I think the country as it currently stands has some serious issues. I don't think anyone would disagree with that. We are also at what seems to be a crossroads with two possible outcomes. The first option is that we continue into the decline into stupidity. In this option, our candidates continue down the path of the election by way of marketing hype. The candidates do not provide any real stances on any real issues. They don't offer any real substance. They avoid debates and the pander to the lowest common denominator, which in the America of today is shockingly low. The people, those that actually votes, chose not the candidate that is best for the country, but rather the name they recognize or equally worse, they blinding vote along a party line in a system where the political parties aren't defined by anything real, but rather along a few token issues that while hotly debated are not ever legislated on, and will not have a huge effect on the country even if they were. The...

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The only chance we have is to actually elect an independent candidate, or at least have one that's truly a contender, in order to prove it can be done... only then will we see any real change in the system. As long as everyone accepts the fact that a vote for anything but a Republican or Democrat is a wasted vote (a mindset I've been guilty of) then nothing will change.

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I think we place too much emphasis on the position of President. I asked a friend if he voted. He replied, "I didn't like Kerry or Bush." I then told him I met in the election we just had for Governor, Senator, Representative, a State Senator and a couple of bills including a school millage, a policy to staff our firefighters based on population not amount of taxes received, etc... No doubt the President influences world affairs and domestic policy in this country, but we forget to care about local politics or hold our own reps accountable, and they are the government that is accessible. I can get my state rep or house rep on the phone pretty damn easily. Why aren't we who are interested in politics tapped into the politics which lets us belong. The President is some figure head. Get involved in local politics and spread out from there. You'd be amazed how easy it is to get involved. And in doing so, the political process becomes more fun, more interesting and more important. My Senator Carl Levin used to come to our school and drop in on our American Government classes. I met and talked with him after class, got involved in his campaign, met his family and I wasn't even 18. I think back that a Senator on the Armed Forces Committee, Homeland Security Committee, Intelligence Committee and is featured often on Meet The Press knew me by name. I mean how cool is that?

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Hello, My name is Jasmine, i'm a producer with National Public Radio. We are doing a piece on undecided voters. If you are undecided (but are someone who follows politics) and would like to participate, please send me a quick email at jgarsd@npr.org. We are hoping to record this on Friday, so please do this ASAP. Thank you very much, J.

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