers change, and we prove that we are more than a bunch of unconcerned shallow people who can care less about others or even ourselves, the issues of the younger generation will continue to be ignored.