With the great election of 2012 soon upon us, we will all be asked to do our civic duty in November and vote for the president of the United States. Voting and politics are things many college students do not pay much attention to, let alone fully understand. Often, I hear statements people make about the president or the government and I wonder how they came to that conclusion. Being a political science major, I often ask myself this question when I hear people debate in class. Is there a real reason why they do not agree with President Obama? Is there a reason they agree with Obama? Or is it simply that they follow their parents’, friends’ or the media’s lead and vote accordingly?
I think this is a major problem among young voters because many of us are pressured into voting a certain way depending on our social circles and upbringings.  The biggest influence has to be people’s parents. Just because they think and vote one way does not mean you should. I encourage all of you first and foremost to vote but, before you do, I think you owe yourself and your country a few moments to look at the candidates platforms and decide who best represents what you feel is the right direction for our country. Do not let the smear ads on television all you know about the candidates; otherwise, you will probably make a very uninformed, ignorant decision. Do your own research about a candidate. Do not forget the things you see and hear on television are all put on there by a for-profit company; they are looking to make money at the expense of whole truths sometimes. You should look at a candidate’s record for reaching out across the aisle and see if he or she has compromised with the other side. Americans usually vote for a divided government, not a dysfunctional one, and this election is no different. Your vote is yours alone; do not let an outside factor influence who you think is most fit to lead our great nation.
With so many important issues happening here at home and abroad we cannot afford another four years of dysfunction. America needs leaders who are willing to do what is right for our country, not their respective parties or special interests.
I know I will not be voting for a president or anyone else who plans to follow down the road of dysfunction. American politics today are more polarized than since before the Civil War; President Lincoln said in one of his most famous speeches, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” and the culture change needed in Washington begins with us in 2012.